Bottlefeeding with a Breast‐like Nipple

Abstract

Forty normal one‐month‐old infants were randomly assigned to a breast‐like nipple (Healthflow) bottlefeeding or a standard nipple (Evenflo) bottlefeeding group for one 20‐minute feeding by the infants’ mothers. The data suggested that the mothers’ bottlefeeding behaviors did not differ, but the infants who fed on the breast‐like nipples spent less time asleep, more time awake and active and less time fussing and crying. In addition, the vagal tone of that group decreased more during bottlefeeding and increased more after the feeding, suggesting that the breast‐like nipple bottlefeedings were more similar to breastfeedings (vagal tone being lower during breastfeeding and higher after breastfeeding versus bottlefeeding). Because many women who breastfeed return to work, bottlefeeding that more closely approximate breastfeedings may ease this transition and may provide more effective supplemental feedings for the breastfed infants.

Key Words:

• Bottlefeeding.