Transitioning Between the Breast and Bottle: What to Know

Eliscia Wisner, OTR/L, CLC

This blog was written in paid partnership with Dr. Brown's.

Feeding your baby can feel overwhelming — especially when it seems like you have to choose between breastfeeding and bottle feeding. While these are two different feeding skills, your baby can absolutely learn both. Whether you're introducing a bottle to your breastfed baby, transitioning to the breast after bottle feeding, or planning to do both long-term, the transition is possible.

What to Keep in Mind

Breastfeeding and bottle feeding are not interchangeable skills — they require different oral-motor coordination, muscle use and flow regulation. At the breast, babies work harder to create suction, manage flow and coordinate their suck-swallow-breathe rhythm. Bottle feeding, depending on the nipple and flow rate, can be more passive and require less effort. For this reason, the transition is not always straightforward. It is often presented as if babies should just inherently know how to feed. While babies do have reflexes that help them learn how to feed, feeding is not automatic.

When transitioning between bottle and breast, it's helpful to understand your baby's oral motor skills. Babies are born with a suck-swallow reflex that supports early feeding. This reflex is strongest in the first 2-3 months and typically integrates (or transitions to an active skill) around 6 months. Learning either feeding method is easiest before this reflex fades though babies can still develop these skills later with patience and practice.

As a feeding therapist and lactation counselor, I have outlined my tips and tricks for transitioning from the bottle to the breast and from the breast to the bottle below.

Introducing a Bottle to a Breastfed Baby

Here are five strategies to support your baby's adjustment from breastfeeding to bottle:

1. Establish breastfeeding first
   Wait until breastfeeding feels comfortable and consistent — or you are actively addressing any concerns — before introducing a bottle. This helps reduce the risk of bottle preference and supports a strong latch at the breast.
2. Support a deep latch
   A deep latch is important for bottle feeding, too. Bottles with a gradual slope (like Dr. Brown's) help encourage a deeper latch and more coordinated oral motor patterns.
3. Use a slow flow nipple
   Slower flow bottles can help mimic breastfeeding and discourage bottle preference. Not all "slow flow" nipples are equal, so you may need to try a few. Dr. Brown's Preemie Flow™, Level T, and Level 1 nipples are commonly recommended for breastfed babies.
4. Pace feed
   In paced feeding, the bottle is held more horizontally, allowing your baby to control the flow. This can be done with your baby in a more upright or side lying position. The goal is to be responsive to your baby's cues and avoid overfeeding.
5. Practice regularly
   If you want your baby to continue accepting a bottle, offer it consistently. I typically recommend four to five times a week to maintain this skill, especially in the first few months when feeding patterns are still developing.

Returning to or Offering the Breast After Bottle Feeding

Reintroducing or starting breastfeeding after your baby has been bottle fed is possiblewith the right strategies and support. I highly recommend working with a lactation professional to guide you through this transition. Here are some tips to help:

1. Skin-to-skin and low pressure
   Create a relaxed environment with plenty of skin-to-skin contact and opportunities for your baby to explore the breast without pressure to latch. This helps rebuild a positive connection to breastfeeding.
2. Offer the breast when baby is calm
   Try offering the breast when your baby is sleepy, just waking up or relaxed. If your baby is hungry and frustrated, start with a small amount of milk in a bottle to ease hunger, then offer the breast.
3. Use tools strategically (and short-term only)
   A nipple shield can help babies adjust to the softer texture of the breast if they're used to bottles. It should be used short-term and under the guidance of a lactation professional. Similarly, a supplemental nursing system (SNS) allows milk to flow while your baby latches at the breast, offering encouragement and support.
4. Pump to maintain or boost supply
   If your baby isn't latching regularly, pump on a consistent schedule to maintain milk supply. Having milk readily available can make breastfeeding easier and less frustrating for your baby. Even partial latching is progress.

Conclusion

With consistent practice and support, many babies successfully transition between breast and bottle. Keep feeding sessions calm and positive, follow your baby's cues, and seek support from a feeding specialist.

Always keep in mind, whether you're breastfeeding, bottle feeding, or doing a little of both — you're supporting your baby in exactly the right way.