Nipple Confused!

Oh no, 26 days is still so early, don't worry, this is really common and definitely fixable! For mixed feeding, a lot of mums I know swear by bottles with a slower flow and a softer, breast-like teat. The Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature bottles come up a lot because the nipple mimics breastfeeding better, and then a friend actually went with the Suavinex Zero Zero because of the soft silicone teat and the anti-colic valve, she said it made a real difference for her boy's latch when she switched back to the breast. Some mums also mention paced feeding (holding the bottle more horizontally and letting baby control the pace) makes a huge difference, even more than the bottle itself. The key thing people say is giving the breast time to recover too, maybe try to protect one feed or two a day as "breast only" so he remembers the latch, and don't introduce bottles too quickly in these early weeks. It's still very reversible at his age! That said, do check with your lactation consultant or doctor, they can watch his latch in person and give you the best advice for your situation. All the best with it!

I totally feel for you, nipple confusion at 26 days is stressful, especially when you're trying to keep up mixed feeding! Honestly, a lot of mums I know swear by bottles that mimic breastfeeding more closely, like the Suavinex Zero Zero, which has a softer nipple and slower flow that keeps baby working a bit like they do at the breast. The idea is that if the bottle doesn't feel too easy compared to latching, baby stays more willing to work for your breast too. Anti-colic bottles also help because they reduce the frustration factor, less wind means less cranky feeds overall. That said, the tricky part is timing: some mums found that waiting a bit longer between introducing the bottle (maybe 6-8 weeks when breastfeeding is more established?) made a real difference, while others had to just trial-and-error different bottles to find what clicked. It's worth chatting with your lactation consultant or GP about your latch concerns too, sometimes nipple confusion is actually shallow latch or supply hiccup in disguise, so good to rule that out while you're trying new bottles.

Try to use cup feeder