In plain words
Nipple confusion is a common term for a baby who breastfeeds less well after being given a bottle or pacifier. Parents may notice the baby pulling off, fussing, or seeming to expect the firm, fast flow of a bottle. Some researchers think the baby learns a different way of sucking. Others think the baby simply prefers the easier flow of a bottle. Studies have not settled the question. Many babies take both bottles and breasts with no change. Nipple confusion is not a diagnosis. It is a way parents describe a problem at the breast. Mothers often hear the term from family members or in online groups.
The deeper version
The concept describes a hypothesized shift in infant oral motor pattern after exposure to artificial nipples, with a change from the tongue-driven, deep latch required at the breast to a sucking pattern suited to a bottle. Howard et al. (Pediatrics 2003) randomized breastfeeding infants who needed supplements to a cup or a bottle, and reported no difference in breastfeeding between the bottle and cup groups. Other reviews have found weak or inconsistent evidence that early bottle use alters breastfeeding duration. Clinicians now distinguish timing of introduction, method of bottle feeding, and latch quality as separate questions.
Where it comes up
- Introducing a bottle and paced feedingFeeding Your Baby
- PacifiersBaby Basics
- Getting a deep latchFeeding Your Baby
- Combo feeding: breast and formulaFeeding Your Baby
- Nursing strikes and refusalFeeding Your Baby
What mothers here say about nipple confusion
No one has posted under this term yet.
Sources
- Howard CR et al. — Randomized clinical trial of pacifier use and bottle-feeding or cupfeeding and their effect on breastfeeding. Pediatrics 2003
- World Health Organization and UNICEF — Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative: revised, updated and expanded for integrated care, 2009