new nipples

After trying to give Buddha a bottle last night using pretty much every type of nipple in the house, and watching how he took the bottle (or didn't), I decided that maybe the problem wasn't that he wouldn't take a bottle of formula, but that, after being breast fed for four months, he wouldn't take the style of bottle we had. Since I had to go out for milk, I figured I would look into some different bottle make and moddles. After browsing the aisle for what seemed a rediculously long time, I found the evenflo Elan. I never thought I would buy a bottle that had a car-like name, but it's the only one I picked up, and I am glad I did. It is a wide bottle, which makes mixing formula easier, it vents air in at the nipple, to keep the fluid flowing, and vents air OUT the bottom, which really keeps babe's from getting gassy tummy aches. The nipple is silicone, the prefferred artificial nipple choice of most nursing mom's, it is a slightly firmer silicone at the tip, which is a little longer than what you would find on other bottles, and the base of the nipple is very soft, flexible, and has a few little bumpies on it. Basically, it is the most breast-like bottle nipple I have ever seen.

When I got home from dropping Hubby off at work this morning, I made Buddha a four ounce bottle, figuring that once again, three or so would go to waste. I would have made two ounces, but I purchased the nine ouncer instead of the six ouncer, I think maybe it was a choice based on color options. Anywho, after a very small initial fuss, Buddha latched right on to the bottle, sucked most of it right down, got angry when I took it away to burp him, then happilly finished. He had very little gas or spit-up, and is now peacefully napping.
I am so pleased I finally found something that works for me. I can now start gently weaning, like I want to, knowing it won't be a constant up-hill battle, knowing that I will not be getting the angry, pouty face every time I attempt to give him a bottle, and knowing, feeling, again, that I am not a bad mommy for doing this. Everything will be all right.

Who knew that one bottle, of the right variety, would do so much.