Welcome Priska Diaz to Talk About it Tuesdays! Priska is a mompreneur who has designed and developed a really neat baby bottle. You can find out more about her product at the end of this post! Here’s her story…
When I gave birth to my first son Carlton I had decided that he’d be 100% breastfed. As the days went by I noticed the inside of his mouth was very dry so, I started giving him sips of water from a small cup. The lactation consultants had warned me not to introduce bottles at this early stage. They told me that baby bottles free feed the baby by dispensing larger amounts of milk than the breast and the unnatural nipple shape of the bottle contribute to nipple confusion and ultimately rejection of the breast. At the 7-day visit, the pediatrician told us that Carlton was loosing weight and that his dry mouth was a sign of poor nutrition. The doctor said I had to supplement with formula. I was crushed! And I wasn’t even sure how much more I should keep trying. I called every lactation center in my area, as well as La Leche League and the Hospital’s breastfeeding experts (where I delivered) and was advised by them all Do not introduce bottles.
Despite the fact that Carlton was born full term, he was losing so much weight that I had to buy him preemie clothing. Even worse, I was forced to become a combo breast and baby bottle mom. Before I introduced the baby bottle, I bought every baby bottle on the market in hopes of finding something that will help with breastfeeding. As warned, Carlton began to reject the breast shortly after I introduced bottles and every time I bottle fed him I turned him into a bag of gas which would lead to frustration and sleepless nights for baby, mom and dad. Worse yet was the fact that Carlton clearly preferred the baby bottle to my breast. Eventually I pumped and bottle-fed 100%. Although pumping was double the work as breastfeeding or formula feeding, I wanted the best for my baby. There’s nothing better than breast milk, no formula comes even close to the level of nutrients and benefits of breast milk, click here for tips on breastfeeding, latching and a list of lactation aid sites.
I researched the mechanics of breastfeeding vs. mechanics of baby bottles, the functionality of air-vents and why bottles have to have them. I learned that air-vents are an opening away from the nipple’s orifice that allows air into the bottle to prevent nipple collapse and that the baby ingests this air while feeding which causes the baby to be gassy and colicky. I concluded my research by questioning why baby bottles were designed to be so unnatural. Why weren’t the bottles designed to accommodate a baby’s natural way of feeding? My breasts don’t have air-vents, why should baby bottles? Why are the nipples stiff and odd shaped? Why aren’t the nipples like mine? That’s when the designer in me took over and started designing a baby bottle that would not only function like a breast but feel like a breast. A baby bottle that would mimic my breast by dispensing air-free milk to help reduce gas and colic and a nipple that was shaped and extended upon suction, just like a breast. The result of my years of research and development is BARE„¢ air-free baby bottles, which I am please and excited to announce will be coming to market this fall.