{"items": [{"author": "Julia", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/643110878522?comment_id=643111502272", "anchor": "fb-643111502272", "service": "fb", "text": "I think that ultimately \"researchers\" aka \"breast-feeding moms\" found that the majority of hungry babies figure out what to do extremely quickly. I only have a sample size of two, but anecdotal evidence from over 20 other samples suggests that babies are adaptable to two or more nipple types.", "timestamp": "1388500337"}, {"author": "David", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/643110878522?comment_id=643112654962", "anchor": "fb-643112654962", "service": "fb", "text": "I wonder if the first problem could be solved with a vertical loop of tubing. There would need to be enough suction to get the milk up the first half of the loop. After that, gravity on the second half of the loop would reduce the amount of suction needed.", "timestamp": "1388501261"}, {"author": "David", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/643110878522?comment_id=643112739792", "anchor": "fb-643112739792", "service": "fb", "text": "For the second problem, I bet collaboration between the breast implant and bottle industries would help.", "timestamp": "1388501382"}, {"author": "David", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/643110878522?comment_id=643113223822", "anchor": "fb-643113223822", "service": "fb", "text": "Maybe buy something like http://www.amazon.com/Silicone-Breast.../dp/B000MZYRXE/ and make holes with a sterilized sewing needle? (Would that be safe, or does the silicone have to be listed as food-safe?)", "timestamp": "1388501674"}, {"author": "Gianna", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/643110878522?comment_id=643116342572", "anchor": "fb-643116342572", "service": "fb", "text": "FWIW, our pediatrician (who went to medical school in India and has practiced family medicine both abroad and in the US) told us that in other parts of the world, it's common for mom to breastfeed baby during the day and for another caregiver to give a bottle at night so mom can have a break. According to him, nipple confusion is a uniquely American obsession. There seems to be a lot of fretting over extremes (use of the term \"exclusively breastfed\" is another example). I don't have hard evidence either way, but based on our sample of one, our baby had a bottle in the NICU, breastfed in the hospital, and had to have a bottle or two at home in the first days, but has learned to breastfeed just fine (notwithstanding typical challenges). I do understand why people say to try to avoid introducing a bottle until about 6 weeks of age (or until breastfeeding is well established), but they also say that once you introduce a bottle, make sure you continue to offer one every other day or so, so they don't refuse it later. It seems like any other sort of learning: start with the thing you want to know best, and continue to practice the skills you want to maintain.", "timestamp": "1388503760"}, {"author": "Jeff&nbsp;Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/643110878522?comment_id=643117375502", "anchor": "fb-643117375502", "service": "fb", "text": "@David: \"vertical loop of tubing\"<br><br>This would make the baby swallow a lot of air.", "timestamp": "1388504344"}, {"author": "opted out", "source_link": "#", "anchor": "unknown", "service": "unknown", "text": "this user has requested that their comments not be shown here", "timestamp": "1388508653"}, {"author": "Nicolas", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/105722903272192091597", "anchor": "gp-1388509669725", "service": "gp", "text": "I think there are a couple of factors that drive keeping bottle nipples simple: ease of manufacture, and ease of cleaning. I've yet to see a bottle nipple that has a multi-duct structure like a real breast, which I imagine would have flow properties more like the real thing. The breast has an active immune system; I don't know how you would clean out a bottle nipple that didn't have a single large hollow area. Maybe soaking plus steaming?", "timestamp": 1388509669}, {"author": "Mac", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/643110878522?comment_id=643133498192", "anchor": "fb-643133498192", "service": "fb", "text": "The crunchy types would reject this out of hand, but from a medical device engineer's POV, this situation calls for a pair of devices, both a breast pump and a bottle.  And perhaps they could be the same thing.  Here's the kicker: use a disposable bladder, both to collect the pumped milk, and to dispense it.  This can be a low mass plastic baggie.  Disposable means no cleaning -- and sterilizing  -- issues.  The cleaning process can do more environmental damage than the disposable.  If anyone wants to run a kickstart effort, I'll engineer it.", "timestamp": "1388512348"}, {"author": "Celeste", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/643110878522?comment_id=643151502112", "anchor": "fb-643151502112", "service": "fb", "text": "For what it is worth, when we were having troubles getting Morgan to latch all of the medical professionals I talked to (my midwife, his pediatrician, several different lactation consultants) dismissed nipple confusion as a load of bunk. A lot of babies may have a preference for one kind of nipple and get angry if you give them the other kind, but that isn't the same thing as being unable to switch back and forth.", "timestamp": "1388523308"}, {"author": "Celeste", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/643110878522?comment_id=643151552012", "anchor": "fb-643151552012", "service": "fb", "text": "Also, I would be interested to hear of any research done on babies breastfed by multiple women", "timestamp": "1388523322"}, {"author": "Julia", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/643110878522?comment_id=643157380332", "anchor": "fb-643157380332", "service": "fb", "text": "@Mac: this exists.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00028XJNA", "timestamp": "1388527094"}, {"author": "Mac", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/643110878522?comment_id=643172220592", "anchor": "fb-643172220592", "service": "fb", "text": "Hey, it was a great idea, right?  Besides, going over the Bill of Materials, the nipple would likely be too costly to dispose of and therefore require sterilization.", "timestamp": "1388537388"}, {"author": "Mad", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/100533872344198336746", "anchor": "gp-1388669219008", "service": "gp", "text": "Also a problem: nipples have a lot of variation. Solution: use a nipple shield to standardize nipple shape. Pros: shape optimized to stimulate infant's sucking behavior and can match bottle nipple shape. Cons: infant may not learn to accept unshielded nipple, and now you have an additional fiddly thing to keep track of and wash. (Yes this product exists :) )", "timestamp": 1388669219}, {"author": "Mad", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/100533872344198336746", "anchor": "gp-1388669432862", "service": "gp", "text": "(Ah, I missed the end -- but I'm also unconvinced, plenty of women have trouble with initiating bf due to too-flat nipples failing to stimulate the top of the infant's palate.)", "timestamp": 1388669432}, {"author": "Gianna", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/643110878522?comment_id=647559613222", "anchor": "fb-647559613222", "service": "fb", "text": "Circling back on this now that our daughter has started daycare and tried many, many different bottle/nipple combinations and basically been able to drink (albeit a bit unwillingly at times) from all of them: they may not manufacture what you describe because for most babies it's just not necessary and thus not worth the expense. Also, if you are interested in trying out different bottles, there are many that claim to have properties (mostly in the nipple) similar to an actual breast (though not as complicated, for sure). One interesting one that we never tried but that a friend of mine really likes is Comotomo (http://www.amazon.com/Comotomo-Natural.../dp/B004C053AQ) which not only has a more natural nippled shape but also has a somewhat soft/flexible bottle itself, presumably to mimic the feel of the breast against baby's hand/cheek while nursing.", "timestamp": "1391543800"}]}