Weaning is one of the first major milestones in a baby’s life. First breastfed, fed on demand and as desired, your baby is about to transition from breast to bottle. Not always in agreement, sometimes unsettled, or on the contrary, totally cooperative, your baby might react in many different ways—and so might you. You might even be surprised by ambivalent feelings. As we mentioned a while ago, milk blues sometimes hide behind the nostalgia of breastfeeding. But, since the vast majority of weanings go wonderfully, let’s explore how to maximize your chances of helping your baby accept the bottle.

First thing: put the end of breastfeeding into perspective

Bottle feeding while nursing at mother's breast
It’s completely normal to feel a pang or even sadness at the idea of weaning your baby. It’s the end of an era, the time when you were everything to your newborn—the protective, loving, and nurturing mother. Whether it’s by choice or necessity, you are among the moms who stop exclusive breastfeeding to begin mixed feeding and then move to bottle feeding within your child’s first few months.

But the end of one period fortunately also announces the beginning of another! Your baby is no longer an infant, becoming more alert and doing little things on their own. For both of you, it’s the start of a different kind of bond.

Breastfeeding or bottle-feeding with formula, the most important thing is the love you share through feeding.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusively breastfeeding newborns until 6 months of age. Yet, a 2013 study, Epifane, shows that at 3 months, 39% of children are breastfed. By 6 months, only one in four still are. Four years later, in 2017, the proportion of children still being breastfed at 6 months dropped to 22.8% according to the national average.

Next: focus on gentleness and supporting the transition to the bottle

For your baby, who has been breastfeeding from day one, nothing is more natural and instinctive than nursing at your breast. That’s why introducing the bottle as the new daily feeding object should be as gradual, gentle, and attentive as possible. Temperature, texture, shape, handling—almost everything is different between breast and bottle, so you need to be patient and kind to help your baby transition without stress.

Give it time and discover new sensations

It usually takes about a full month to wean your baby and move from exclusive breastfeeding to bottles for every meal. However, depending on your emotions, your child, and your circumstances, this timing may be shorter or longer. So, give yourself as much time as possible so you both feel free to say no, to not feel like it, to not succeed—and to try again the next day.

When you bottle-feed instead of nursing, you get to see your baby’s face. No longer buried against your breast but facing you, you’ll notice new emotions and expressions every day. If breastfeeding was a physical, almost primal exchange, feeding with a bottle offers a different kind of interaction, just as rich—like an early conversation between you.

Pick a gradual approach without a deadline

If weaning your baby is your choice, then you are the one setting the pace. If it’s due to returning to work, or if your milk is starting to dwindle, you have a deadline. Even so, you can still wean gently by offering the bottle earlier. You might feel you’re missing a few weeks of breastfeeding, but you’ll probably enjoy a softer transition that leaves you with no worries about your child’s ability to feed without you.

Following the idea of helping your baby reach more independence (an idea you’ll keep forever), why not replace just one daily feed to start? Between 3 and 5 months, a baby typically has 4 feedings a day. For example, keep those precious morning and night feedings (especially since they help prevent engorgement) and offer a bottle during the day. Just as with breastfeeding, don't worry about quantities at first. Once your baby accepts this bottle, after a few days or weeks, you can add a second. The mixed feeding phase has begun!

Baby agrees? Keep up the two-breastfeeds-two-bottles plan for another week, then continue gradually until you’re feeding exclusively with bottles. To make things easier, start with bottles filled with your own milk if you want to pump, before switching to formula.

Baby in mother's arms drinking from a physiological Elhee bottle
Weaning is not an exact science! Its success depends on many factors—the timing, but also special emotional circumstances. If your baby accepts one bottle a day but not two, that’s ok! Try again later. That’s why it’s helpful to start weaning early enough. And don’t worry, ending breastfeeding doesn’t have to mean all feedings disappear. If your little one is sick or tired, they may come back to you occasionally to nurse, until they’re ready to stop on their own.

Another tip: create a new ritual around bottle feeding

Start and end the bottle with a cuddle, chat, explanation, or lullaby to reassure your baby, introduce feeding with dad… Time is your best ally for easing any worries or frustrations that come with this major change. And creating rituals makes the process a lot easier.

The power of habit is a strong driver in accepting change, so it can help make the transition from breast to bottle more seamless. If you haven’t already, set up a comforting ritual that your baby will associate with feeding time. Also, if you can, pick a quiet moment for one-on-one time with your little one.

Practice skin-to-skin! Since bottle feeding will soon replace nursing, offer your baby the best comfort by taking time for skin-to-skin cuddles during feeding. Settle comfortably in a chair or rocking chair, tuck your baby into a carrier, or simply rest them against your chest. Soothed by your heartbeat and body warmth, your baby should relax and accept their new snack more easily.

Find THE bottle your baby likes

Anticipation can help you overcome even the most tricky problems by letting you think through everything (well, almost). Before offering your baby their first bottle, take time to consider your options. Not every bottle suits every baby, especially when transitioning from breastfeeding.

Choose the right size
Pick a safe material
Go for a physiological nipple
This is probably the most important factor for your baby. The bottle nipple gradually takes the place of your breast nipple. Its shape is different, as is its texture and how fast the milk flows when your baby sucks. So your child might simply reject it. Sometimes it’s just, “No!” The physiological nipple makes the breast-to-bottle transition easier thanks to its asymmetrical shape that’s designed to fit a child’s mouth and palate. Very soft, it doesn’t bother your baby and doesn’t require any extra effort to drink. If it’s made of medical-grade silicone (as with bibRond Elhée nipples), it won’t give off any smell. Everything you need for your baby to quickly accept it!

Give them the perfect bibRond

Taking all of this into account, Elhée one day set itself the mission of inventing the perfect bottle, for healthy and peaceful baby feeding. It needed to be safe, soft, and practical for moms too. And nice-looking, as well. Some time later, with the help of a wonderful team and production line, the bibRond Elhée was born.

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Today, Elhée’s little pink heart accompanies the round bottle all over the world. The words of moms who have tried and adopted it speak for themselves.

Don't forget: choosing the right infant formula

Baby in mother's arms pulling on the physiological nipple of their Elhée anti-colic bottle
But weaning is not just about technique or equipment. This first food transition is—above all—a matter of taste. From breast milk to infant formulas, there’s a whole world of preparations opening up when it’s time to choose.

From classic cow’s milk-based formula to those designed for little ones with digestive sensitivities or thickened formulas, you just have to pick… and follow your baby’s lead. While it’s possible the first formula will work for them, you may need to change brands several times before finding the right one.

Practically speaking, only use infant formulas recommended for your child’s age group: first-stage formula up to six months old, then second-stage formula after that. The amounts and preparation instructions are always listed on the packaging.

Bonus: our mom secrets for handling weaning challenges

But all this is theory. In practice, you might have to wean your baby faster than expected. You might not feel like it, or maybe you’ll be proactive and try bottles earlier. Maybe your baby will cry a lot and you’ll feel overwhelmed. Maybe your baby will refuse to nurse—but, even then, you might feel lost. It’s also possible your baby will take bottles easily at first, then suddenly refuse them…

In short, as you’ll see (and if you’ve already had a child you know), theory and practice in motherhood don’t always match up. So here are some mom tips to share and support each other:

  • Change locations between breastfeeding and bottle feeding. The idea is to make a new time and space, so your baby won’t automatically look for nursing. If you nursed in the bedroom, choose the living room sofa or the balcony bench if the weather allows.
  • Tilt the bottle when giving it and/or use a slow-flow nipple so your baby doesn’t feel overwhelmed. With a bottle, milk flows faster than during nursing!
  • Let someone else give the first bottles. Even if it’s tough, letting dad give your baby their first bottles can make the emotional transition easier by shifting your baby’s focus away from the feeding itself.
  • Gently warm the milk. Since breast milk is naturally warm, reheating the bottle before feeding your baby may help!
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