Bottles after the first month = Probably not a bad idea (Yes I know this will raise lots of eyebrows but hear me out)

I started out my career as a lactation consultant as a breastfeeding purist.  I felt that if it wasn't the boob then it was unnatural and somewhat wrong.  Over the years my pragmatic streak combined with the stories mothers were telling me made me change my position.

Mums who had exclusively breastfed their babies for 5 months were running in to challenges because the baby refused to be fed any other way than from the breast.  400 years ago not really a problem, because there was usually an aunty or someone who could help out if mum needed to be away.  But fast forward to modern times.  Sometimes mums get sick and have to go to hospital, sometimes they have to go to a wedding, sometimes they just want to go on a date with their partner that doesn't require they squeeze it in between feeds.  Breastfeeding Aunties with clean bills of health just aren't as plentiful as they used to be so reality often requires adaptation.  Enter the bottle.  Once a baby figures out how to feed effectively from the breast add about two to four weeks.  Then after baby has had a good morning feed express off what is left in your breasts. Stick in the fridge and then in the evening it can be giving to a partner or given by yourself before baby goes to bed.  Now this is cool for two reasons.  It is mostly hindmilk (fatty sleep inducing milk) because it was pulled off at the end of a feed.  So now baby will learn to take a bottle, will get full on your own milk, and will hopefully give you a bit extra sleep in the night.

What sort of bottle to get:
Bottle marketers and formula marketers are both excellent at what they do and will try to tell you that their bottles are the best because of this or that reason.  The reality is that it only matters if your baby has a facial issue such as a cleft, or palsey.  If your baby can breastfeed and doesn't have palatal or neurological issues then any bottle will do.  Just stay away from dodgy plastics, and if it it comes from a dollar store I would avoid it.   Medela, and Ameda, are my safe bets but there are hundreds of bottle manufacturers that are making excellent bottles out there.  Just keep them clean during the day and sterilize them once a day and you should be all good.   Dr. Sears has put out a good guideline on selecting and cleaning your bottles located here.