The GentleBottle is built to feel like nursing — a soft squeezable silicone body and an off-center nipple that mimics a natural latch — so breastfed babies switch between breast and bottle with less refusal. Here's the full transition path.

Introducing the bottle (around 4–6 weeks, once nursing is established)

• Have someone other than the nursing parent offer the first bottles — babies smell milk and hold out for the source.
• Warm the nipple under warm water so it's closer to skin temperature.
• Use paced feeding: hold baby upright, keep the bottle near-horizontal, and let baby draw milk rather than gravity-feeding.

If baby refuses the bottle

Try a different time of day (not ravenous, not full), a different hold (facing outward sometimes works), and persistence in short, no-pressure sessions. The GentleBottle's squeezable body lets you offer a tiny reward taste at the nipple to start the latch.

Adding self-holding (around 4–6 months)

Snap on the Teether Handle — the side rails are sized for baby palms, and the textured ring soothes gums between feeds.

Weaning to a sippy (around 6–9 months)

Swap the nipple for the Transitional Sippy Lid or Soft Spout. Same familiar bottle, new drinking skill — familiarity is what makes the swap stick.

Graduating to a cup (around 9–12+ months)

Introduce an open training cup or straw cup at meals while the sippy handles on-the-go. By 12–18 months, pediatric guidance favors moving off bottles entirely.

Nipple care

Inspect nipples monthly and replace roughly every 3 months — thinning, clouding, or tears mean it's time. Replacement nipples come in slow, medium, and fast flow.

General guidance, not medical advice — consult your pediatrician or an IBCLC for feeding concerns.