In general it’s a good idea to wait until breastfeeding is well established before introducing bottles,” says Ferry. “This often leads to recommendations of exclusive direct breastfeeding for the first four to six weeks of life. Current support for maternal leave in the US doesn’t necessarily make this possible all the time. If mom needs to go to work and be away from baby, it’s usually beneficial to introduce a bottle a week or so before. Often this is most successful when someone other than Mom provides the feeding.