Supplementation with Cup-feeding as A Substitute for Bottle-feeding to Promote Breastfeeding

Background: Few studies have provided evidence to verify that bottle-feeding has negative effects on breastfeeding. There is insufficient evidence to support the prac-tice of cup-feeding to supplement breastfeeding. However, it has been applied as a substitute for bottle-feeding to promote breastfeeding. The aims of this study were to explore the differences in infant sucking competence, infant sucking behavior and maternal milk supply among babies who were exclusively breastfeeding (breast group), breast feeding with cup supplemen-tation (cup group) and breast-feeding with bottle supplementation (bottle group) at different periods postpartum. Methods: A longitudinal study was carried out at a medical center located in northern Taiwan. The cup and bottle groups were recruited at two different times to avoid interaction. The breast group consisted of infants who were fully breastfed and were never exposed to a bottle or a cup during the hospital stay. Two hundred and five healthy mothers and their full-term, singleton infants were eligible for enrollment. We used structured questionnaires an