Is nipple confusion real?

Having a little one means a lifetime full of choices. From the moment a baby comes into the world the options are never-ending, and one of the first and most important decisions parents will make is not only what their child will eat, but how.

As new parents and parents-to-be, the term nipple confusion may cause … confusion itself. 

What is nipple confusion? And, what are the signs that a baby is struggling with switching between breast and bottle feeding? Yahoo Life chatted with moms and dads, parenting experts and pediatricians about nipple confusion and what it means for a mom's milk supply or a baby's ability to handle introducing a bottle.

Mindy Cockeram, a certified lactation educator and author of the book Breastfeeding Doesn't Have to Suck: Tips, Tricks and Knowledge for a Great Experience says in order for parents to fully understand the term "nipple confusion," they need a bit of clarification on the phenomenon.

"I don't actually think babies get confused whatsoever between a silicone teat with milk dripping out of it quickly versus a warm breast where they have to work much harder to get the same amount," says the Redlands, Calif. educator, "they start to prefer one over the other."