Bottle Feeding For Beginners
by: Michelle Higgins
The art of bottle feeding is not very tough to master. For most mothers, it
comes as naturally as (or easier than) breastfeeding.
First things first
The first step is to choose a suitable infant formula. Prepare the formula
just before baby's feeding time. Pumping milk, like breastfeeding takes some
time to perfect but breast milk can be stored at room temperature for a longer
time.
If you want to try an infant formula-breast milk combo, introduce the bottle
after baby is a breastfeeding expert. You can expect this to happen in the first
four weeks. This will help avoid nipple confusion.
After every feed, make sure the bottle is thoroughly rinsed and cleaned. Sterilizing
the bottle is not necessary once baby is six months old.
Getting started on the bottle
Give baby a "start feeding signal" by stroking her cheek with the
tip of the teat. Her rooting reflex will make her turn in the direction of the
teat and she will start sucking from the teat.
Tilt the bottle in a way such that the teat is always completely filled with
formula. This will prevent baby taking up too much air and save you the anxiety
of dealing with a gassy baby later. Better still is to use an angled bottle
that helps retain the formula in the teat. Burp baby in between feeds and after
every feed.
Check the flow of formula. Turn the bottle upside down. Milk should spray a
little and then start flowing steadily drop by drop. Baby's sucking and gulping
movements will also help you judge the flow.
Your baby might drink only a few milliliters of formula in the first few days.
For a rough guide on how much formula baby needs, refer to infant formula fundamentals.
If your baby rejects the bottle, let someone else offer it to her instead of
you. A baby who has been breast fed for sometime might not readily accept the
bottle.
