How to bottle feed a baby - Bottle-feeding basics
How often should I feed my baby?
A lot of professionals agree that you shouldn't follow a rigid feeding schedule in the early weeks, though you may have the ability to work out an approximate pattern within a month or more.
Offer your bust or the bottle every 2 to 3 hours in the beginning or as your baby appears hungry. Until your baby reaches about 10 pounds, she'll most likely take one to 3 ounces per feeding
Don't compel more than she seems prepared to consume. Your baby's doctor ought to advise you about suitable quantities for your youngster as she grows.
Overview of Firsts: Bottle feeding.
7 keys to feeding your
baby with a bottle
Do I have to disinfect the bottles?
Before you initially use brand-new bottles, nipples, and rings, sanitize them by submerging them in a pot of boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Then let them air dry on a clean towel. After that, an efficient cleaning in hot, soapy water or a cycle with the dishwasher suffices.
2 exceptions: One, if you have well water, it could be best to continue decontaminating the bottles. And two, to decrease exposure to unsafe chemicals, don't boil plastic baby bottles, heat them in the microwave, or clean them in the dishwasher.
Plastic bottles are made with bisphenol A and other chemicals that are launched when heated up. When these chemicals are launched, they might wind up in your baby's milk or formula.
You can find helpful bottle-feeding equipment, such as bottle drying racks and dishwasher baskets for nipples, rings, and bottle caps, at many baby supply establishments.
Discover the best ways to pick nipples and bottles and when to change them.
Can I mix breast milk and formula?
There's absolutely nothing wrong with blending breast milk and formula in the exact same container, however it's not advised just because you do not want to squander a single drop of your valuable breast milk if you're pumping and supplementing with formula. An efficient plan is to feed your baby whatever bust milk you've revealed, and then follow that up with an ounce or more of formula if you require it. Learn more.
What's the best way to warm a bottle?
There's no wellness reason to warm the milk first, but your baby might prefer it. When you're ready to feed your baby, you can warm up the bottle in a bowl of warm not hot or boiling water, or by running it under the tap. You can also buy a bottle warmer created for this function.
If your baby is accustomed to consuming bottles at space temperature level or a little cold, you save yourself the time and trouble of preheating bottles, particularly when she's crying to be fed.
Never use a microwave to heat a bottle of bust milk or formula. A microwave oven heats unevenly, so it can develop hot pockets and cause burns. It can also cause nutrients to break down.
How can I ensure my baby is drinking comfortably?
To assist your baby ingest less air, hold her at a 45-degree angle. Take care to tilt the bottle so that the nipple and neck are always filled with bust milk or formula.
Never prop a bottle - it can trigger your baby to choke. Bottle-feeding, like breastfeeding, can be a fantastic time for nurturing your baby by holding her close. So take feeding time as an opportunity to curl up and bond.
Prior to you first utilize brand-new bottles, nipples, and rings, decontaminate them by submerging them in a pot of boiling water for at least five minutes. When you're all set to feed your baby, you can warm up the bottle in a bowl of warm not hot or boiling water, or by running it under the tap. Never make use of a microwave to heat a bottle of bust milk or formula. Take care to tilt the bottle so that the nipple and neck are constantly filled with bust milk or formula.
Never ever prop a bottle - it can cause your baby to choke.