Bottle Feeding Basics
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By PAGE Editor
Bottle-feeding is a great way to bond with and get to know your baby. Holding your infant close to your body for every feed will allow you to dedicate precious moments to caring for them in their time of need.
Whatever your reasons are for bottle feeding your baby, there are a few things that you must be aware of. In this article, we’ve outlined some of the most important bottle-feeding basics that you need to know before you begin.
Choosing A Bottle And Formula
There are many manufacturers making claims about the teat of their bottles preventing gas or even acting more like a human breast than other bottles, so you’re quite literally spoilt for choice.
If you are unsure about what formula will best suit your baby, you can consult a pediatrician who will advise you on the best course of action. They’ll also be there to help you later on in your baby’s bottle-feeding journey.
If you’ve bought too much formula you can visit Sell Formula to find out how to sell it for cash.
How To Make A Bottle
If you’re unsure of how to make a bottle, there’s no need to panic! The tools you need to make the perfect bottle for your baby are quite literally at your fingertips. We’ve outlined the basic method for you to follow below.
Add the necessary amount of formula to a bottle and top up with hot water. The ratio of water to formula will differ depending on the type of formula that you choose.
Once this has been added, you will then need to put the lid on the bottle and shake it so everything mixes.
Leave it on your kitchen counter to cool down for a couple of minutes. If you need to change your baby, this would be a great time to do so!
After a few minutes, place a drop of the milk onto your wrist or the back of your hand to check the temperature. It mustn’t be too hot or cold and should instead be at room temperature.
When To Bottle Feed Your Baby
In the first few weeks, there are some arguments that you don’t need to follow a firm feeding schedule and that you should instead focus on feeding your baby according to demand. This is excellent advice as it ensures that you don’t overfeed or underfeed your baby.
From the start, you should aim to offer the bottle whenever your baby is showing signs of hunger. This will likely be every two or three hours, with a rough estimate of four or five feeds per day. Again, this is a general guideline — and every baby will be different!
A general rule you must follow is never to let your baby go longer than five hours without a feed as this is a crucial growth stage in their life.
Within the first month or two after bringing your baby home, you might be able to figure out a general feeding pattern. However, every baby will be different, so you must aim to create a bottle-feeding routine that best suits them.
How Many Ounces?
A newborn may take anywhere between 1 ½ to 2 ounces during a feed in the first few days. This can then be upped to 3 ounces shortly afterward (from around four days after birth) according to their needs.
After the first month, it’s normal for your baby to comfortably be drinking 4 ounces of milk every feed. Again, this is only a general figure! Between 6 and 8 months, they’ll likely take between 6 and 8 ounces four or five times a day.
The amount that your baby drinks vary from feeding to feeding. Make sure that you resist the temptation to force your baby to finish a bottle once they are full or fall asleep. Though they are small, their body knows when they received the relevant nutrients!
Hunger Cues
Whether you are bottle-feeding or breastfeeding, your baby will provide you with hunger cues so that you know exactly when they are hungry and then full. Your baby may suck on their hand, smack their lips, or simply release the teat of the bottle and turn away when they have had enough.
Summary
These are some of the most important bottle-feeding basics you need to know. Following these guidelines will help you to provide a sustainable and attainable feeding schedule for your little one that molds directly to their individual needs.
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