Tips on Bottle-Feeding your Baby

So is it time to start bottle-feeding your baby? It might not be as easy as it seems as the baby would have grown habitual to breast feeding.  But if you follow the following simple tips, you will be able to feed your baby with a bottle without any trouble at all:

Always use distilled or mineral water to prepare the baby formula. Ensure that you make it the same way every time. Always check the temperature and make sure that the milk is fed at the same temperature.

Sit in a comfortable position and keep the baby close to you. In case you have given a Caesarian birth, it might be difficult for you to be seated comfortably owing to the stitches. In this case, sit in a manner as convenient as possible and use a pillow across your lap to support and hold the baby.

Keep the baby in the breast feeding position and securely and firmly hold him/her. The baby should be held in a semi upright position and the bottle should be held upside down so that there are no air bubbles that are swallowed by the baby.

Always ensure that the bottle is closed and sealed properly. Do not incline the bottle at a steep angle; this will prevent any possibility of the baby choking.

Make the baby burp in between feeding. Stop and place your palm under baby’s ribcage and gently press. When the baby will burp, any remnants of milk in the mouth will come out. Do the same after the baby has been fed. Burping the baby twice, once between the feeding and then after the feeding is important.

Also, shift the baby from one side to the other. Alternating positions helps the baby’s neck and eyes as this strengthens both the organs well. But ensure that the change of sides is done evenly.

The final tip is to make sure that you do not try to feed the baby the same amount of milk every time. Initially the baby’s consumption will vary at every feed. Stop immediately when the baby is full. Do not worry; he/she will fall into a pattern soon.