Whether you're bottle-feeding from the start, or making the change from breastfeeding later on, we've created your ultimate guide to bottle-feeding...
There are loads of benefits to breastfeeding – it’s good for your baby and convenient for you because you can satisfy your baby’s hunger any time, any place. But don’t let anyone make you feel guilty if you simply can’t master it, or don’t feel comfortable breastfeeding. It’s not worth causing you and your baby distress during these precious early months. Formula milks given by bottle will meet your baby’s nutritional needs, and there are some advantages, such as being able to share feeds easily with your partner.
Bottle-feeding does mean you have to be organised and prepared for the extra work involved in preparing feeds and cleaning and sterilising bottles. If you have any doubts, discuss the options with your midwife or health visitor before you decide.
If you do switch from breast to bottle, do it gradually unless you're changing over in the first few days. A sudden changeover can mean an uncomfortable build-up of milk in the breasts, which could lead to problems like mastitis.
What you need:
- At least six bottles and teats. There's a huge variety on the market so you may want to test a few before settling on the type that suits your baby best.
- Steriliser - either a chemical or steam steriliser (microwave or electric)
- Bottle brush
- Formula - choose one you feel is right for your baby, perhaps asking friends and family for advice first. If you think the formula you've chosen doesn't agree with your baby, talk to your health visitor.
Optional extras:
- Mixing jug
- Bottle warmer
- Formula flask
- Cool bag
Making up feeds
When making up formula milk, follow the instructions carefully. Adding too much powder to water will change the composition of the formula, giving your baby levels of protein, fats, carbohydrates and salt that are too high. You can buy pre-measured sachets of dried milk which ensure you have the proportions right. Ready-to-feed formula is even easier - though it does cost more.
Always add powder to water – not the other way round – to ensure the right mix, and use a sterile knife to level off powder on the scoop. Shake well to ensure all the powder is dissolved.
Babies prefer tepid rather than chilled milk. If it’s freshly made with boiling water, cool by standing in a pan of cold water. If it’s cooled from the fridge, warm it by standing in a bowl of hot water. Either way, always shake the bottle and test the temperature of the milk on the inside of your wrist first – it should feel just warm.
Formula milk – made from powder or opened ready-made – can be stored for up to 24 hours in the fridge. Make sure warmed formula is cooled quickly (e.g. stand in a pan of icy water) and put straight in the fridge if it’s being stored for later.
Don’t carry around warm, formula milk for a later feed. It needs to be cooled and stored at a low temperature (e.g. with an icepack in a coolbag), and heated when you need it. Or carry warm water in a sterile bottle, and make up the formula just before you give the feed. Babycare shops sell insulated formula flasks which are perfect for this job.
Important: heating bottles of formula in a microwave oven is not recommended. The heat can be uneven, leading to scalding hot spots in the bottle.
Giving formula to your baby
- Hold your baby close, and tilt the bottle so the teat’s always full of milk to prevent your baby sucking air (a cause of wind). Sometimes your baby may finish a bottle quite quickly and other times may want to suck slowly for comfort.
- If the sides stick together, preventing a good flow, take the teat out of your baby's mouth to allow it to pop back into shape.
- Wriggling, crying and pushing the teat out with the tongue may mean your baby needs sitting up to get rid of wind.
- Watch for signs that your baby’s had enough – you’ll notice they’re no longer sucking hungrily and they’ll happily let you take the bottle away. Giving them too much won’t extend the time between feeds.
- Never prop your baby up with the bottle and leave him there to finish his milk as there is a risk of choking.
- Always throw away leftover milk after a feed. Never store or reheat it.
Bottle care must dos
Hygiene and bottle care is crucial. Follow these golden rules to safe, satisfying feeds:
- All milk-related equipment must be sterilised after each feed until your baby is 12 months old, to reduce the risk of him contracting a gastro-intestinal infection.
- You should rinse used bottles with cold water, then wash in hot soapy water using a bottlebrush, squeezing hot water through the teat and rinsing well. Both bottle and teat must be spotlessly clean before sterilising – hold them to the light to check. Traces of milk will make sterilisation less effective.
- You can use chemical or steam sterilisers, but follow the sterilising directions for use to the letter.
- After sterilising, clean bottles will stay sterile for up to 24 hours if kept in the fridge. If you have to dry a sterilised bottle use a spotlessly clean tea towel.
- Always wash hands well before handling sterilised bottles and when making up formula.
