Bottle Feeding : Not every woman chooses to, or even can, breastfeed. And while breastfeeding is the best option for the optimal nutrition and protection for your baby, there is nothing wrong with bottle feeding and formula. Many of us were formula fed, and somehow, we still turned out just fine. Also, even women who breastfeed sometimes need a break, and will need to supplement their feedings with a bottle. Learn more about which bottle is best for your infant and check out the parent reviews for the many bottle options available.

Bottle Feeding

Also Read:

Baby Feeding : Tips for baby Feeding and Nursing

Baby Formula : Baby Food, Formula and Feeding Accessories

Breastfeeding : Benefits Of Breast Milk

Baby Bottles

There are many bottles available on the market today and the toughest thing is to know which bottle is right for your baby. If you buy any Medela breast pump, Medela bottles are included for free with purchase. A mistake many parents make before their baby is born (me included) is deciding on, and stocking up on, one kind of bottle. For most parents, it is impossible to know which bottle your new baby will best adjust to for feeding. Choose a few different bottles to experiment with. Avent bottles and Playtex Original Nursers are always good choices. Spend a few days exclusively feeding your baby from only that brand of bottle. See how your baby likes the nipple, see if the bottle leaks, and see how your baby does after the feeding. Does your baby suffer from horrible gas, does your baby have colic, does your baby spit up too frequently, or even throw up? If you are having trouble with any of these issues then you may want to switch bottles to a bottle specially designed to help with these problems like the Born Free baby bottle or the Dr. Brown bottle. It doesn’t mean the bottle you originally tried is a bad bottle. It just means that bottle was not right for your baby. Keep trying different bottles until you find the one that works well for your baby. Only then should you stock up on several of these bottles.
In all, you will probably want anywhere from 5-10 bottles for your baby. It depends on how often during the day you want to wash the bottles. I personally only own 5 bottles for my baby, but I do wash up three times a day to make sure there are always clean bottles on hand. Also make sure you always have boiled water ready for filling your bottles. You should never just fill your bottles for feeding straight from the tap. Fill a pot or kettle with the tap water and bring the water to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes. When the water is cool you can then fill the bottles. I like to prepare the bottles with the right measurement of water ahead of time and then line up the bottles on the counter so that they are always ready to go for a feeding. I just add the formula when it is time to feed. This makes life much easier when you have a hungry, screaming baby in your hand. Remember, once the formula is added to the bottle it is only good for one hour at room temperature and up to a day in the refrigerator. If the baby eats from the bottle then it is only good for one hour. Refrigeration will not help as the bacteria from the baby’s mouth will begin to multiply on the bottle.

Bottle Accessories

Bottles need to be sterilized after every washing before they can again be used for a feeding. While our parents had to boil our bottles on the stove, today you buy a microwave sterilizer to make this step in your bottle preparation much easier. Bottle sterilizers can hold anywhere from 5-6 bottles at a time. You just add the required amount of water to the bottom of the sterilizing container and then microwave for the required amount of time. This steams the bottles, sterilizing them. When cool, assemble the bottles (make sure you put them together properly to make sure they don’t leak and that extra air doesn’t get in—check the seal of the nipple) and fill with the right amount of water. Some people even like to add the formula at this time and then store the bottles in the refrigerator. However, you will then need to warm the bottle before using. You can use a bottle warmer or a bowl of hot water to do this. You can microwave the bottle, but you must be very careful if you do this. Microwaving liquids causes an uneven warming. Parts of the formula can be scalding hot while other parts are still cold. Be sure to mix the formula after heating and then test the temperature on the inside of your wrist. Never give your baby a bottle that is too hot; you can burn the inside of his/her mouth.

Bibs Are A Necessity

Bottle feeding can get messy. Milk will pour from the side of your baby’s mouth during the feed, and your baby will often spit up some during or after the feed. You will want to invest in many bibs to help protect your baby’s clothing during and after the feed. I recommend having at least ten. You will also want some good burp cloths for wiping your baby’s mouth during and after the feed and for putting over your shoulder during burping time. Globs of milk will often come up with that extra air. It’s a good idea to protect your shirt.