How Much Milk Should I Give Them
You can usually trust your baby to feed according to their appetite so be guided by them. In the early weeks, your baby might be unpredictable, and their needs may change day by day. Newborn babies generally take quite small amounts of formula to start with in frequent intervals .
As a general rule, by the end of the first week most babies will require approximately 150ml to 200ml per kilogram of body weight per day, until theyre six months old. For example, a baby weighing 6kg at the end of four months, would approximately need 900ml to 1200ml of infant formula per day .
A formula fed baby will need to be fed according to the guidelines for their weight and age, and the instructions for the brand of formula.
Your baby is likely to need night feeds for first few months of their life. The night feeds will gradually reduce as your baby gets older. Once you introduce solid foods at around six months, they will also need less formula .
Benefits Of Paced Bottle
The benefits of paced bottle-feeding may include the following:
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Your baby eats more slowly, learning to pace himself, and takes more breaks
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The risk of overfeeding can be reduced because your baby learns to control how much he eats and at what pace he eats
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Discomfort associated with swallowing air while feeding may be reduced with a steady pace of eating, and thus help prevent gas.
How To Spot Early Hunger Cues
Keep an eye out for any early signs your baby is getting hungry. They may start to stick their tongue out, suck on their fists or perhaps turn their head to the side. Crying is the last sign of wanting to feed, so it is better to feed your baby before they do .
If you learn how to spot these early feeding cues, you may find that your little one feeds more calmly and more easily. If your baby is already upset or crying, then try to soothe them first before offering them a milk feed. You could talk to them gently or try skin-to-skin contact which can also help to calm them .
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Your Baby Falls Asleep Mid
First check that shes actually asleep. She may be sucking so blissfully that she appears to have gone off to La-La Land, but in fact shes simply taking her sweet time sucking down the contents of her bottle.
If she really has nodded off, gently rouse her enough to finish off the meal. Try undressing her a little, tickling her feet, burping her, switching positions or even pausing for a diaper change.
One more thing to keep in mind: Frequent feeding fiestas could be a sign that mealtime is spilling into naptime. In that case, it might be worth adjusting your sweeties feeding schedule.
How To Get Baby To Take A Bottle
Even if youre planning to exclusively breastfeed, at some point youll likely need some pointers on how to get baby to take a bottle. I tell my clients to introduce baby to a bottle once breastfeeding has been established, which depends on each mother-baby dyad, but on average, its around one month, ODay says. Even if theyre not planning to regularly bottle-feed, doing so can give peace of mind if an emergency comes up, and can also be a way for mom to get a break.
Some babies take a bottle no problemafter all, sucking is an instinctive reflex, which is why bottle-fed babies tend to get the hang of it in the first few days of life. But other breastfed babies may initially be reluctant to take a bottle. And sometimes breastfed babies have no issue taking a bottle when theyre one month old, but if a bottle hasnt been regularly offered, by 3 or 4 months of age, theyre less happy to accept a bottle. Bottle resistance is pretty common, but luckily there are some tried-and-true tips for what to do when baby is refusing a bottle.
Offer often. Even if youre breastfeeding, ODay recommends giving baby at least one bottle a week, once breastfeeding has been established. That way its part of their routine, so theyre less likely to resist it, she says.
Let others try bottle-feeding. Some moms have success leaving the house and allowing their partner to try feeding baby a bottle. Again, try it at a time thats not babys must-feed time.
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Introducing A Bottle To A Breastfed Baby
The information in this post is also contained in our Working & Breastfeeding.
Here is one approach to beginning pumping and introducing bottles that has worked well for many mothers as they prepared to return to work:
Once the feeding is completed, you will pump to create a bottle equal to what the baby consumed. Remember that the baby is always better than a pump! If you do not pump as much as the baby took, it is more likely a pump issue than an issue of not enough milk. Just pump after another breastfeeding and add that amount to what you pumped to get the amount baby took.
You will continue this pattern until you have enough milk stored in your freezer to get you through a normal work day plus a few extra for any hectic day at work where you may not have been able to pump as often. Plan to fully breastfeed for all feedings when not separated from your baby.
How Often Should I Bottle
When it comes to bottle-feeding or breastfeeding, all health professionals recommend responsive feeding. This means learning to recognise the early signs that your baby is hungry and never forcing them to finish a feed if theyve had enough.
“This is particularly important for babies who are formula fed because they can be over-fed and either become sick or put on too much weight .”
Responsive feeding can therefore help reduce the risk of obesity .
Watch our video for tips on how to bottle-feed your baby.
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Bottles For Expressed Breastmilk Or Infant Formula
When buying bottles, remember that:
- You will need at least three large bottles with leak-proof caps, discs and teats.
- Plastic bottles are better, because glass breaks more easily.
- Bottles should be smooth on the inside surface , so they are easy to clean properly.
- Bottles should have clearly marked measurement guides that will not wear off over time.
How Much Do Bottle
Newborn babies commonly have 6-8 feeds every 24 hours, but theres no set amount of food or number of feeds your baby should have. Different babies drink different amounts of formula or breastmilk. Some might have some feeds close together and others further apart.
For formula-fed babies, you can use the chart on the formula tin to see how much infant formula to make up in a bottle, but information about quantity for age on formula tins is just a guide. It mightnt necessarily suit your baby.
Just feed your baby whenever baby is hungry. You ll see baby cues that say Im hungry for example, your baby will make sucking noises or start turning towards the breast or bottle. Your baby will also let you know when theyve had enough by stopping sucking or turning their head away.
As the amount of solid food your baby eats increases, the total amount of breastmilk or formula baby takes in a day will decrease. The amount of formula will also decrease as your baby starts to drink from a cup instead of a bottle. By 12 months of age, when your baby is ready for cows milk, baby will generally be drinking around 500-600 ml of breastmilk or formula a day.
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First Weeks And Months
Some babies need additional vitamin D.
Babies who are fed breast milk exclusively or who receive both breast milk and infant formula need extra vitamin D, starting shortly after birth. They can get this through over-the-counter vitamin D drops. Babies receiving only infant formula do not need vitamin D drops. Infant formula is fortified with vitamin D.
- Over the first few weeks and months, the time between feedings will get longerabout every 3 to 4 hours for most infant formula-fed babies. This means you may need to wake your baby to feed. You can try patting, stroking, undressing, or changing the diaper to help wake your baby to feed.
- Some feeding sessions may be long, and other feedings short. That is okay. Babies will generally take what they need at each feeding and stop eating when they are full.
How To Make A Baby Bottle
If youre wondering how to bottle-feed a baby, youre probably new to prepping baby bottles. Take a new skill, add in sleep deprivation and sprinkle in some very real safety concerns and youve got the somewhat daunting process of making a baby bottle . Dont despair. By reading directions, following the advice of a pediatrician and making sure to err on the side of caution, youll get the hang of it in no time.
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Latching Onto A Bottle Nipple
One of the trickiest aspects of bottle feeding is ensuring your babys latch is correct. That may mean trying out different bottles to see which baby best latches to. For example, some babies love the Dr. Browns Options+ Narrow Bottle, as the nipple is elongated, and the base is sized right for babys who have more of a narrow latch. Other babies prefer the Options+ Wide-Neck, that features a more breast-like shape for those little ones who also breastfeed.
A good latch means that babys tongue is under the nipple, not above it, and their lips are securely sealed around the base of the nipple not on the nipple tip. Getting baby to take the nipple might require some creativity, such as dipping the nipple in formula or breast milk and tickling their lips to engage them.
What Is Paced Bottle Feeding
Paced bottle feeding is slow and responsive to a baby’s sucking and swallowing pace. It ensures that bottle feeding will be as similar to breastfeeding as possible. Paced bottle feeding allows babies to suck and swallow in ways that mimic breastfeeding.
The term paced bottle feeding became more popular as lactation consultants and pediatric healthcare providers aimed to help breastfed babies bottle-feed in a way that would not interfere with breastfeeding. In a 2002 article published in the Journal of Human Lactation, lactation consultant Dee Kassing describes a method similar to what is now usually called paced bottle feeding.
The motivations behind paced bottle feeding include that bottle feeding can sometimes cause suck confusion or nipple confusion among breastfed babies, causing them to begin to prefer bottles over direct breastfeeding.
This approach also minimizes the chances of a baby over-eating and ensures smoother digestion.
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How Should You Spoon Feed Your Baby
Spoon feeding breastmilk to a newborn baby is very different from spoon-feeding solid or semi-solid foods to a toddler. Follow these steps to successfully spoon-feed your baby
- Express breastmilk into a clean and sterile container. You can use the breast pump or use your hands.
- Hold your baby in the crook of your arm or hold the babys head in a slightly tilted position similar to a breastfeeding position.
- Take 3/4th spoon of milk and offer it to the baby by pressing the spoon on the lower lip. Ensure you press down the tongue too.
- Now slowly pour the milk through the sides of the mouth. If you pour it straight to the throat, the baby will only choke on it and cant swallow or breathe.
- Do not take the spoon off the tongue and lower lip until all the milk is swallowed. If you take the spoon while milk is still in the mouth, the baby will close their mouth, which can cause them to gag or spit.
- Halfway through the feed, burp the baby and then continue.
How To Feed Your Baby Using A Bottle
Rub the bottle teat against your babys upper lip gently to encourage them to open their mouth and draw the teat in, rather than forcing it into the mouth. Tip the bottle horizontal with only a slight tilt just enough to ensure there is milk in the teat. This also prevents milk from flowing too fast. Be guided by your babys reactions while feeding. They should be able to suck and swallow, slowly and naturally, without spluttering, and without pushing the teat out with their tongue .
If the teat becomes flattened while feeding, pull gently on the corner of their mouth to release the vacuum .
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Can Formula Make My Baby Constipated
When using formula, always use the amount of powder recommended on the packaging.
Do not add extra formula powder. Using too much can make your baby constipated and may cause dehydration.
If your baby is under 8 weeks old and has not done a poo for 2 to 3 days, talk to your midwife, health visitor or GP, particularly if your baby is gaining weight slowly.
Your baby should be gaining weight and have plenty of wet and dirty nappies.
How To Hold Your Baby For Bottle Feeding
Hold your baby close to you. They should be fairly upright, with their head supported – so they can breathe and swallow comfortably. Support your baby so they’re slightly raised and able to look at you. Babies shouldnt be flat on their backs or left alone with a propped-up bottle when they are being fed to avoid any risk of choking .
Try talking to your baby gently and look into their eyes to reassure them during feeds. This helps them to feel safe and loved .
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Choosing The Feeding Bottle Nipples
These are the most important while choosing a feeding bottle because your baby would put the nipple into its mouth. Most of the bottles do come with nipples that restrict your choice and limit the search. Parents do not know that they must also select feeding bottle nipples. Sometimes, the bottle you purchase has a good quality nipple but that is not necessary. So, you must check for the nipple along with bottle quality. There are so many varieties of bottle nipples that you can find in the market. Here are some choosing factors to simply your search.
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