Having Someone Else Give The Supplement
Having someone else give the bottle can help avoid confusing your baby over the source of his food. When you give a bottle, your baby can still smell your milk. Having your partner or another caregiver give the supplemental feeding allows the baby to maintain his association of breast-feeding with you. If you do give a supplemental feeding, don’t sit in a familiar rocker or other location your baby might associate with breast-feeding.
Best Bottle For Breastfed Baby
There are a lot of different bottles and bottle brands out there I find it so hard to keep up myself! Finding a good bottle for your baby might take some time. This is a whole other post in and of itself, but in general, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Nipple shape matters! You want your baby to get a nice latch onto the nipple of the bottle. I recommend getting a bottle with a nipple size that gradually changes from the nipple to the base rather than a super abrupt change.
- Does the nipple of the bottle look compressed or flattened? Avoid these types of bottles. You want it to be similar in shape to your nipple, which is more rounded.
- There are a lot of bottles that are being marketed toward breastfeeding moms that claim they are just like the breast because they look like the breast. Some people have good success with these, but I think they are more gimmicky than anything.
- Dont worry about getting bottles with huge capacities the max I usually recommend being in a bottle is five ounces, so no need for 8 ouncer!
- Choose a bottle that has very slow flow nipples. Ill talk about that more in a moment, but its important to remember to choose a bottle that you can purchase slow flow nipples for.
My personal favorite is Dr. Browns Original Bottle with a preemie nipple.
The preemie nipple flow is fantastic. It doesnt come standard with the bottle but you can buy them on Amazon.com or at a Target.
My second choice is the Lansinoh bottle.
Adding Cereal To A Bottle
Has a well-meaning grandparent suggested adding cereal to your babys bottle?
Generally speaking, doctors advise against this practice. While many people assume it will keep their baby fuller for longer and even help them sleep for a longer chunk of time it can have a few negative consequences, including excessive weight gain and constipation.
Occasionally, doctors will recommend adding a bit of oatmeal cereal to a bottle to help a baby with gastroesophageal reflux disease . Talk to your pediatrician before making this decision on your own.
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Keep The Bottle Horizontal
Gently place the teat into the babys mouth. Keep the bottle in a horizontal position . This will allow the milk to flow steadily and help prevent your baby from taking in air.
If the teat goes flat while you’re feeding, pull gently on the corner of your baby’s mouth to release the suction.
If the teat gets blocked, replace it with another sterile teat.
How To Get Expressed Milk For A Bottle
New moms who want to give a bottle might be wondering how they can get breast milk to give to their baby in a bottle.
There are a couple of ways you can either use a breast pump of some type or hand expression.
Hand expression takes some practice, but it can be a great way to get a little bit of extra milk. When you first give birth and are producing colostrum, hand expression can actually be more successful than using a pump. This is due to the fact that colostrum is very thick, and sometimes, pumps arent able to draw it out as easily. You can learn more about hand expression here How to Hand Express Breast Milk and the Amazing Reasons Why All Moms Should Know How to!
Once your milk production has ramped up and youve transitioned to mature milk, a breast pump is usually the best option for getting milk for a bottle. In the first few weeks, I dont recommend pumping much in addition to breastfeeding to ensure your supply regulates properly. But if you want to give a bottle in place of a feed, you can certainly pump.
A lot of moms really like using a Haakaa silicone breast pump in the early weeks. It doesnt require a lot of extra effort, and you can actually get a good amount of milk.
Dont have a pump yet? Check out our pump buying guide for help picking one out!
Recommended Reading: How To Get Newborn On Feeding Schedule
When To Introduce Bottle To Breastfed Baby
When to introduce bottle to breastfed baby You should avoid bottle feeding your baby if there are any problems with nursing at your breast because it can confuse your baby and increase the breastfeeding difficulties. Preparing to introduce the bottle to a breastfed baby. After about four weeks of breastfeeding, begin pumping after one feeding a day where your breasts still feel a little full. The goal is to pump some.
Alternatives To Bottle Feeding
If you dont want to give a bottle or your baby refuses one here are a few different alternatives
Younger Babies
You can do syringe feeding/finger feeding, spoon feeding, cup feeding or do larger amounts with something like the Kindest Cup, or use an SNS to encourage more time at the breast for the baby.
Older Babies
Once your baby is about six months, you could offer a sippy cup, a straw cupe, or just do regular open cup feeding. This can often be an easier option than trying to get a baby who doesnt want a bottle to take one.
Paced bottle feeding definitely may feel foreign to you at first! However, it is extremely beneficial for your baby, and its ideal for helping to maintain the breastfeeding relationship. Let us know if you have any questions!
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How To Make Up A Baby Bottle
The first step in learning how to introduce a bottle to your baby is knowing how to make up the bottle. Before you begin to make the bottle, clean and sterilize your babys bottle either with a commercial sterilizer or with a pan and boiling water.
Once you have cleaned the bottle and the surface that you will be using, as well as your hands, follow these steps to make up a bottle: 2
1. Boil the water. If you are using a pan, ensure that the water comes to a rolling boil and is not left for more than 30 minutes after boiling.
2. Read the formula packaging instructions. If you are giving your baby formula, refer to the instructions provided on the packaging to know how much water and powder you need.
3. Add the formula and water together. Add the water to the bottle and then the specified amount of formula in the sterilized bottle and mix it thoroughly by gently shaking the bottle.
4. Immediately cool the bottle. Once you have mixed the formula and water, hold the bottle under cold running water to cool it down to feeding temperature. But ensure that the level of the cooling water is below the bottle lid to avoid contaminating the feed. You can then dry the bottle with a towel after you have cooled it.
5. Check the temperature. Drip a little formula onto the inside of your wrist to check the temperature. The liquid should be lukewarm and if it is not, simply run it under some more cold water until it has reached the desired temperature.
How Much Expressed Milk Should I Give My Baby
Every baby is different. Research shows that in babies aged one to six months, one baby may take as little as 50 ml during a feed while another may take as much as 230 ml. Start by preparing a bottle with around 60 ml, and see if your baby needs more or less. You’ll soon learn how much she typically takes but dont ever pressure her to finish the bottle.
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How To Make A Baby Bottle With Breast Milk
Preparing a bottle of breast milk is of course much more straightforward, since the milk itself is ready to go. But when grabbing a bag of breast milk to use, its important to keep an eye on when it was pumped and how its been stored since. According to breast milk storage guidelines, its safe to use freshly pumped milk thats been stored at room temperature for up to four hours, in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to 12 months. Always use the oldest milk first. If baby doesnt finish a bottle, you can offer it again within two hours of the last feeding.
Before giving baby the bottle, you can warm the milk up by placing the bottle in a cup of warm water for a few minutes, or pop the bottle into a bottle warmer. Whatever you do, steer clear of the microwave, which can cause dangerous hot spots.
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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Can I Give My Baby A Cold Bottle
For many years, grandmas, aunts, and a slew of other female elders have been known to give new moms whats known as new mom advice. You know, advice that all the mothers that came before you know, and even some who have yet to have their children, give you to help make your life easier once baby arrives. Its all warm-hearted information passed from one knowledgeable mother to the newest member of the honorary mommy club. Sometimes youre left with more questions than before the initial answer is given. One of the most common and all-time favorites from when I was a little girl, warming up my baby sisters bottles, to years later when I had my third child was, Warm up the babys bottle.
Moms everywhere will tell you babies dont like cold milk, and giving your baby cold formula at such a young age will upset their stomach. Well, this may come as a surprise to some, but giving a baby room temperature or even cold formula is ok. This tidbit of information is well-intended and straightforward enough to find out how true it is through simple observation of your baby during feeding time.
Heres what weve found on the topic of whether its actually ok to give your baby a cold bottle.
When Should I Start Giving My Baby Expressed Milk
If your baby is healthy and breastfeeding is going well, theres no need to rush into giving her expressed milk. For the first four weeks, youre working together to initiate and build your breast milk supply while she learns to breastfeed efficiently. While there is limited data,1 it is thought that unnecessarily introducing bottles during this crucial first month could interfere with these processes.
But if your newborn struggles to latch or suck for any reason, then start expressing milk as soon as possible after the birth. Read our articles on overcoming problems in the first week and feeding breast milk to your premature baby or infant with special needs for more advice, as well as getting support from your healthcare professionals.
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Use A Bottle Warmer But Use The Right One That Safely Warms Breastmilk And Formula
There are a lot of reasons to use a baby bottle warmer, and youll probably find the one that means the most to you. Here are the top 3 reasons that Moms love using the Baby Brezza Safe + Smart Bottle Warmer.
1) It’s the only bottle warmer that safely heats formula and breastmilk because it has two different warming settings – one for each.
For formula, choose the “Quick Warm” option which uses Steam Heat to rapidly and evenly warm up formula.
For breastmilk, choose “Steady Warm” which uses a warm water bath to evenly warm up breastmilk, preserving its nutrients. Virtually all other bottle warmers use Steam Heat to warm up breastmilk which is too hot and will ruin your “liquid gold”.
Dont guess and check the temperature of your babys bottle by squirting milk or formula onto your wrists. Using a bottle warmer, it will be heated to the right, safe temperature every time.
2) It is the only bottle warmer with Bluetooth so you can operate it from your phone and get alerts.
Since youll be taking care of baby or getting a moment of rest, the Safe + Smart Bottle Warmer is designed to alert you when the bottle is ready.
Using a simple FREE app you can download on your smartphone, receive an alert when the heating cycle is complete. That sure beats standing over the sink waiting for hot water to heat your bottle or watching a pot on the stove!
3. It has parent-friendly controls.
The final step is selecting Quick Warm for formula or Steady Warm for breastmilk.