Giving baby the bottle
When you feed your baby by bottle, whether with formula or with expressed breastmilk, be just as patient and loving as you would be if you were breastfeeding her. Allow her to take a break if she feels like it and to decide when she's had enough.
Getting comfortable to give baby the bottle
© Jupiter
When you or your partner give your baby a feed, it's important to look at her, cuddle her close, and talk to her - just as you would when breastfeeding. Find a quiet, comfortable place to feed your baby. You may like to sit on the floor or in a low chair so you can support her on your lap. Rest her head in the crook of your elbow, with her back supported on your forearm, and hold her securely.
Never leave your baby with the bottle propped up on a cushion; it can be dangerous. She could become very uncomfortable if she swallows a lot of air with the feed, and she could choke. Moreover, she'll miss the cuddling and affection that she should be able to enjoy while she feeds.
Before feeding, splash a few drops of milk on your wrist to check the temperature before starting to feed - the milk should feel tepid on your skin. Unscrew the teat ring a little so that air can get into the bottle when your baby sucks out the formula. This will prevent the teat from closing up. Always hold the bottle at an angle so the teat is full of milk or your baby will swallow air with the feed. Your baby's appetite will vary, so if she seems satisfied, allow her to leave what she doesn't want. If your baby falls asleep during a feed, she may have wind that is making her feel full. Sit her up and burp her.
Burping your baby
The point of burping is to help your baby bring up any air she's swallowed during feeding, or when crying before feeding, so it doesn't cause her any discomfort. If your baby has wind, one of the best ways to burp her is to hold her against your shoulder and gently rub her back. Another way to help your baby to clear any wind is to sit her on your lap and lean her forwards, without bending her over at the waist. As you do this, support her head with your hand so it does not flop forwards.
Babies tending to posset?
If your baby tends to bring food straight back up (some babies never do) you may wonder if she's keeping enough of her feed down. My youngest son had a tendency to posset, and I worried in case he wasn't getting enough to eat. I simply followed my own instinct, which was to offer him more food. If he didn't take it, I assumed that he had possetted an excess of milk that he didn't need. The most common cause of possetting in very young babies is overfeeding, and this is another reason why you should never insist that your baby finishes his bottle.
Forcible vomiting, especially if this happens after several feeds in a row, should be reported immediately to your doctor; vomiting is always very serious in a young baby as it can quickly lead to dehydration.
Wind and burping after bottle-feeding
Babies vary a great deal in how they react to wind. In my experience, most babies aren't noticeably more contented for having been burped.
Babies differ in the amount of air that they swallow during feeding. Some, including most breastfed babies, swallow very little. Once a baby is clamped on to the breast, it's virtually an airtight seal, so it's almost impossible for a baby to swallow air while on the breast.
Swallowing air is much more common in bottlefed babies, but even then it doesn't really seem to be a problem.
One thing in favour of burping is that it makes you relax, take things slowly, hold your baby gently, and stroke her in a firm and reassuring way and this can help both of you. My feeling about burping is that by all means do it, but don't become fanatical.
Don't rub or pat your baby too hard as you may jerk her and she'll bring up some of her feed. A gently upward, stroking movement is better than firm pats.
You don't need to stop halfway through a feed to burp your baby. Wait until she pauses naturally, and then put her on your shoulder. If she doesn't burp, don't worry; it's because she doesn't need to.
Breast to bottle
If you've been breastfeeding your baby and for any reason you want to change over to bottlefeeding with formula, it's best to do it gradually.
Make the switch from breast to bottle very slowly so that your baby has time to get used to bottlefeeding and to the taste of formula. Your milk supply will then slowly reduce as your baby's demand for it lessens.
Before starting the change to bottlefeeding, ask your health visitor for detailed advice.
Posted 16.11.2010
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