Most professionals are of the perception that you ought to wait until your newborn has perfected the art of breastfeeding (three weeks generally) before you bring out the bottle. Not waiting for your baby to perfect her breastfeeding skill can lead to the baby giving up breastfeeding sooner than you would like. This is because your newborn will realize that getting milk from a bottle is easier. A tilted bottle in the mouth has gravity working on your babys side, making it easier for her to get all the milk she wants, right away.
Here are some bottle feeding dos and donts to help you get started.
Bottle-feeding Dos-
DO sterilize bottles and nipples - It is important to keep your baby's bottles clean and safe. Thats why, before you use bottles, nipples, and rings, you should always sterilize them. Sterilising helps to protect your baby against germs and infection. There are many sterilisers available that do the job quickly and easily.
DO stock up on bottles - Have a bunch of bottles sterilised and ready in the fridge , so that your hungry and cranky newborn doesnt make a huge fuss at 2 am in the night while you look for a clean bottle. (do not keep the bottles content for more 24 hours in the fridge, or outside).
DO bond with the bottle - You can create a loving bond with your baby even when you are bottle feeding, and let no one tell you any different. All you need to make sure is that feeding time is not just about food, but also about tender love and care. Your newborn will love being close to you, plus that physical closeness and eye-to-eye contact are linked to good brain development.
DO let Daddy do the honors - The thing about bottles is, dad can have a go at feeding the baby too. Now daddy wont feel left out and he can have bonding with baby sessions of his own.
DO try different nipples and bottles - If your baby hasnt taken to bottle feeding, maybe its the nipple. Different nipples have different flow rates. The milk should come out fast enough so that your baby doesnt get frustrated, but not too fast that your baby has trouble keeping up. Turn the bottle upside down and if you have a drop a second, it is just right.
DO make bottle feeding as much like breast feeding as possible - Its important to interact with the baby as she feeds from the bottle.
Here are some bottle feeding dos and donts to help you get started.
Bottle-feeding Dos-
DO sterilize bottles and nipples - It is important to keep your baby's bottles clean and safe. Thats why, before you use bottles, nipples, and rings, you should always sterilize them. Sterilising helps to protect your baby against germs and infection. There are many sterilisers available that do the job quickly and easily.
DO stock up on bottles - Have a bunch of bottles sterilised and ready in the fridge , so that your hungry and cranky newborn doesnt make a huge fuss at 2 am in the night while you look for a clean bottle. (do not keep the bottles content for more 24 hours in the fridge, or outside).
DO bond with the bottle - You can create a loving bond with your baby even when you are bottle feeding, and let no one tell you any different. All you need to make sure is that feeding time is not just about food, but also about tender love and care. Your newborn will love being close to you, plus that physical closeness and eye-to-eye contact are linked to good brain development.
DO let Daddy do the honors - The thing about bottles is, dad can have a go at feeding the baby too. Now daddy wont feel left out and he can have bonding with baby sessions of his own.
DO try different nipples and bottles - If your baby hasnt taken to bottle feeding, maybe its the nipple. Different nipples have different flow rates. The milk should come out fast enough so that your baby doesnt get frustrated, but not too fast that your baby has trouble keeping up. Turn the bottle upside down and if you have a drop a second, it is just right.
DO make bottle feeding as much like breast feeding as possible - Its important to interact with the baby as she feeds from the bottle.
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