{"id":625,"date":"2015-12-02T12:24:36","date_gmt":"2015-12-02T12:24:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/?page_id=625"},"modified":"2023-09-18T17:13:35","modified_gmt":"2023-09-18T17:13:35","slug":"baby-formula-bottle-feeding","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/faq\/baby-formula-bottle-feeding\/","title":{"rendered":"Baby Formula & Bottle Feeding"},"content":{"rendered":"
If you decide not to breastfeed, or find that you are unable to do so, then infant formula is the next best alternative for your baby. Whilst most formula is made from cow\u2019s milk, specifically the whey, unlike cow\u2019s milk it also includes all the vitamins and other nutrients your baby needs, and is easier to digest, which is why you should give your baby formula as an alternative to breastmilk, and not cow\u2019s milk.<\/p>\n
There are various types of formula available, most can be purchased from supermarkets and other shops, whilst some are only available over the counter. Most brands also offer both a powdered version that has to be prepared before use, and a pre-mixed version that is sterile and ready to feed. The types of formula are:<\/p>\n
If you are planning on formula feeding, then there is a small range of equipment that you will need to purchase. You might find it better value for money to buy a starter kit that includes everything you need.<\/p>\n
You will find it easier if you have more than one bottle and teat, especially in the early days of your baby\u2019s life, when he or she may be feeding every couple of hours. There are lots of different types of bottles available, and you might find that some are easier to clean than others.<\/p>\n
Some manufacturers offer two different sizes of bottle, usually a 150ml bottle and a 250ml bottle. As your baby grows, he or she will need larger amounts of formula and, therefore, if you start with the smaller bottles, you will need to switch to larger bottles at a later stage.<\/p>\n
Teats tend to be designed to specifically fit that particular brand of bottle, and if you try and use the wrong branded teat in a bottle you may find that it leaks or doesn\u2019t fit at all. Teats also have different speeds, typically, slow, medium, fast, and \u201cvariflow\u201d.<\/p>\n
New-borns should be started with a slow teat, whereas older babies will prefer a fast teat. Variflow teats are claimed to mimic breast-feeding much more as the flow is dependent on how much your baby sucks, and their suitability from birth depends on the manufacturer.<\/p>\n
When Should I Change To A Fast Flow Teat?<\/b><\/p>\n
Manufacturers generally state that medium teats should be used from three months plus, and fast teats should be used from six months plus, however, your baby may be ready for a change a few weeks before or after this age. Signs that your baby is ready to change include becoming fussier at the bottle, taking longer over feeds, and falling asleep during feeds. Your baby may also develop more wind as a result of increased sucking to get at more milk.<\/p>\n
As your baby\u2019s immune system is still developing, it\u2019s important to sterilise any bottles and teats you use before each use, to prevent your baby developing illness from any of the bacteria, viruses and parasites that might be present on the feeding equipment. Obviously your baby is still going to pick up germs from other areas, but sterilising feeding equipment significantly reduces the risk of illness. The NHS recommends that you continue to sterilise bottle feeding equipment for each feed until your baby is one year old.<\/p>\n
You can sterilise your baby\u2019s bottles in a number of ways. These are:<\/p>\n
If you are using pre-mixed formula, then make sure you wash your hands thoroughly and then pour the formula into a pre-sterilised bottle. If your baby prefers it warm, you can heat it up by placing the bottle into a small container with boiled water. Do not use the microwave to heat your baby\u2019s milk, as hot spots can occur that can burn your baby\u2019s tongue. Check the temperature of the milk by dropping a small amount on the back of your hand.<\/p>\n
If you are using powdered formula, you need to be aware that the powder is not sterile and therefore you need to follow the instructions on the packaging carefully. Wash your hands before preparing the formula and use a pre-sterilised bottle. Follow the instructions on the packaging, and make sure you use the scoop that comes with the tin of powder that you are using. Do not overfill the scoop, as too much powder can lead to your baby becoming constipated. Too little powder in the scoop may result in your baby missing out on vital nutrients. Always use cooled boiled water to prepare the formula.<\/p>\n
If you are travelling abroad to a place where tap water is not safe to drink, you can use bottled water providing it has a sodium (NA) content that is below 20mg per 100ml. Some brands of water will state whether or not they are suitable for babies but if not you will have to look at the sodium content (Mumblog Tip: Most French brands of bottled water are safe for using in formula and French parents are actively encouraged to use bottled water rather than tap water). You will still need to boil the water before use.<\/p>\n
Most brands of formula will have a guide on the back informing you about how much milk your baby will need. However, it\u2019s important to note that this is just a guide, and that your baby may consume more or less than the stated amount, and this is very normal.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, as with breastfeeding, the advice for formula feeding is to feed on demand, responding to your baby\u2019s hunger cues. If your baby is hungry he will turn his head, open his mouth searching for a nipple, and possibly suck on his hands. He will start to become unsettled if he does not get fed.<\/p>\n
Your own mother may have added baby rice cereal to your bottle when you were a baby, and in previous generations this was considered the norm. However, this is no longer recommended and in fact considered dangerous as your baby may choke on the milk. If you wish to buy a brand of milk with cereal added (i.e. night time milk) then this will be mixed correctly and not pose a choking risk.<\/p>\n
However, this should only be used from six months onwards and there is no evidence to prove that it helps babies to sleep for longer. If your baby seems hungry during the day and is not old enough to be weaned, try increasing the amount of milk in their bottle. It\u2019s very likely that he or she is going through a growth spurt and drinking increased amounts of milk during these times is normal.<\/p>\n
If you decide not to breastfeed, or find that you are unable to do so, then infant formula is the next best alternative for your baby. Whilst most formula is made from cow\u2019s milk, specifically the whey, unlike cow\u2019s milk it also includes all the vitamins and other nutrients your baby needs, and is easier to digest, which is why you should give your baby formula as an alternative to breastmilk, and not cow\u2019s milk. Types of Formula There are various types of formula available, most can be purchased from supermarkets and other shops, whilst some are only available over <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":567,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/625"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=625"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/625\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3237,"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/625\/revisions\/3237"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}