If you’re bottle feeding your baby, infant formula or expressed/stored breast milk should be the only form of milk your baby gets during the first year of life. When your baby comes home from the hospital, he will probably take 1.5 – 3 ounces of prepared formula at each feeding. When he is able to empty the bottle, you may begin offering more at each feed in order to satisfy him.
Keeping Clean
Cleanliness is important for small babies, especially when it comes to things that go in their mouths. So you’ll need to be careful about keeping containers, bottles, nipples, and utensils free of germs. Everything must be washed thoroughly in hot, soapy water and rinsed with plain, hot water. Utensils must be kept off unclean surfaces. You should wash your hands well with soap and water before beginning formula preparation. After each feeding, rinse the bottle and nipple with cool water. If you rinse the milk away before it can form a film, washing will be easier later. There is no reason to sterilize water that is used to prepare the baby’s formula as long as
the water is already regarded as safe for you to drink.
Proper Nipple Hole Size
The size of the nipple hole should be large enough to let milk flow freely, one drop at a time. If the milk doesn’t form separate drops or flows too fast, throw the nipple away. If the formula flows too slowly, carefully enlarge the nipple hole with a needle or toothpick. If you use cross-cut nipples, throw them away when the opening becomes too soft. Usually your baby will indicate if a change is needed by either feeding too slowly or by gagging and sputtering if the nipple flow is too fast.
As you feed your baby, keep the bottle tilted so formula fills the nipple and the baby can’t suck any air through. Too much swallowed air will give him a false sense of fullness. He may also become uncomfortable from gas later.
Propping or Sleeping with the Bottle
Never prop your baby’s bottle or let him feed by himself. Not only does it deprive your baby of needed contact with you, but small unattended babies may choke when left with a propped bottle. Do not allow your baby to sleep with the bottle. Sleeping with the bottle encourages a habit that will eventually cause cavities and tooth loss.
Revised 3.22.09