The rosy picture shown on baby websites of a baby happily drinking milk off the bottle is very misleading for new parents. In reality, identifying the right baby bottles that suit your baby’s needs and figuring out the best way to feed the baby can be a very frustrating process. Whether the baby is breastfed or drinking formula milk, here are a few things to look out for.
It is best to wait till after the baby is born before you set out to buy a baby bottle. Till about 6 months of age, babies should be feeding only on breastmilk or infant formula. Choose wide necked milk bottles that are easy to take apart and clean during those months. Irrespective of whether the bottles are made of glass or plastic, check to ensure that only bpa free baby bottles make their way to your baby. Also pay close attention to the type of nipple that is being used. PIGEON Nursing Bottle with SofTouch™ Peristaltic PLUS Nipple or Peristaltic Nipple has been designed to help the baby to feed naturally and has an Air Ventilation System (AVS™) that helps to adjust the air pressure inside the bottle. The specially designed projections at the base and the top of the nipple allows milk to flow smoothly into the baby’s mouth.How you prepare the baby’s feeding bottle and the way the milk is fed to the baby are also important factors that new parents should keep in mind.
- Always sterilize the baby milk bottle and other baby feeding accessories before using them for the first time. After the first use, they can be sterilized once a week or more often, depending on the frequency of use.
- Whether feeding on breastmilk or baby formula, ensure that the feed is at approximately the temperature of the mother’s skin. When warming up a cold bottle, warm them in a bowl of hot water or in a bottle warmer. Using a microwave can create hot spots that can burn the baby’s mouth.
- Before feeding the baby, check the temperature of the milk by swirling it in the bottle and then testing a few drops on the inside of your wrist.
Since sucking is an instinctive reflex, some babies tend to take to a bottle very easily. Other babies, however, have a really hard time adapting to a feeding bottle especially if they are used to being breastfed. The difference in sucking when switching to a bottle can put some babies off as they miss the comfort of breastfeeding. After years of in-depth study of babies’ sucking science, PIGEON has designed SofTouch™ Peristaltic PLUS Nipple to help initiate a tongue and jaw movement that is natural and comfortable for babies.
The following tips may help your baby to adjust to the milk bottle easily:
- Do not offer the bottle to the baby when it is starving – if you are regularly breastfeeding the baby, offer the feeding bottle in between two feeding sessions. A hungry baby is more likely to be frustrated by a change in the method of feeding and is more likely to offer resistance even though it is hungry.
- Start with smaller quantities of bottle feed and offer more often so that milk does not get wasted and the baby understands the routine.
- Use a slow-flow nipple and hold the bottle parallel to the ground when feeding the baby. When the bottle is held in the parallel position, the baby has to work to pull milk from the bottle.
- Never force the nipple into the baby’s mouth. Gently coax the baby to open the mouth wide by stroking the baby’s upper lip (to mimic breastfeeding).
- During the feed, take breaks to burp your baby as babies tend to gulp in some amount of air while bottle feeding. The Air Ventilation System (AVS™) on PIGEON feeding bottle nipples has been designed taking this into consideration so that babies swallow less air and are able to suckle fully. The burp breaks will also give the baby time to recognize when (s)he is full.
- Check for Feeding cues – If the baby gives you cues like turning his / her head away from the bottle or playing or acting disinterested, do not force him / her to finish the bottle as it probably means that the baby is full.
- Try asking someone else to offer the bottle babies tend to associate their mothers with breastfeeding so some moms have found success with bottle feeding when they step away and the father or caregiver offers the bottle instead.
Always hold your baby while feeding as it will help you to bond better and will also make it easier for you to learn / understand the baby’s feeding cues.
- Use the cradling position while feeding – In this bottle feeding position, the baby’s head rests in the crook of your arm as you hold his / her head and chest at a slight incline, close to your chest. This helps the milk to move smoothly into the baby’s stomach.
- Holding the baby in an almost seated position, with the baby’s head and back resting on your chest or in the crook of your arm. This position is found to benefit babies who experience a lot of reflux. While in this position, ensure that you tilt the bottle so the milk completely fills the nipple and the baby does not gulp in air.
- Take the assistance of a pillow. A nursing pillow can help to keep the baby’s chest and head propped up at an angle and take the weight off your arm and shoulder.
- Switch your baby from one arm to the other halfway through the bottle, just as you would switch breasts. This helps mimic breastfeeding and will prevent the baby from developing a side preference. It will also naturally pace the feeding session and help the baby to decide whether (s)he is full.
Despite all preparation, the baby may still refuse to take the bottle as quickly as you would like him/her to. It can be frustrating and worrying for the parents but rather than forcing the baby to feed (which is only going to upset both the baby and the parent), it is better to keep trying at regular intervals. With a little time, babies will ultimately learn to bottle feed comfortably and to their fill.
