Bottle Feeding Your Baby
Whether you breast feed exclusively or bottle feed or combine the two, feeding your baby is a very special time you spend together. It also creates a loving bond between parent and baby as you sit peacefully together.
Making the choice to bottle feed baby can be a difficult one. Sometimes a mum who intends to breast feed finds out it's not for her, and this can be due to a variety of reasons such as work, health issues or choice.
If you decide that breast-feeding is not the right choice for you and your baby, then you will need to bottle-feed. Mothers who decide to bottle-feed their babies should not be made to feel guilty about their decision.
Remember, parenting is an adventure that requires choices and compromises. What counts is doing the best you can to nurture your baby, and make sure he or she is well nourished.
The advantages of bottle feeding are described below.
- If you bottle feed your baby, they may sleep for longer between feeds.
- Bottle feeding your baby allows other family members such as your partner, to enjoy this nurturing experience of bonding with your baby.
- Easy to monitor the intake of milk – By feeding your baby from a bottle you know just how much milk he or she is getting.
- Formula milk has added vitamin K.
- There’s no interference with clothes – a mother that is bottle-feeding doesn’t have to worry about nursing bras, nursing shirts, wearing breast pads to prevent leaking or wearing two piece outfits.
- Easier in a public environment – Bottle-feeding can be done at any time and any place without embarrassment or looks from other people. However, breastfeeding can also be done at any time and in any place as well and some mothers feel no embarrassment whatsoever.
Storage of formula in bottles
- A bottle of prepared formula milk will last up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
- A ready to feed bottle will last up to 48 hours in the refrigerator. Make sure it is covered tightly.
Milk Consumption
The amount an infant will take will increase over the first few days. On average a formula fed infant will take:
- 30-60 mls per kilo per day on day 1
- 60-80 mls per kilo per day on day 2
- 90-100 mls per kilo per day on day 3
- 120 mls per kilo per day on day 4
- 150 mls per kilo per day on day 5 until 3 months
- 120 mls per kilo per day 3-6 months
- 100 mls per kilo per day 6-12 months
- 90 mls per kilo per day 12-24 months
