Bottle-feeding
One of my favorite topics is all about bottle-feeding! In this post I cover some of the most common bottle-feeding issues that people encounter, and my aim is to help you figure out how to identify and fix some of those issues and make the bottle-feeding experience a smooth and pleasant experience for you.
Who would ever think there could be so many factors to successful bottle-feeding? It seems like it would be simple; buy a bottle, fill it with milk, feed your baby and done. But sometimes there are bumps along the way that can really make or break yours and your baby’s feeding experience.
Knowing the how-to’s of bottle-feeding, when to switch bottles or nipple sizes, how to navigate bottle-feeding and reflux, when to feed bottles, when to introduce them, whether your baby is eating too fast or too slow can take feedings from a really stressful experience, to a really pleasant one.
When to introduce a bottle:
For exclusive bottle-feeders:
Feed your newborn a bottle when you see his first signs of hunger (crying, rooting, turning head, etc...) This can take place anywhere from 1-2 hours after delivery.
For breastfeeding babies:
It's recommended to wait at least 2-4 weeks to introduce a bottle to make sure you establish a good breastfeeding rhythm and routine which will also help build your milk supply. It is also believed to help prevent nipple confusion.
Bear in mind, though, that you don’t want to wait too long to introduce the bottle…If you wait too long, your infant is more likely to refuse it later on. And don’t underestimate how young they can develop bottle aversions. I have seen this happen as early as 4-6 weeks.
There are many benefits to bottle-feeding from the start. Keep reading to see what some of those benefits are.
Benefits of bottle-feeding:
Your partner can enjoy 1:1 time by feeding the baby.
Your partner can take over a middle of the night feeding so you can sleep.
You have more freedom to come and go without being stuck and having to rush home to nurse.
It's easier in the long run when you need leave the baby with a caregiver or at daycare.
Bottle-feeding ensures that your baby is fully satiated and there is no guesswork whether or not they are still hungry, especially if you aren’t sure.
Keep in mind…
While it is recommended to wait 2-4 weeks to bottle-feed, this is just a recommendation and you should always feed your baby if they are hungry and require a bottle sooner than 2-4 weeks or if your pediatrician recommends bottle-feeding your newborn.
My Favorite baby bottles and why I love them:
Let’s talk about bottle-feeding. When it comes to bottles, there are endless options to choose from which can make it difficult to choose one. I will tell you that you don’t need to break the bank to find the right one! I’ve found that some of the best ones are actually the least expensive.
Keep in mind that the bottle you use for your newborn may not work for him when he is 6,7,8 or even 9 months old and it’s ok to switch bottles if you need to down the road.
Note that these bottles are all advertised as anti-colic which basically means that they have vented nipples that prevent baby from ingesting air and bubbles, which can cause gas and fussiness. Some come with added internal vent systems to further reduce bubbles preventing them to flow into the nipple.
No two bottles are the same and you should always stick to what works for your baby, no matter how it’s advertised.
Nuk First Essentials Bottle
Great for exclusively bottle fed babies, although I have used this for my newborns and I also breastfed. It’s a great bottle, easy for babies to latch, nipple does not collapse, It has a standard nipple which is long with a narrow base and are typically easy for babies to use, inexpensive and minimal parts to clean. It’s the most classic bottle you will find and the most effective for newborns.Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow Bottle
This bottle is great for breast and bottle-fed babies. Soft silicone nipple helps breastfed babies naturally latch. This bottle also comes with a preemie nipple. The breast-like nipple shape encourages a proper latch for a more natural bottle feeding experience and eases the transition from breast to bottle and back again. It has an internal vent system to prevent swallowing air while feeding.
Phillips Avent anti-colic baby bottle:
Great for bottle-fed babies. Avent Classic baby bottle is the classic-shape ones which come with an air-free vented system to help reduce the amount of air swallowed when feeding. An easy and comfortable latch and It works wonders! It also has fewer parts to clean than other bottles, easy to assemble.Lansinoh Breastfeeding Bottle:
Great for breastfed babies. The shape of the natural flow nipple helps babies go back and forth from breast to bottle. The shape of this nipple helps babies who have a hard time latching onto other bottles.Evenflow Balance Bottle:
This bottle is great for nursing babies, The Evenflo bottle is designed to support healthy bottle feeding without interfering with your breastfeeding journey. The unique, naturally-sloped nipple promotes a healthy wide latch for your baby by providing a proper resting place for their lips, helping to decrease mouth fatigue. The effective 1-piece integrated vent helps prevent colic, gas, and fussiness with no extra parts to clean. The included Slow Flow Nipple has an intentional, slower flow rate and helps prevent chugging and gulping.
Four reasons why the bottle nipple collapses during a feeding:
The infamous bottle-nipple collapse! It’s normal, but you wanna make sure you take care of it asap because if your baby’s bottle Is collapsing at every feeding, he’s likely not feeding very well and probably sucking really hard and not getting anything out.
It’s always a mystery, to say the least, but there are a few reasons why the bottle collapses/flattens, so if it does, don’t fret, use the tips below to find a solution to fix the problem.
Your baby has outgrown the current nipple size and needs a faster flow.
So go out and get the next size up, even if they aren’t yet the recommended age for the next size nipple. Some babies are super sufficient suckers and this can cause nipple collapse.You’ve screwed on the cap too tightly
Do not over tighten the bottle cap because it prevents proper venting and leads to nipple collapse.The nipple texture/material is too soft for your baby
Some brands on the market have a super soft nipple texture. If the texture of the nipple your baby is using is soft and squishy and your baby smashes the during feeding, this can cause nipple collapse and you may need to find a different brand with a firmer texture nipple.The air vent is clogged with milk causing a block
Is the vent clogged with milk residues or anything else? If so, gently use a nipple cleaning brush to clean the residues of the vent area. Be careful not to pierce the vent area, as widening may lead to milk leakage.
Bottle-feeding tips
Here are some effective tips to help you navigate through bottle feeding your baby:
Size up if baby is taking too long to finish the bottle, falling asleep on the bottle or is increasingly frustrated when sucking.
Size down if baby is chugging, gulping, gagging or leaking a sufficient amount of milk.
If the nipple is collapsing, make sure the slit in the valve is open before feeding. If this doesn't solve the issue, opt for a larger size nipple or different bottle .
Feed baby in a dark and quiet room. Sometimes they are too overstimulated and distracted by surrounding noises to eat properly.
If baby is leaking milk out of the sides, check to see that the bottle parts are assembled properly, the lid is secured, check position of the baby and make sure you have the proper nipple size.
If baby is still leaking excessively out of the sides, try a slim-neck or standard-neck bottle.
Feed baby in an elevated position. Laying flat can cause liquid to pass through the middle ear which can cause ear infections.
Avoid bottle-feeding in the crib because this can cause tooth decay.
Keep nipple filled with milk to prevent swallowing air
A good flow for newborns is about 1 drop per second. Test it out!
What if my baby has reflux?
Babies with reflux or who Are transitioning to a new size nipple will benefit from elevated side-lying feeding because baby has more control over the flow of the milk. They can get just what they need without chugging, which will prevent them from swallowing too much milk and air.
The side-lying position is one of my favorites when bottle-feeding a baby. There are many benefits and using the specific position.
In the side-lying position the baby has more control over the flow of the milk. Keeping the nipple full of milk and the bottle position horizontal slows the flow and allows the baby to get just as much milk as they want. This is super helpful for babies that chugged a bottle or gulp when trying to feed. This is a great position to use when you’re advancing from one nipple size to the next.
This position also mimics the side-lying breast-feeding position which can be helpful when doing a combination of breast-feeding and bottle-feeding
In addition to the bottle-feeding position, you want to make sure you are taking some more breaks while your baby is feeding on the bottle. You don’t want her chugging too much at once because this can result in all the milk coming up. So stop every couple of minutes to give your baby a break, let them digest what they’ve taken in and then continue the feeding.
Make sure to keep your baby upright for about 15 minutes after the feeding. This will help her digest that food much better.
And that’s a wrap about bottles. Hope you found this helpful.
