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10/31/2008 - by Anne Marie Nielson
  
Bottle Feeding

  
Even though it is widely accepted that breastfeeding is best for babies, there are many moms that for one reason or another, opt to bottle feed formula. The hospital will start your baby on the brand they recommend before you go home.

There are many types of formula on the market. Some are based on cow's milk, some on soy milk. Formula can be found as a powder or liquid concentrate to be mixed with water, and as ready to eat, which is the most expensive. If you feed formula, always check the expiration date on the formula package.

To prepare formula from a powder or concentrate, follow the directions on the package. Always measure carefully when preparing your baby's food. Bottled water or safe tap water can be used to mix with the formula. Shake the bottle well to mix the ingredients evenly. Remember to not put baby bottles in the microwave for heating… it can create hot spots in the bottle that can burn your baby when they eat.

Choosing bottles is quite a job these days. There are plastic bottles, but many people are concerned about BPA in baby bottles. You can find some without BPA if you look carefully. Glass bottles are making a comeback, and then there are disposable bottles. Next, you need to choose the right nipple. They are made of silicone, latex and rubber. They come in different shapes, and they are made to release more or less formula, depending on your baby's age. If the nipple looks discolored or deteriorated, it is time to replace it. If the formula comes out too quickly, you may want to choose one that has smaller holes to limit the speed the liquid is released.

Before feeding, the bottles and nipples should be sterilized. You can do this by placing them in boiling water for five minutes or run them through an entire dishwasher cycle. To warm up a bottle of formula, place the bottle in a dish of boiling water for a couple of minutes, or until the formula is lukewarm. Squirt a drop or two on your wrist to check for temperature.

If you prepare bottles ahead of time, store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to warm them up for feeding. Do not keep formula in the refrigerator for more than 24 hours. Leftovers should be thrown out.

Newborns will eat about 2 or 3 ounces of formula at a time. They need to eat every 2 or 3 hours. By four weeks of age, your baby will need about 4 ounces of formula every 3 hours. The amount you feed will continue to increase as baby grows.

If your baby has a reaction to a brand of formula like developing a rash, vomiting or diarrhea, talk to your doctor to see what your options are for formula alternatives. Babies who are lactose-intolerant may be gassy, have diarrhea and abdominal pain. Your doctor may wish to do a stool culture to see if the child is lactose intolerant.

At about a year of age, your baby can begin to drink whole cow's milk (unless they are lactose intolerant, of course). Whole milk gives them what they need… do not give them 2% or fat-free milk at that age.

At From Pregnancy To Baby, we try to provide you with all of the latest information about going through your pregnancy from your first trimester to the first years of your new babies life. We also provide the highest quality books and products to help you through that time.

Source: http://www.frompregnancytobaby.com/Articles/Bottle-Feeding.html