How to bottle feed? How to avoid nipple or bottle rejection?

Personal Story

Introducing the bottle was such a relief! Someone else could help taking over the feeding task!

When I started bottle feeding, I followed the recommendation to wait until my baby was at least four weeks old. On my registry, I had included large 8oz bottles with level 1 flow nipples. However, I soon learned a few important lessons:

1. Bottle Size: My baby didn’t drink nearly as much as 8oz in one sitting; she typically drank around 3oz.
2. Nipple Flow: The level 1 nipple flow was too fast and risked causing nipple rejection. Babies need to work to get milk from the bottle just like they do from the breast to avoid preferring the bottle over breastfeeding.

It’s also recommended that someone else feeds the baby with the bottle because baby can smell the mom and may want the breast instead.

When to Bottle Feed

• Start after baby is 4 weeks to avoid nipple rejection. Read more When to start bottle feeding?
• Use it as a tool for getting help. Having someone else feed the baby at night allowed me to get some much-needed sleep. When I returned to work, bottle feeding was handled by daycare staff to maintain her feeding routine.
• I also offered a bottle after my baby was cluster feeding in the evenings to ensure she got enough milk. Usually, during cluster feeding, I didn’t have enough milk, but my baby would continue to suck for comfort even if there was no milk. Offering a bottle helped me know if she was still hungry or just soothing herself.

What is the Best Way to Feed My Baby a Bottle?

Hold your baby in an upright position for comfort and control. Here are some additional tips:

• Touch your baby’s bottom lip with the bottle nipple to help them open their mouth.
• Place the nipple inside gently, without forcing.
• Offer small amounts initially (1/2 to 1 ounce) and increase if your baby shows hunger cues.
• Switch arms halfway through the feeding to prevent side preference and maintain eye contact.

Choosing the Right Bottle

1. Material:
   • Bottles come in plastic, glass, and silicone. Choose a material that suits your lifestyle and comfort. I used plastic – it was easy to transport and be on the go with them.
2. Nipple Flow:
   • For newborns, start with a Premie (not the #1) flow to mimic the natural breastfeeding experience.
3. Shape and Size:
   • Experiment with various shapes and sizes to see what your baby prefers.
4. Anti-Colic Features:
   • Some bottles reduce colic and gas by minimizing air intake. These are the ones I chos
   • Dr. Brown’s Anti-Colic Breast to Bottle Feeding Set with Premie and Slow Flow Nipple

Preparing the Bottle

1. Cleanliness:
   • Always wash your hands before preparing a bottle and ensure all parts are clean and sterilized. I used this bag to sterilize once a week for the first 3 months, after that only once a month.

Munchkin® Sterilize™ Microwave Bottle Steam Sterilizer Bags

1. Formula or Breast Milk:
   • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for preparing formula. If using expressed breast milk, ensure it’s properly thawed and warmed.
2. Temperature:
   • Test the milk temperature on your wrist; it should be lukewarm. I actually used cold milk until 1 year old. read more about Bottle feeding warm or cold milk?

Feeding Your Baby: Paced Bottle Feeding

1. Positioning:
   • Hold your baby in a semi-upright position to prevent choking and ear infections.
2. Pacing:
   • Keep the bottle horizontal to allow your baby to control the flow of milk.
   • Here is a video that help us Paced Bottle Feeding
3. Burping:
   • Burp your baby halfway through and at the end of the feeding.

What if My Baby Refuses the Bottle?

• Offer the bottle when your baby is calm and happy.
• If refused, comfort them with holding or singing, and try the bottle again later.
• Check for illness if refusal persists.
• Hide the bottle with a blanket or try different feeding positions.

Tips for Successful Bottle Feeding

1. Responsive Feeding:
   • Watch for hunger cues and feed your baby on demand.
2. Comfort and Bonding:
   • Maintain eye contact and talk to your baby during feeding to promote bonding.
3. Bottle Refusal:
   • If your baby refuses the bottle, try different nipples or bottles to find one they prefer.
4. Feeding Schedule:
   • Newborns typically feed every 2-3 hours. As your baby grows, the intervals will lengthen.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

1. Gas and Colic:
   • Use bottles with anti-colic features and ensure proper burping techniques.
2. Spit-Up:
   • Smaller, more frequent feedings can help if your baby is prone to spitting up.
3. Nipple Confusion:
   • Use slow-flow nipples to mimic breastfeeding and avoid nipple confusion.
4. Milk Temperature:
   • Experiment with different milk temperatures to find what your baby prefers.

Store breast milk

Remember the rule 5/5/5 or other sources talk about 4/4/6:

• 5 hours fresh milk at room temperature
• 5 days in the fridge
• 5 months in the freezer

This is just for breast milk. The formula milk is more like 1/1:

• 1h outside
• 1 day in the fridge
• never freeze!

Products for bottle feeding

Bootles

I use the Dr Browns, but Avent are also good to mimic breastfeeding to reduce nipple confusion. Make sure you start with Premies nipple flow.

Drooling bibs

I use both soft material and water resistant ones. Both great!

Burping cloths

I don’t really use them much, although I have them. My baby never spat up much. But they can be used for other purposes so it’s good to have a few around.

For pumping

For formula

For traveling

For drying and cleaning