Feeding your newborn baby is a great way to bond with them and create a loving relationship between you.If you are going to bottle feed your baby, you will need to prepare a bottle, hold them upright, and burp them.
Step 1: Feed your baby when they are hungry.
Newborns show that they are hungry by moving their heads from side to side, opening their mouths, sucking on their fingers or fists, and trying to suck anything that comes near their cheek.It is best to feed your baby before they cry because it is easier to calm them down to eat.Babies cry or fuss for reasons other than hunger.If your baby is fussing or crying just an hour after a good feeding, they may need a diaper change, be tired, bored, overstimulated, or too hot or cold.You can check these other things before feeding them again.
Step 2: Hold your baby in a semi-upright position.
When it's time to feed your baby, sit in a comfortable chair and hold them with their head in the crook of your arm and your hand down around their bottom.Their head should be above their stomach.Feed your baby when they are lying on their back in the cradle position.This can cause them to choke or get ear infections.You can hold your baby on your lap while you feed them.If they start to slide down from your chest, be sure to support their head with your hands.The position works well for babies with reflux because they are upright.
Step 3: Place the nipple against the baby's lower lip to make them open their mouth.
If your baby is hungry, they will open their mouths to accept food.Place the bottle nipple against the lip.If your baby turns their head away from you, you may not be able to feed them at this time.Before trying to feed them again, check for other reasons, such as their diaper.
Step 4: To keep the nipple full, tilt the bottle.
As you feed your baby, you want the nipple to stay full so that it doesn't suck air.While the bottle is in the baby's mouth, keep it tilted.
Step 5: Allow your baby to suck the nipple from their mouth.
Your baby will start to suck and swallow when you put the nipple in his mouth.When they are hungry, this is their response.Pull the nipple out of their mouth when they start to slow their sucking and swallowing.Allowing your baby to draw the nipple back into their mouth is called pacing the feeding, and it mimics the start and stop of milk flow during breastfeeding.If your baby is still hungry, you will have to move the nipple away from their mouth.If they become upset at having the nipple moved out of their mouth, you can tilt the bottle downward to slow or stop the flow of liquid.As your baby starts sucking again, tilt the bottle back up.
Step 6: You can look into your baby's eyes or talk to them while feeding.
You can look into your baby's eyes while they drink to add to the feeding experience.They will look forward to the moments when they can eat and feel loved by you.To encourage your baby to go back to sleep at night, you may want to reduce the amount of time you talk to them.You can cuddle and look at them, but keep other interactions to a minimum.It's helpful to keep the lights off during night feedings.
Step 7: For how much and how often to feed your baby, follow their lead.
Babies differ in how much they need to eat.A formula-fed baby will eat up to 8 times a day until they are 2 months old.Babies who drink expressed breastmilk may need to eat more often.If your baby wants more after they finish a bottle, you don't need to worry.Sometimes they want to eat less and sometimes they need more.The suggested feeding amount is a general guideline, and if they drink between 12 and 32 ounces of milk within 24 hours, they are eating enough.At 2 months old, your baby's formula intake will increase to between 5 and 6 ounces per day, or between 25 and 36 ounces in 24 hours.3-6 months old, the amount increases to 6–7 ounces (180–210 mL) 3-6 times per day.Babies drinking expressed breastmilk may need to eat more frequently.
Step 8: You should wake your baby every few hours to eat.
If your baby is sleeping for long periods of time, you may need to wake them up to ensure proper weight gain during their first month.A formula-fed baby should beWAKED every 3-4 hours and a breastfed baby every 4-5 hours until they are 1 month old.As long as your baby is gaining weight, you don't need to wake them up to feed them.Follow the doctor's recommendations for feeding your baby if they are not gaining enough weight.
Step 9: After 1 hour, throw away any unused formula or breastmilk.
If your baby seems to have stopped eating, you can try burping them again to see if they will eat more.You can keep the bottle for one hour if they don't want to eat more.Throw away the milk or formula when the hour is over.Don't store a bottle for more than one hour.It can become contaminated after being sucked on.Before you use it again, wash the bottle and throw the milk away.
Step 10: When your baby is small, start with a slow-flow nipple.
Babies in the first few days are more likely to choke on their food.With the bottles you have, start with the lowest level of nipple.You can increase the flow speed as your baby gets older.
Step 11: Every day you have a bottle and nipple.
If you want to sterilize bottles, you can submerge your bottle, nipple, and any other pieces in boiling water for 5 minutes.The dishwasher can be used with the sanitize setting.You should check the manufacturer's label for the safety of sterilizing plastic bottles.Chemicals in some plastic should not be exposed to high heat.Glass bottles are preferred by many parents.After a few months, your baby's immune system will be stronger and you should sterilize them once a day.The bottles can be cleaned with regular dish soap and water.Talk to your baby's doctor about when you can reduce the amount of sterilizing you do.
Step 12: You should wash your hands before handling a bottle.
You can wash your hands in the sink.Rub soap between your hands and fingers for 20 seconds.You should wash your hands completely and then dry them on a towel.
Step 13: According to package instructions, mix your formula powder with clean water.
Follow the instructions in the package for mixing the formula powder with water.If you use more formula powder than the instructions say, it can cause your baby to become dehydrated or painful gas.Breastmilk is the best option for newborn feeding.If you can breast feed your baby or pump milk to feed them in a bottle, you should do it.Infant formula is the safest alternative for feeding your baby if you can't breastfeed, pump or purchase donated breastmilk.Milk alternatives such as soy milk should not be fed to an infant under 6 months old.The only safe milks for babies under 6 months are breast milk and infant formulas.If you have clean, safe drinking water, use it for your formula.
Step 14: Warm breastmilk in a bottle or pan of warm water.
If you are using expressed breastmilk to feed your baby, they may prefer it to be warmed if it has been refrigerated or frozen.Warm a pan of water on the stove until it is warm but not boiling, then remove it from the heat.Place the bottle of milk in the pan and let it warm up until it is no higher than 100 F.If you want to check the temperature, you can use a clean food thermometer.Don't warm your bottle on the stove, use a microwave, or let the milk get higher than 100 F.It increases the risk of burning your baby's mouth.Cold or room temperature breastmilk is safe to feed your baby.It is not necessary to warm breastmilk after it has been refrigerated or frozen because babies prefer it.If you prefer, you can buy a commercial bottle warmer.If you have one, follow the instructions on how to use it.
Step 15: You can test the temperature and flow of your milk with your arm.
Put the nipple and cap on the bottle.Allow a few drops of milk or formula to come out of the bottle by turning it upside down.Check that the drops feel cool or warm, and that they flow from the bottle in continuous drips.The hole can be blocked if you have to squeeze the nipple or shake the bottle.To make sure the nipple hole is free of obstructions, check it.The hole may be damaged if the milk or formula pours out of the nipple.Before feeding your baby, replace the nipple with a new one.It's better to give your baby breastmilk that is cooler than it is to burn their tongues with it.
Step 16: Put the bottle down and try to burp the milk.
When feeding bottle-fed infants, it is important to burp them frequently because they suck more air than infants eating from a breast.They are more likely to finish their bottle if they are burping them throughout the feed.If your baby seems to be uncomfortable, try to burp them at least after every 2–3 FL oz of milk or formula they drink.
Step 17: Put your baby over your shoulder.
To burp your newborn, hold them with their head high up and rest over your shoulder.Holding them this high puts some pressure on their tummy and makes it easier to burp.
Step 18: Rub or pat their back.
If you want your baby's burp to come out, put some pressure on their back.The repetitive rubbing and pats will calm your baby and make him burp.
Step 19: If your baby doesn't burp, resume feeding after a few minutes.
If your baby hasn't finished their bottle, you can try feeding them again after about 2 minutes of trying to burp them.If they are not interested in eating more, you can try burping them or check to see if they need a diaper change.They are probably full and have finished eating if they seem content but not interested in eating.