Bottle Feeding Your Infant

Bottle feeding your infant can be confusing. Questions like which formula to choose, what position to use, what if my bottle feeding infant spits up, and what kind of equipment is needed can cause a new parent to feel overwhelmed.

The first thing you need to do is to choose the type of formula you will give to your bottle feeding infant. There are a lot of choices out there and the easiest place to start is to ask your pediatrician for his or her recommendation.

Name brand formulas are more expensive than generic or store brands. The name brands may have added features like easier to digest, or added supplements like DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ARA (arachidonic acid). All formulas that you can buy for your bottle feeding infant are regulated by the FDA and are safe.

Buy a small can at first. This way, if your baby does not tolerate it well, you have not invested a lot of money in a formula you cannot use. If your bottle feeding infant spits up a lot or seems to have a lot of gas, they may be lactose intolerant. Don’t worry, many babies out grow this by the time they are toddlers and can easily drink regular milk. In the meantime, choose a soy based formula to give to your baby.

Next, you will need the bottles. There are dozens of different brands and variations available. If you are breastfeeding, choose a wide necked bottle with a natural shaped nipple. This will help prevent nipple confusion and allow your baby to switch back and forth from breast to bottle more easily. Several companies offer nipples that have different flow levels. This is nice as you can adjust the flow as your baby grows, and still use the same bottles.

Many bottles have added comfort grips on the sides, which are more comfortable for caregivers and easier for older bottle feeding infants to hold themselves. Try several different kinds of bottles and use the one that works best for you and your baby.

Most experts on bottle feeding infants agree that the best position is a semi-upright one. Hold your baby in your arms with his head and upper body slightly elevated. For older babies who can hold their own bottle, try placing them in a bouncy seat instead of flat on their backs. The semi-upright position prevents the milk from pooling in their mouth and throat and helps to prevent spit up. This position is especially helpful for babies who have acid reflux or colic, as it helps to keep the formula from coming back up into the esophagus.

Keep plenty of burp cloths on hand as you will need to burp your bottle feeding infant during and after every feeding. In the beginning, you should burp your baby after every two ounces. This helps to get the bubbles out of your baby’s stomach. There are several ways to burp a baby. The most common is to place the baby with their stomach against your shoulder and gently pat their back. Another way is to lay the baby stomach down across your knees, or to sit them up with your hand supporting their stomach as you gently pat the back. Find what works best for your bottle feeding infant as all babies are different.

There is no one right way to feed and burp your baby. You are the expert on your child, so try different things and see what the right fit is for your family. These are just some guidelines to help you get started on how to bottle feed your baby. Congratulations on your new adventure!

You can find infant feeding bottles below:

Lot baby bottles; playtex drop in, dr. browns, soothie US $5.51 (3 Bids) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 5:04:17 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

HUGE Lot of Baby Bottles(Avent-Vent-Aire++++) US $5.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 5:10:08 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

AVENT NATURALLY EXPRESS BABY BOTTLE STEAM STERILIZER US $28.50 (8 Bids) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 5:12:51 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

AVON BABY BASSETT HOUND COLOGNE BOTTLE 1978-1979 US $3.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 5:17:35 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

Gerber Little Suzy's Zoo Nursers Baby Bottles 6 Piece US $7.99 End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 5:24:15 PST Buy it now | Add to watch list

LOT OF 13 PLAYTEX VENTAIRE BABY BOTTLES (WIDE) US $12.58 (12 Bids) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 5:25:17 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

Podee Hands Free Bottle Feeding for your baby or babies US $6.51 (4 Bids) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 6:04:10 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

MUNCHKIN BABY BOTTLE ASSESORIES US $4.50 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 6:05:01 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

New Cloth Baby Bib /Baby Bottles Great for Girl ~Boy US $4.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 6:09:26 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

LOT OF 5 GREEN EVENFLO ELAN 4 OZ BABY BOTTLES COMPLETE US $4.95 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 6:38:25 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

Decorative Reborn or Baby Bottle Covers, 4oz-pick color US $4.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 6:40:22 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Baby Onesie Blanket Bottle Gift US $19.99 End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 6:47:19 PST Buy it now | Add to watch list

New Garfield Baby Bottles and Baby hair brush and comb US $3.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 6:49:28 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

4 Glass Baby Bottles - 2 Evenflo, 1 Sears, 1 Curity US $1.99 (2 Bids) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 6:53:43 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

Beechnut Stage 2 Baby Food 18 bottles Mixed US $8.50 End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 7:00:26 PST Buy it now | Add to watch list

Beechnut Stage 2 Baby Food 18 bottles Dinner box US $8.99 End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 7:00:28 PST Buy it now | Add to watch list

Beechnut Stage 2 Baby Food 18 bottles Vegetables box US $8.99 End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 7:00:28 PST Buy it now | Add to watch list

KLEAN KANTEEN BABY SIPPY CUP STAINLESS BOTTLE GREEN US $17.95 End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 7:24:48 PST Buy it now | Add to watch list

KLEAN KANTEEN BABY SIPPY CUP STAINLESS BOTTLE BROWN US $17.95 End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 7:30:02 PST Buy it now | Add to watch list

KLEAN KANTEEN BABY SIPPY CUP STAINLESS BOTTLE BLACK US $17.95 End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 7:30:46 PST Buy it now | Add to watch list

KLEAN KANTEEN BABY SIPPY CUP STAINLESS BOTTLE ORANGE US $17.95 End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 7:31:26 PST Buy it now | Add to watch list

Lot Avent Baby Bottles & Microvable Steam Sterilizer US $14.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 7:32:37 PST Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

Playtex Drop - Ins Baby Bottles Lot Of 5 New BNIP 8 OZ US $9.00 (7 Bids) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 7:33:13 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

ZAPF ~ BABY ANNABELL DOLL ORIGINAL & BOTTLE INTERACTIVE US $24.50 (15 Bids) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 7:40:05 PST Bid now | Add to watch list

AVENT NATURALLY EXPRESS ELECTRIC BABY BOTTLE WARMER US $7.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Thursday Nov-20-2008 7:48:37 PST Bid now | Add to watch list