How to Handle Formula (Bottle) Feeding
By Lorena Goldsmith

What bottles?

You might feel confused about the amount of choices you’re offered when it comes to baby equipment. This is probably a trial and error case. Soon you will eliminate the choices that proved bad and stick to the good ones.

Different bottles and teats offer different levels of comfort for babies. Some babies might find it difficult to handle a silicon teat compared with a latex one. However, before opting for latex teats, you should check with your GP if there is a possibility for your baby to be latex-allergic.

You might also find that your baby gets less gas from a narrow neck bottle where the flow and suction are controlled better. For more info on colic, please click here.

How to prepare a formula feed?

The best way to do it is to follow the formula manufacturer’s instructions displayed on the tin. Please ensure you use exactly the indicated amount of powder and water, otherwise this could make your baby ill and cause kidneys problems.

It’s also recommended that you boil the water only once in order to avoid softening the water.

Does my baby need to drink extra water?

It is recommended that formula fed babies after one month of age take an extra drink of water in between feeds.

It’s good to encourage water drinks anyway, so the baby won’t find another new thing to take when she starts solids.

What else?

• a steriliser if don’t plan on boiling your equipment, this can be an electric steam steriliser or a microwave steriliser. If you choose a microwave one, note that the frequent exposure of the latex teats to the microwaves will
• damage them after a while;
• a bottle brush to wash the bottles and the teats with;
• a bottle warmer;
• a car bottle warmer;
• an insulated bottle bag;
• a powder dispenser, especially useful on the way or at night time;

There is no need for a cooler bag, as nowadays, the health authorities recommend preparing the formula fresh, not preparing the right amount of water and keeping it cool (in the fridge or in a cooler bag) until the feed time. Research showed that bacteria develop in the water in a number of hours and can reproduce to millions while warming up the milk and feeding it to the baby.

Therefore it is recommended to boil fresh water, let it cool for 30 minutes and prepare the formula.

If you’re on the road and find it difficult to boil fresh water, the formula cartons are particularly useful. They come in 200 or 500 ml cartons, ready made and ready to drink.

If you go on holiday and doubt the quality of the water in that area, the cartons are probably the best choice.

However, in all cases without exception, please ensure that always the water fed to the baby has been previously boiled.

For how long?

It is recommended that, after 6 months, a beak or a sippy cup is introduced to babies in order to wean off the bottle. Prolonged usage of the teats is proven to cause tooth decay.

By the time the baby has a first tooth, she should be used to using a first stage sippy cup and, by the time she is 12-14 months, it is recommended that she uses exclusively a sippy cup. It is recommended that juice is given to babies solely in a cup and not in a teated bottle.

However, some children find it difficult to give up their bottles. Take it one step at a time and don’t panic if your baby still drinks out of a bottle after 14 months. If you persevere encouraging her to use a sippy cup, she will soon pick it up.

The best way to do it is to offer her the cup as much as you can and keep the bottle for feeding times only (three times a day). Also try and feed her water out of the bottle and juice out of a cup, as she will probably be happier with the juice.

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