If someone else is bottle-feeding your baby, talk to them about how you feed your baby so there’s some consistency (UNICEF UK, 2016). In the early weeks and months, it might help to keep most of your baby’s bottle-feeds for you and your partner, or one other trusted person (NHS, 2015 UNICEF UK, 2016). This is partly how they develop healthy emotional and social attachment (UNICEF UK, 2016). (UNICEF 2017, UNICEF 2016, NHS 2015) Who should bottle feed my baby?īabies build up trust and confidence during feeding, gradually learning what to expect. If your baby is showing hunger cues, offer the bottle again.īe careful not to force your baby to take the bottle or to finish the bottle.įollow your baby’s lead on how much they want to drink, rather than going by how much is in the bottle. Short breaks allow babies to register fullness, so they can regulate the amount of milk they drink. Keep the bottle in a horizontal position (not tipped above your baby where the weight of the milk could force them to drink too quickly). A horizontal positions means when your baby pauses in sucking, the milk stops flowing, so they aren't forced to drink.Īllow pauses in drinking. When your baby pauses, withdraw the bottle slightly or completely to give them a break. They may need to burp in the pauses. Touch the teat against your baby’s top lip, encourage them to open their mouth and pull the teat into the mouth. Hold your baby in an upright position, with their head supported, close to the parent’s body. Read our tips for bottle-feeding your baby for more information.īabies should never be left alone to feed with a propped-up bottle, as they could choke on the milk (NHS, 2015 First Steps Nutrition Trust, 2017).Ī quick guide to responsive/paced bottle feeding:įeed on demand – rather than to a schedule. Hold them upright and rub or pat their back to bring up any wind (NHS, 2015 UNICEF UK, 2016). Distraction made mums more likely to overfeed their baby, possibly increasing their risk of obesity (Golen and Ventura, 2015). Research has shown that mums who were distracted by things like using a mobile device or talking to another adult were less sensitive to their baby’s cues. This helps them to feel safe and loved (NHS, 2015 UNICEF UK, 2016 NHS, 2018).įocusing on your baby while you’re feeding them also helps to pick up their feeding cues. Try talking to them gently and look into their eyes to reassure them during feeds. They should be fairly upright, with their head supported, so they can breathe and swallow comfortably (NHS, 2015 UNICEF UK, 2016).įeeding your baby responsively is a lovely way to bond with them (UNICEF UK, 2016 First Steps Nutrition Trust, 2017). If you’re using formula milk, you’ll need to safely prepare your baby’s feed first.įind somewhere comfy to sit and hold your baby close to you. You can read more about expressing breastmilk for a feed. Skin-to-skin contact is great for calming babies. If your baby is upset, try to soothe them before you offer a feed. If you wait until your baby starts crying for milk, you might find it more difficult to settle them for a feed (UNICEF UK, 2016). opening their mouth and turning their head to the sideĬrying is usually a late sign of hunger.
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