Tips on Bottle Feeding Baby

Breastfeeding is great—and there are massive benefits for mother and infant—but for various reasons, it doesn't always work out. There is no need to feel guilty about bottle feeding baby. The good news is that you can bond with your newborn by bottle feeding too. Ultimately, feeding your baby should be a relaxing time for both of you.

One of the best advantages of breastfeeding is the skin-to-skin contact that the mother and baby enjoy. This can also be applied when bottle feeding baby (and dad gets to do it too!). Holding your baby against a bare chest while bottle feeding can enhance bonding.

Of course, sometimes breastfed babies take a bottle too—either with pumped milk or formula. Experts recommend first offering a breastfed baby a bottle anywhere from 2-6 weeks after birth.

Here are a few tips about how to bottle feed baby:

• Sterilize the bottle and the nipple before feeding baby bottle (hot water and soap will work just fine).
  
• Never prop a bottle up when feeding baby bottle.
  
• Never use a microwave to heat breast milk or formula (it's not necessary to heat the milk as long as it's at room temperature).
  
• Don't feed your baby a bottle while she is lying down.
  

Whether you're primarily breastfeeding or bottle feeding baby, feeding your baby should be a quiet time to bond. There's no reason why bottle feeding shouldn't be a warm, loving experience for you and your baby.