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Bottle
Feeding
By Terry Ross
Don't feel guilty if you have decided to go down the route of bottle
feeding. Making the decision to bottle feed is never taken lightly and
if you have decided that bottle feeding is the right decision for you
and your child than follow your instincts and go for it, don't worry
what other people have to say.
In some instances bottle feeding can be better for your newborn than
breastfeeding particularly if you are a smoker, drink alcohol of take
unprescribed drugs (certain drugs, alcohol and nicotine can be
transmitted to your baby through your breast milk). Also, it is better
to bottle feed if you are HIV positive or have other serious illnesses
such as severe anaemia, turberculosis or kidney disease. If you are
taking certain medications you may be advised not to breastfeed your
baby.
Bottle feeding formula milk provides all the vitamins a minerals that
your baby needs, it's nutritional qualities are close to breast milk
and, in most cases, is made from cows milk which has been specially
treated to ease digestion.
There are now alternatives to
regular formula's (usually soya)
specifically designed for lactose intolerant
or
for those
where
there is family history
of allergies. If you are bottle feeding only use standard formula
unless your doctor has advised otherwise.
It is important to follow all manufacturers’ instruction when
making up the formula milk. Bottle feeding can cause colic if you make
up the formula milk either too weak or too strong or feed your baby
milk that is at the wrong temperature.
Buying ready made milk in cartons or bottles is really useful if you
are out and about but is a far
more expensive way to bottle feed your baby.
You can prepare 24 hours worth of formula in one go and store it in the
fridge until required. Dispose of any unused formula after the 24 hour
period and never re-use and milk left over after bottle feeding,
bacteria love it!
The temperature at which a bottle should be offered to your baby varies
from child to child with some
preferring
their milk at room
temperature and others preferring their bottle feed warm. To warm the
milk just drop the full bottle into a jug of boiling water and then
test the temperature against your wrist before bottle feeding your baby.
Some
need
to be persuaded to take
the teat and feed so try stroking the teat across your baby’s
lips which should encourage him to open his mouth and grab hold of the
teat.
If you find that your baby is gulping his milk down too fast then you
probably need a smaller teat and likewise if your baby is finding
bottle feeding really hard work then a larger teat may be required.
One thing that shouldn’t need to be said but I will say it
anyway is never leave your baby alone to bottle feed, if you need to
leave your baby even for a split second take the bottle away. A baby
left alone to feed could end up vomiting and choking.
When bottle feeding always tilt the bottle as this will make sure that
the teat remains full to prevent air from getting into the teat which
can cause wind. If your baby is prone to suffering from wind then try
winding half way through feeding and then again at the end of the feed.
To wind your baby, lay him across your shoulder of on your lap and rub
his back.
It is quite normal for
to
sometimes bring back up
small amounts of milk during or after feeding (called possetting) and
sometimes
will
bring up the entire
content of their stomach in a forceful way which is called projectile
vomiting. Possetting is not unusual neither should occasional
projectile vomiting be cause for concern but if your baby is throwing
up too frequently or forceful vomiting is occurring too often consult
your doctor.
Article Source:
http://www.articleblender.com
Terry Ross
is the author for and the creator of: 1st-4-baby, a site dedicated to
pregnancy,
and
baby care.
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