FEEDING
Mealtimes provide a great opportunity for snuggling and bonding with your baby. Don't worry if this is all too much to remember; rest assured that your baby will know if he or she is getting enough to eat. If your baby seems satisfied, produces about six wet diapers a day, sleeps well and is gaining weight regularly, then you know he or she is feeding well.
- Mealtimes provide a great opportunity to bond with your baby
The sucking action on the breast is completely different to that of bottle feeding.
Breast
To get milk from the breast, the baby will place his or her tongue underneath the nipple with the bottom lip turned out.
Bottle
To get the milk from the bottle, your baby will need to compress his or her gums and, by putting the tongue against the bottle teat to regulate the flow of milk, will use very little sucking action. Click here for Bottle Feeding guidelines.
- Try to establish a feeding pattern for you and your baby
Feed your baby when he/she seems hungry. Your newborn baby may need to be fed as often as every two hours, or perhaps more frequently for a while until they start a proper feeding routine.
During the first month or so, bottle-fed babies will most likely take about two to three ounces of infant formula at each feeding. This will increase as baby starts to realise that he/she has an eating pattern and a growing appetite.
Try to establish a feeding pattern for you and your baby, as this will help you to know when to rest and when to expect baby to want his/her next feed.
Always hold your baby during feeding times. Don't leave a baby unattended.
Never put your baby to bed with a bottle. It is a choking hazard, and formula pooling in your baby's mouth can lead to tooth decay in older babies and toddlers. Also, don't give your baby juice in a bottle unless your child's doctor says it's OK.
Some bottle-fed babies may be sensitive to the cow's milk protein in their formula. If your baby suddenly becomes fussy, colicky or disinterested, contact your doctor. They may suggest switching to a special hypoallergenic preparation.
Also call the doctor if you need to awaken your newborn frequently or if he/she is exhibiting the following behaviours:
- Disinterested in sucking
- Turning away from the breast or bottle.
