Infants or newborn babies can be fed with breast milk, bottle food or formula. The mother has a choice and will have to find out what the best solution is for her. Of course she must produce enough milk to be able to breastfeed. The first bottle feeding is available in powder or liquid form. You can buy this at the pharmacy. You can also buy the food from the drugstore from 6 months. The amount of milk your baby drinks varies from baby to baby. It is important to follow the growth curve of your little one and ensure that your baby is developing normally according to the guidelines. This is a signal that your baby is drinking enough.
The preparation of bottle feeding
As the first step in preparing bottle feeding, pour the necessary amount of water into the baby bottle. You can use water at room temperature or warm water (maximum 40°C). Use still water or tap water. Then add the necessary scoops of powder. The rule is to add 1 level scoop of powder per 30 ml of water. Common brands of milk powder are Nutrilon, Nan or Aptamil. If you add too little or too much powder, the composition of the milk will not be optimal. After this, close the bottle with the cap and teat and shake very well until the powder has dissolved. Before you let your baby drink, you should always feel carefully whether the milk is not too warm. To do this, you can drop a few drops of milk on the inside of your wrist. Always prepare a bottle just before feeding the baby. It is not recommended to drink milk from the previous day.
Sterilizing the feeding bottle
Make sure all your baby’s bottles and teats are sterile. Until your baby is six months old, you should boil each bottle and nipple after each feeding. It is recommended to boil for 10 minutes for the bottles and 3 minutes for the teats.
Can I heat a bottle with the microwave?
It is no problem to heat bottles in the microwave/microwave. Of course you have to remove the cap and teat. Depending on the amount of milk in the bottle, set the timer on the microwave/microwave. After you remove the bottle from the microwave, shake well to distribute the heat evenly. For example, the milk may still be very warm at the top, but cold at the bottom. Shaking and distributing evenly is therefore the message.
Is cow’s milk a complete food?
Cow’s milk is not suitable for small babies. Infant milk and cow’s milk differ too much to be considered healthy baby food. Infant milk contains an essential composition that cow’s milk does not have. Other types of milk such as buttermilk or goat’s milk are also absolutely not suitable for babies. Always try to prepare the milk just before administering it. Bacteria find their way very well in milk and can also spread very quickly, which can make your baby sick.
Can the baby get diarrhea from the milk formula?
When bottle-feeding, the baby’s bowel movements are normal. Diarrhea occurs if your baby has watery bowel movements more than five times a day. This is abnormal and it is therefore advisable to contact a doctor in this situation. The danger with diarrhea is that your baby could quickly become dehydrated. When breastfeeding, however, it is very normal for the stool to take on a yellow color. You don’t have to worry about this.
Types of bottled milk feeding
- Starting food is given from birth to six months.
- Follow-on feeding is given from six months to eighteen months. This milk can be perfectly combined with solid food.
- Growth milk can be started between the ages of twelve and eighteen months. This is enriched with minerals, vitamins and essential fatty acids compared to cow’s milk. Give your child growth milk for as long as possible for optimal healthy development.
Three tips if you use tap water to prepare a bottle
- Let the water flow from the tap for a while before collecting it in the bottle
- Only use cold water from the tap.
- Too many nitrates in tap water can be detrimental to the healthy development of your baby. If your tap water contains more than 10 mg nitrate per liter of water, it is best not to use it to prepare your infant milk. You can request information about the amount of nitrates in the tap water from your water company.
