Baby Bottle Feeding Tips You Don't Want To Miss

I'm going to share with you seven things I want you to know about bottle feeding your baby. First, let's say if you're watching this, congratulations! I am so excited for you and your whole family. If you're watching this, you probably have a baby or you're about to, and I'm so excited for you! Let's jump right in.

My name is Lindsay, and welcome to The Little Foundations YouTube channel, where I help parents and caregivers create healthy habits with their babies from the very start.

Alright, let's start with number one. This is called the suck, swallow, breathe pattern. This is something that we're looking for when your baby starts drinking from a bottle. If your baby was a premature baby or had any health issues, they need a little bit more time to get into their routine. But most all babies can benefit from a little bit more time when they get started.

It's a lot of work for babies to eat. It takes up a lot of energy, and they have to learn how to get into their own flow, their own routine. And there are a lot of things that we can do to help them. It's important that you keep that in your mind. Suck, swallow, breathe.

Suck, meaning that they are drawing the milk out from the bottle, that they are swallowing it down, and then they are breathing. Kids will get into their own pattern with this, but sometimes, if they're really hungry or really uncoordinated, it can be dangerous. We don't want them to be out of breath or potentially choking. So, it's important that we are slowing them down if they need it. Keep that in mind for yourself, that they are getting coordinated, and soon they will get down this muscle memory and this routine, and they'll be eating fast in no time. But in the beginning, don't be afraid to go slow.

And this goes right into number two. Every bottle has a different flow rate, and what that means is how fast the milk comes out of the bottle. Every brand is different, and even if you have a brand that says, 'This is the first level' or 'This is the premature level' or 'This is the slowest level,' it can be very different from a different bottle's slowest or newborn or first step.

It's important that we are finding the one that works for your baby. I'll be honest, many babies can get really flexible and get used to different bottle types. But in the beginning, it's important that we are keeping this really happy and positive for them. So, what we're going to look for is a bottle that they really like. Not only do they like the shape of the nipple, but they like the flow rate too.

So, if you got a bottle at your baby shower or passed down from someone else or used it with your older children, it might work for them. But we want to make sure that we are monitoring their flow rate on the nipple. The reason that this is so important is because, like we talked about, eating is a lot of work. If the milk comes out too fast, it can be overwhelming for them and it's really uncomfortable, and they might even choke. And it's really not a positive experience. If the milk is coming out too slowly, then they're sucking really hard and using up a lot of that energy and a lot of those calories that we're trying to get in.

So, it's important that it's not too fast and that it's not too slow. In the first couple of days after your baby's born, you'll get to see what exactly they need. Do they need it to be a little faster? Do they need to take more breaks? Do they need it to be a little bit slower? Do they have milk dripping out or are they really out of breath and they're sucking really hard? Don't be afraid to have a backup bottle system just in case.

And that goes right into number three, pacing. Pacing means that we are helping our children to set that pace. Remember that we talked about that suck, swallow, breathe pattern? Sometimes they get really excited and they start to eat too fast. And there is something that we can do to help to pace the flow of the feed. It's a way to remind them that the food is right here and they don't have to rush.

Get comfortable and see if your baby is ready to eat. If they accept the bottle and then they start to get really excited, what you're going to do is start to slowly lower the bottle. Over time, that will teach the baby to get into a good flow. They will realize that even though the milk's right there, they don't have to drink it. They can take a break and catch their breath and get back into that good flow. So, if you're feeding them and they get really excited, don't be afraid to slowly lower the bottle. You can even take it out if you need to. They might be upset because they want to keep eating, but it's important that they can catch their breath and get back to it.

Number four is your baby doesn't have to finish their bottle. Of course, every baby is different and they're going to have their own medical needs, and only you and your medical team know what's best for your baby. But it's important that we are not forcing babies to finish their bottle.

Oftentimes, parents will tell me, 'Oh, they always finish their bottle,' or 'Man, I just wish she would finish her bottle'. And while we want them to be healthy and growing and gaining weight appropriately, we don't want to force them to finish their bottle, especially in the first few weeks. We don't want to be forcing that. If there is a medical emergency or for some reason your baby is refusing a lot of their bottle, you want to speak to your medical team right away. But if your baby is gaining weight and having regular wet and poopy diapers and they're growing really well, we want to make sure that we're not forcing them to finish their bottle.

Finishing their bottle is not a win. A happy, intent feed is the win that's what we're looking for. We want them to have a happy feed, and it's important that we keep them comfortable. Just like you might want to eat more in the morning or more in the evening, your baby might do the same. Not every feed might be exact.

Again, always speak to your medical team if you're concerned. But as your baby starts to grow and is gaining really well, it's very important that we are not forcing them, especially in their first few weeks of life. Many parents will accidentally overfeed their babies, and that causes them to have a lot of discomfort and cry and be in pain and have gas or reflux or vomiting. So, do your best to read your baby's cues. If they're done and there's a little bit left in the bottle, that's okay. Keep track of it if you're concerned, but it's really important to follow your baby's lead.

Alright, number five is for you and your baby. You want to make sure that you are bringing your baby to you when you're feeding them. You want to make sure that you're not hunched over, that you're not leaning over toward them. Not only could it put them in a dangerous position with their neck crunched up, but also it's going to hurt your back.

It's important that you set up a corner of your couch or your favorite chair to have everything that you need to comfortably feed your baby. That you and anyone else who's going to feed your baby can sit there and have pillows and blankets underneath them, that they are comfortable, and that they can bring the baby to them. Sometimes, we're so desperate to feed them that we get hunched over and get into an awkward position. We really want to get seated first and then bring your baby to you, have them be comfortable, and in a safe position that you can feed them.

Number six is, make sure you reach out if you feel that there's a problem. If feeding feels stressful for you or you feel that your baby's not getting the hang of it or something is wrong or maybe they're having a hard time, it's important that you reach out.

Reach out to your medical team or reach out to me, and we can come up with a plan to help your baby. So many parents will reach out to me after a few days or weeks of really stressful feedings, and they'll say, 'Oh, I thought it would get better with time'. Yes, some things need a little bit more time, but sometimes we can tweak a few things and figure out how to make it more comfortable for you and your baby. So, please, please don't wait. Reach out if you feel like there's something going on with your baby's feeds.

That brings us to number seven. Feeding a baby can be very stressful. You have so many things going on right now, and you added a new baby to the family. You may be tired and really stressed, but it's important that we make feeding as comfortable as possible for both you and your baby. Babies can feel our stress, not only physically but emotionally too. Babies will start to know if you are tense and you are stressed about feeding.

They can feel that energy and start to associate that with feeding. We don't want them to be scared about eating. We want them to know that it's a positive experience. Please reach out for help if you need help with other things around the house. Please ask your family and friends to help you. It's important that you are taken care of. I always say, without you, the wheels are falling off and we are in big trouble.

So, please do what you can to take care of yourself.

Reach out if you need help, keep these other tips in mind, and please don't do it alone.

Again, congratulations on your new sweet little baby, and for more feeding tips, check this.