Bottle Feeding

Preparation of Cow's or Buffalo's Milk

Preparing milk for bottle feeding from Cow's or Buffalo's milk requires careful handling. All the equipments should be sterilized properly to avoid infections. Milk should be boiled for 10 minutes before cooling. Read on to know more.

What animal milk do I use for bottle-feeding

You can use cow's milk, buffalo's milk or commercial infant milk preparations. Cow's milk and buffalo's milk should be boiled and given to the baby undiluted. In the case of buffalo milk, you should allow it to cool after boiling and remove the cream before giving it to the baby. 

 

How do I prepare bottle feeds if I am using cow or buffalo milk

The first thing to do is to keep all the sterilized equipment - bottles, teats, bowls, spoons, etc., handy. Wash your hands carefully with soap and water before handling the sterilized equipment and milk. If you are using cow's milk or buffalo's milk, boil it for ten minutes and then allow it to cool. In the case of buffalo's milk, you should remove the cream that forms on the surface of the milk on cooling. Do not dilute the milk by adding water. Add one teaspoon of sugar for every 75 ml of milk before feeding the baby. Test the temperature of the milk on the inside of your wrist before you begin feeding. It should be lukewarm. 

Bottle-feeding Equipment and its Care 

Proper care should be taken to sterilize the bottles to prepare it for bottle feed. Bottle should be boiled well along with other equipment to prevent infection. Here is a list of equipments needed for bottle feeding. Read on.

What equipment do I require for bottle-feeding

• 3 or 4 bottles and 4 to 6 teats with covers so that you will always have one sterilized bottle on hand, ready to feed your hungry baby.
• A spare container, like a bottle, jar or jug with a cover, for storing milk
• Teaspoon for measuring sugar to add to cow's milk
• Cleaning brush and detergent

How do I sterilize bottles and teats
First, you should wash all the equipment with detergent in hot water. Use a bottle brush to clean the insides of the bottle and use a little salt to clean the teats. Rinse them thoroughly. Place the equipment in a container of water, cover it and boil for 20 minutes.

Advantages of Bottle Feeding

There are many advantages of bottle feeding over breast feeding. It is very convenient and gives freedom. Bottle feeding babies are less cranky and they have a sound sleep. Know more about the advantages

What are the advantages of bottle feeding

• Bottle-fed babies need to be fed less frequently since it is more difficult to digest.
• If you are bottle feeding your baby, you know exactly how much milk your baby has had.
• You do not need to be present each time the baby has to be fed; some other family member or friend can also feed the baby.
• Your social life does not need to be curtailed.  You can resume your normal life.

Bottle-fed babies need to be fed less often 

If for some reason breastfeeding is not an option, a woman can consider bottle-feeding. There is a school of thought that sees some advantages in bottle-feeding. For instance, formula milk is not as easily digested as mother's milk. Consequently, the baby feels satiated for longer periods and this extends the time between feedings at an earlier stage.
 

I know exactly how much milk my baby has

In the case of bottle-feeding, a mother knows exactly what her baby's intake of milk is, whereas a nursing mother often worries that her baby has not had enough.
 

Anyone can feed the baby

Bottle-feeding gives a mother more freedom, as she is not tied down to feeding times. Anybody can feed the baby if given the bottle and the formula. Fathers and older siblings can also participate in feeding the baby and share the burden of caring for the newborn.
 

You can resume "normal" life sooner

• Unlike the breastfeeding mother, the bottle-feeding mother can dress as she pleases. A nursing mother will have to wear something that can accommodate a hungry baby. 
• A nursing mother is limited to only using those methods of birth control that are not harmful to the baby. This restriction does not apply to bottle-feeding mothers. 
• A bottle-feeding mother does not have to be as particular about a nutritious diet. 
• She can have a few drinks and take an aspirin without worrying about what effect it will have on the baby.
• She can begin to diet six weeks after delivery. 
• Bottle-feeding is more convenient and less embarrassing in public. 
• Lovemaking is sometimes not easy for the breastfeeding woman because the hormonal changes associated with lactation leaves her vagina dry. In addition, breastfeeding can lead to sore nipples and leaky breasts, which are not conducive to lovemaking.

Disadvantages of Bottle Feeding

Bottle feeding has a lot of disadvantages over breastfeeding. Bottle feeding should be avoided as much as possible. The disadvantages of bottle feeding cannot be overlooked as baby is deprived from the immense benefits of breastfeeding. Read on to find more about the disadvantages of bottle feeding.

Everyone is well aware of the fact that breastfeeding is good for the health of the infant and it adds up manifold benefits to the health of the mother too. Yet there are situations in which many mothers have to opt for bottle feeding their infants. Sometimes it is impractical and unreasonable to breast feed and mothers decide to feed the child with bottle.

In fact, it is completely the mother’s decision what she chooses to be the best for her and her child and for this no one can be termed as a good or bad mother. No matter whether it is because of some unavoidable reason or just because of wish, mothers who bottle feed their infants should know about the disadvantages of bottle feeding and precautions to avoid them.

Disadvantages for Bottle Feeding

Have a look at the common disadvantages of bottle feeding.

Nutrition

Though various types of formula milk substitutes are available and most of them claim to offer all essential nutrients to the child, it is not the truth. It also depends on the brand and makes of the formula what nutrients the child is receiving.

Indigestion

It has been observed that children who are fed with bottle suffer from indigestion and gas most often. The uneasiness that it causes can be seen in the infants and sometimes you are unable to handle and treat it also.

Hassling

Second most irritating and exasperating thing is that it is full of fuss and hassle. Even if you are not feeling well and you do not have time, you have to clean and sterilize the bottle daily at least once. Also, if you are tired of the whole day’s work schedule and want to have a good and complete rest at night, you cannot do so because you have to get up and prepare the milk for your infant when he is hungry.

Preparation Time

Preparing of formula milk takes time. You cannot even prepare and keep it stored. It is very important that you prepare only that quantity of milk which is consumable by your child. This is often not completely possible and the rest of the milk gets wasted.

Deciding the Brand

Most of the new parents choose the formula they see in the hospitals being use. However, it is not always true that the hospitals use the best formula milk. It can also be because that brand provides formula milk at low price to the hospitals and in this way their marketing strategy gets fulfilled.

Expensive

No matter what formula or alternative you choose, bottle feeding is definitely expensive than breastfeeding. It is not just the cost of the formula milk, but you need to keep the bottles clean and maintained so that the health and hygiene is also taken care of simultaneously. You need to clean the bottle, sterilize it and then keep is safely aside so that it can be used when needed.

However, there are advantages and disadvantages for bottle feeding. It completely depends on you and your circumstances what you choose for your baby. The ultimate decision certainly should be made by the parents.

If you are a new parent, consider the points that are in favour of bottle feeding along with taking into account the disadvantages. There are various brands that prepare formula milk more nutritious and balanced and if your child digests it well, it might be good for your child also. Consider all factors and take the decision prudently.

 

How to Prevent Baby Bottle Tooth Decay?

Here are some basic tips which will prevent tooth decay in small children:

• Ensure that your child does not fall asleep with a bottle containing milk, formula, fruit juices, or such other sweetened liquids in his mouth.

• Instead of bottle feeding a baby sweetened liquids, consider the option of comforting the child a bottle filled with cool, plain water.

• Adopt hygiene measures to ensure that the pacifier used by a child is clean. Do not feed a child sweetened drinks in a pacifier.

• As soon as a child reaches the age of 1 introduce her to a cup. Most doctors recommend that children must be made to stop drinking from a bottle immediately after their first birthday.

• The longer a child is bottle fed more challenging will it be to make her give it up. Hence, at around 8 months of age parents must start teaching a baby to drink from a cup.

• The child must be encouraged to have small sips of beverages like fruit juice mixed with water from cups.

• In extreme cases where parents have not been able to get their child to give up the bottle, after every bottle feed it is essential to take a wet cloth or gauze pad and gently wipe the child's gums and teeth.

• Make sure that you take proper measures to clean any bacteria containing plaque and excess sugar that may have built up. 

Important : Breastfeeding baby until the age of 12 to 18 months is best choice. Babies should be bottle-fed only when breastfeeding is not an option.