Bottle-feeding

Breast milk is the ideal and natural food for infants: it is best suited to their specific needs. Good mother’s nutrition is important in preparing for and continuing to breastfeed. Mixed breastfeeding can interfere with breastfeeding and it is difficult to reverse the choice not to breastfeed

If you can’t or don’t want to breastfeed your baby, you can opt for bottle-feeding with infant milks, specially formulated to feed babies during the first 6 months of their life.

Their composition meets the requirements of very strict legislation. Even though they never equal breast milk, they perfectly cover the baby’s nutritional needs. Furthermore, the bottles and teats are more and more effective and meet their need for sucking.

As all babies do not have the same needs, there is a whole range of specific infant milks, adapted to the needs of each infant. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Depending on the age of your baby, they will need to be offered milks that are adapted to ensure optimal growth and development.

0-6 months old: Infant milks fully comply with the WHO (World Health Organization) recommendations on the marketing of infant formulas, mentioned in the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes, and refrain from any communication on 1st age milks to the general public. Ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice.

6-12 months old: 2nd age milks are enriched with essential fatty acids, iron, calcium and vitamins, necessary for proper development. They must remain the main food until the child is 1 year old (at least 500ml per day).

When your child is between 10 / 12 months and 3 years old, milk-based preparations are perfectly adapted to their needs because they are enriched with iron and essential fatty acids. Don’t forget that, by the age of 3, your little one will already be half their adult size! It takes energy to get there!

The right position for bottle-feeding

You need to find the position that is most comfortable for you.

Preferably choose a quiet place.

• Sit comfortably in a chair and support your back with a cushion. The arm holding your baby’s head should be placed on an armrest, or on cushions, so that you won’t get tired.
• Position your baby snugly against you, with their head nestled in the hollow of your arm and raised high enough to facilitate feeding and digestion.
• Unscrew the ring on the bottle so that some air can get into the teat and allow the milk to flow out.
• To encourage your baby to suck, gently caress their cheek and lips with the teat. They will then open their mouth as a reflex.
• The inclination of the bottle is important so that your baby really sucks the teat and does not simply chew it: a good inclination is indicated by the appearance of small bubbles in the bottle. The teat must always be full, or else your baby may swallow air, which could result in colic and frequent regurgitation.

Bottle-feeding should become a moment of intimacy and pleasure, as much as breastfeeding.

The number of bottle feeds

How often to feed?

Your baby should be fed on demand, both day and night. Babies express their hunger with short cries that become more and more powerful.

Bottle-feeding schedules can be flexible, with 5 to 7 meals at the beginning, and an interval of 3 to 4 hours between them. But keep in mind that feeding schedules may not be regular; it’s over the weeks that your baby will gradually adjust.

For reference purposes, your baby will consume the contents of approximately:

6 to 8 bottles the first 4 weeks

6 to 7 bottles from 1 to 2 months old

5 to 6 bottles from 2 to 4 months old

5 to 4 bottles from 4 to 6 months old

3 bottles from 6 to 8 months

2 bottles from 8 to 12 months

Our advice

If your baby has a good weight curve, then they know perfectly well what they need:

Don’t wake your baby up to bottle-feed them. If they are sleeping peacefully, it means that they are not hungry.

Similarly, your baby shouldn’t be forced to finish their bottle. If they stop drinking, they are no longer hungry.

IMPORTANT STATEMENT

Breastfeeding is the normal method of infant feeding, and is best for babies. It has benefits for the infant, such as reducing infection risk, and for the mother. It is important to have a healthy balanced diet in preparation for, and during breastfeeding. Infant formula is designed to replace breast milk when an infant is not breastfed. Breastfeeding can be negatively affected by introducing partial bottle-feeding, and reversing a decision not to breastfeed is difficult. Infant formula must be prepared and used as directed. Unnecessary or improper use of infant formula, such as not properly boiling water or sterilising feeding equipment, may make your baby ill. Social and financial implications, including preparation time and the cost of formula, should be considered when selecting a method of infant feeding.