Advice: Formula Bottle-Feeding

Equipment for Formula Bottle Feeding

1. Bottle - Clear measurements, Wide neck so its easy to clean
2. Teats - Choose the one that is similar to the breast specially if you have transitioned from breast feeding to bottle feeding
3. Thermos - To keep warm water specially if you will be outdoors. Giving boiled cool water is a must. 
4. Steriliser - Cleaning bottles and teat thoroughly to avoid bacteria
5. Powder Container - To store formula for night feeding or if you are outdoor
6. Bottle cleanser- Gentle and anti-bac to clean equipment efficiently

Top 10 tips for Formula Bottle Feeding

1. Read cues to know when baby is hungry to avoid fussing. Try keeping a schedule of every 3-4 hours by noting down every feed so that you will know the pattern of your baby's feeding habits.
2. Babies might pause for a nap and feed again. If this happens, encourage him to finish his milk by undressing him a little, tickling his feet or chin, burping him or changing his diaper. 
3. Keep the teat full of milk so baby wouldn't swallow air. this can lead to stomach problems specially if babies is colic.
4. Having a 1 hour rule of finishing the milk is best to keep bacteria away. Throw unused milk after each feed or it had reach an hour to avoid giving your baby spoiled milk
5. Go with the flow! Start by following the instructions written at the back of the formula can. However, babies differ in how often they want to feed or how much milk they want to take. Do not force them to finish their milk if they reject it.
6. Burping your baby in the middle of the feed might be necessary but most importantly, burp your baby after each feed to avoid reflux.
7. Is your baby constipated? Add an ounce of water to your baby's feed if your baby is constipated. It might help reduce heatiness.
8. The consistency of your baby's poop is more important than color or smell. It must be something like peanut butter. Talk to your GP if poop is different than normal
9. For the first month, try different teats or bottles to see which is most suitable for your baby.
10. To know whether the teat works for your baby, feeding usually takes no longer than 15 minutes if fed continuously without stopping. If it takes longer, try changing the teats because it might not be suitable for your baby. Most importantly, your baby must be gaining weight.

Do you formula feed? What other advices can you share with me? Let me know!