If you've opted for mixed or formula feeding to feed your baby, then you're going to need some tips to navigate the changing waters of the bottle world . One of the most important skills you will have to acquire is knowing how to prepare a bottle for a newborn so as not to waste a single drop of milk and so that both you and your baby can fully enjoy the experience of feeding the baby.
What to Look for in A Bottle?
Let's start at the beginning: What characteristics should a baby bottle have? There are many types of bottles that you can choose from, but some of the most basic characteristics that your little one's bottle must meet are:
– Make it practical and functional. The different parts of the bottle should allow you to use it comfortably and easily and, of course, function correctly.
– That it is appropriate for the child's age. The best bottles for babies are designed to suit their age, the size of their mouth, and the strength of their hands.
– Make it as smooth as possible, so that it does not have difficult spots where traces of milk may remain uncleaned.
– Use a glass or plastic bottle, resistant to high temperatures and unbreakable.
Prepare your bottle, step by step
Let's learn how to make a bottle step by step. This is very important not only to ensure that your baby receives all the necessary nutrients, but also to optimize the quantities you use and not waste any bottles and to ensure that you do not give your little one anything that could be harmful.
If you opt for delayed breastfeeding, then it will not be necessary to prepare formula milk because the baby will drink the breast milk that the mother has previously expressed with a breast pump . But if you resort to artificial milk, you should not worry. Preparing a bottle of formula for your little one is not difficult at all. The important thing is to respect some rules and get a little practice at making bottles.
Let's see how to prepare a bottle step by step:
– When the bottle is sterilized, hold its base with your hands. If it is still very hot, use an appropriate clamp. To begin, pour the necessary amount of water into the bottle. Water for bottles can be bottled or tap water, but tap water should be boiled first.
– Next, add the exact number of measures of powdered milk indicated on the package, depending on the water. This may vary slightly from manufacturer to manufacturer and you will need to take into account your baby's age to know the approximate bottle quantities they are capable of taking.
– Level the edge of the spoon with a squeegee or knife to remove any excess milk powder. Always respect the recommended proportion between powder and water. If you add too much powdered milk to the bottle, the formula milk obtained will be very concentrated and will contain an excessive amount of proteins, fats and minerals. As a result, may get thirstier and cry for a drink.
– Dissolve the powdered milk in the water and shake the bottle, but how do you shake a bottle? You have to shake the bottle carefully, avoiding shaking it too harshly, as this would produce foam in the formula. If you are wondering why formula milk foams, it is very simple. When you shake the bottle with formula milk vigorously, the powders and water mix with the air, generating this foam in the formula milk, which can cause colic.
– Before giving the baby a bottle, check the temperature of the milk by putting a few drops on the back of your hand.
That's it. In these five simple steps, the bottle is ready for you to offer to your baby.
How should you give the bottle?
When the mother is finishing the third trimester of pregnancy, she will surely have expert people at her disposal who will explain the best ways to breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby. However, we are going to give you some basic advice :
– You have to support the baby's head with one of your arms (depending on whether you are right- or left-handed). With the other hand, hold the bottle and to stimulate the sucking reflex, gently rub the baby's cheek with a finger or the nipple . The little one will open their mouth, searching, at which point the teat should be brought to their lips so that they can start eating.
– The person who gives the bottle should sit with their back straight , feel comfortable, and place the child in a position where they feel comfortable, so that they rest on the body and one arm of the person who feeds them. .
– Alternatively, the person giving the bottle can sit in a chair, with their feet on a stool or on the bed, with their back against the backrest. The baby should be held so that their head rests on the bent knees of the person giving them the bottle, with their feet resting on the adult's stomach. You should put one hand around their head and hold the bottle with the other.
– While the baby sucks, talk to them affectionately to give them ease, if they are tense, and stimulate them, if they are lazy.
What are the basic hygiene rules?
Hygiene is essential when giving a bottle to a baby. Therefore, knowing how to clean bottles and nipples is crucial. We suggest remaining viligent, and on top of changing the nipple as well. In addition, always wash your hands very well before and after making bottles.
Until the baby's third month, it is necessary to sterilize bottles, teats, pacifiers, spoons, plastic toys and, in general, everything that the baby puts in their mouth, since before that age their immune defenses are not fully developed. and could contract intestinal infections.
If you don't know how to use a bottle sterilizer, don't worry because it is very simple.
There are two sterilization methods : heat or cold water.
To sterilize by heat you can use boiling or steam. Boiling consists of placing the objects to be sterilized in the sterilizer basket, submerging them completely in water, boiling the water for 15-20 minutes and keeping the objects in the pot with the lid on until ready to use them.
For its part, steam sterilization requires an electric sterilizer to transform water into steam, place the objects in a basket and pour the water into the container. Then close the lid of the container tightly and operate the device. After 15 minutes, the steam coming out will indicate that sterilization has occurred.
You can also sterilize bottles, pacifiers, and nipples with a microwave sterilizer . You only need a special microwave-safe container with a lid, in which the bottles and teats will be placed with a little water, and it will be heated for 4-8 minutes. This type of sterilization lasts 3 hours.
We hope that these tips have been useful to you and that you now have a little more clarity on how to make a delicious and nutritious bottle for your baby. Remember that on our website we have a wide range of high-quality bottles for your baby, such as the Zero Zero Newborn Starter Set or the Bonhomia Glass Bottle 3 Pack.