Bottle Feeding Tips for a Breastfed Baby
Giving a bottle to a breastfed baby:
Hold baby sitting upright on your lap, as straight as possible.
Gently rest the side of the nipple against baby’s chin and upper lip, so it's pointing up his nose, until baby opens wide like a yawn -- use his reflexes to help you.
Aim the nipple toward the roof of baby's mouth, not toward his throat. Allow baby to grasp around wide base of the nipple, not just the stem of the nipple.
Hold the bottle so that the level of milk does not rise above baby’s upper lip, so baby sucks the milk out of the bottle the same way he sucks the milk out of the breast.
Be sure that baby can breathe between swallows. If baby takes several swallows without taking a breath, tip the bottom of the bottle down so milk returns to the bottle, and let baby suck on the empty nipple for 10-30 seconds or more. He's not swallowing the air he's sucking, that goes out his nose.
Drinking a bottle of milk should take as long as breastfeeding: about 5-10 minutes per ounce, at least 20-25 minutes for a full feeding.
Baby’s stomach is as big as baby’s fist. Most babies take 1-3 stomachs full of milk at a feeding.
Some feedings may be larger than usual and some may be smaller, just like your meals.
Human milk intake between 2 weeks and 6 months is about 21 – 28 ounces per day.
Use a little less milk in the bottle than you think baby will need and add more if baby requests.
What normal human milk looks like:
May look “thinner” than formula or cow’s milk.
May have a white, yellow, blue, brown, or even green tint, depending on mom’s diet.
Will separate in a bottle or bag, to make a thin layer of fat. Swirl gently to mix (don’t shake or stir).
General milk storage guidelines:
Milk storage guidelines are very conservative and assume the worst living conditions! Don't throw out breast milk unless you're sure that it is no longer viable. If spoiled, milk will smell sour. If you’re not sure if milk is good, sniff it and/or taste it -- there will be no question if it's sour!
These guidelines are for healthy, term infants; the schedule is more rigid for premature or ill babies.
Freeze milk within 24 hours of pumping, whenever possible.
Store milk in the back of the refrigerator or freezer, to maintain temperature.
Use the oldest milk first.
Milk frozen longer than recommended times is still safe, but not as high quality as fresher milk...like that freezer-burned chicken I served for dinner last night.
Defrost or warm milk quickly; do not leave it on the counter to defrost.
Human milk can be warmed under running water, or use a bottle warmer.
Never use a microwave or stovetop to warm breastmilk, as it destroys antibodies.
Visit this site for recommended bottle nipples that support breastfeeding.
Final thoughts for caregiver:
Please call before giving baby anything to eat or drink other than what mom has provided.
Please let parents know if milk supplies are running short.
If mom is expected soon, try to rock baby or give a small snack so baby will feed when mom arrives.
Breast milk stool normally:
Are soft, like applesauce
Smell milder than formula stool, more like buttermilk
Can be any color from brown to yellow to orange
If baby has diarrhea, stools will be very large and very smelly. Baby may look/act sick or run a fever. Call a parent if you are concerned.
