Tender Mother
Bottle Feeding
Temperature of the Bottle
Before you feed your baby you will need to have the bottle of breast milk or formula at the temperature your baby prefers. This can even be room temperature. It is important that you do not microwave bottles, no matter what is in them, as this will cause hot spots that can burn your baby, even though you may have tested the liquid.
You will need to use either a store bought bottle warmer for your car or home or use the old fashioned, but super effective water method. To use the water method simply take a large cup or bowl and run hot tap water into it. Place the bottle into the water and reduce the flow of water to a trickle so that the bottle is quickly brought to a comfortable temperature.
Before you feed the baby any fluid that has been warmed, check the fluid by placing some on your forearm.
Hold the baby on your lap with their head in the crook of your arm. Hold your baby at a slightly upright position to eat. Be sure to switch sides, as you would with breastfeeding to provide them with adequate stimulation of both sides of their brain.
To stay comfortable, you may wish to use a pillow or two to help you hold your arm up. This will help prevent you from having a stiff neck or sore upper back while feeding your baby.
Never prop your baby's bottle. You should also never prop a bottle. Not even for a minute. This can cause the baby to choke. This is a very serious and life threatening thing.
Propping a bottle also deprives them of the physical contact they crave. Feeding your baby should be a pleasant sensation for both you and baby. It is not simply a matter for getting as much food in your baby as quickly as possible.