Bottle feeding your child

What you need for formula feeding.
A number of bottles and teats
Sterilising equipment.
Bottle/teat brush
Formula powder/sterile ready-to-feed liquid formula

Sterilizing your equipment
Make sure to wash your hands!
Clean the feeding bottle and teat in hot, soapy water as soon as possible after a feed, using a clean bottle brush.
Rinse all your equipment in clean, cold running water before sterilising
Follow the manufacter’s instructions on how to safely use your sterilizer.

Making a formula feed
1. Fill the kettle with at least 1 litre of fresh tap water from the cold tap (don’t use water that has been boiled before).
2. Boil the water. Then leave the water to cool in the kettle for no more than 30 minutes so that it remains at a temperature of at least 70°C.
3. Clean and disinfect the surface you are going to use.
4. WASH YOUR HANDS.

5. If you are using a cold-water steriliser, shake off any excess solution from the bottle and the teat, or rinse the bottle with cooled boiled water from
6. Stand the bottle on a clean surface.
7. Keep the teat and cap on the upturned lid of the steriliser. Avoid putting them on the work surface.
8. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and pour the correct amount of water into the bottle. Double check that the water level is correct.
9. Loosely fill the scoop with formula – according to the manufacturer’s instructions – and level it off using either the flat edge of a clean, dry knife or the leveller provided.
10. Holding the edge of the teat put it on the bottle. Then screw the retaining ring onto the bottle.
11. Cover the teat with the cap and shake the bottle until the powder is dissolved.

12. It is important to cool the formula so it is not too hot to drink. Do this by holding the bottom half of the bottle under cold running water. Move the bottle about under the tap to ensure even cooling. Make sure that the water does not touch the cap covering the teat.
13. Test the temperature of the infant formula on the inside of your wrist before giving it to your baby. It should be body temperature, which means it should feel warm or cool, but not hot.
14. if there is any made-up infant formula left after a feed, throw it away

Ready-to-feed liquid infant formula should be prepared and stored according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Remember that all feeding equipment will still need to be sterilised if you are using ready-to-feed liquid formula.

If made-up formula is stored in a fridge: use within 2 hours.
If made-up formula is stored in a cool bag with an ice pack: use within four hours.
If made-up formula is stored at room temperature: use within two hours.

When feeding, keep the teat full of milk, otherwise your baby will take in air.
Hold your baby fairly upright for feeds, with their head supported so that they can breathe and swallow comfortably.

Your baby may need short breaks during the feed and may need to burp sometimes. When your baby does not want any more feed, hold them upright and gently rub or pat their back to bring up any wind. This may be a very small amount.

Babies differ in how often they want to feed and how much milk they want to take. Feed your baby when they’re hungry, and don’t try to force them to finish a bottle. Don’t forget to throw away any unused formula or breast milk after the feed.

Never leave a baby alone to feed with a propped-up bottle as they may choke on the milk.
If you want support or further information on bottle feeding, talk to your midwife, health visitor or other mothers with experience of bottle feeding.




We hope you have found this evening informative. *Mums World* believe that every mother should feed their baby in the way they feel most comfortable, be that breast feeding or formula feeding or indeed a mix of the two.

Information was collected from http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby & https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/start4life-updated-guide-to-bottle-feeding
Feedback is ALWAYS appreciated on topics held.
PP’s will resume shortly.
Becks, Dani, Joanna & Nic.