Need for bottle feeding arise for infant depend on mother. Working mother needs to bottle feed her baby earlier than non-working mother. There are various reasons that mother needs to bottle feed her baby earlier. Many women breast-feed their baby for more than one year. It depends on availability of mother and also milk production of mother. With breast feeding many women give bottle feeding to their baby. It is good practice to make your baby habituated with bottle feeding after six months. This is because once infant get familiar with difference between mother’s milk and formula feeding, they refuse to accept bottle feeding. In such case it is very difficult for mother to go outside for any work and need to more attentive towards her infant’s need.

Habituate your baby with Bottle Feeding

Remember, it is always advisable that mother’s milk is the best than any other feeding. It is advisable to breast feed baby minimum for six months. You can breast feed your baby as long as you can, better if you can provide for one year. You can give bottle feed as supplement with breast feeding.

• When your baby is habituated with mother’s milk, initially they don’t accept formula feeding.
• Initially you can collect breast milk and fill it in bottle. Thus, your baby finds same taste and gets habituated with bottle feeding gradually. It is good for your baby and for mother as well. If mother needs to go outside for some reason or for job she can store her breast milk in clean container and whenever your baby get hungry, her care-taker or anyone else can give mother’s milk in bottle.
• It is advisable to start bottle feeding before they understand difference between mother’s milk and bottle feeding.
• Initially give bottle while your baby is sleeping. During sleeping time your baby is less conscious about taste of milk.
• Do not stop breast feeding your baby at once. In the beginning give breast feeding twice or thrice in a day as per your convenience and give bottle feeding as supplements during day time.
• Once your baby accepts formula feeding, you can breast feed your baby once in a day and then gradually start only bottle feed your baby.
• Give bottle feed to your baby only when she/he really gets hungry other than providing as per your schedule.

To bottle feed your baby, first seat comfortably and hold baby on your lap. Give support to baby’s head from your left arm. Don’t keep your baby in sleeping position, you need to keep baby’s head level up from his stomach. It will help your baby to suck bottle easily. Keep some soft support below head like baby pillow if you feel uncomfortable to hold your baby.
 

If your infant is less than six months old, you need to take more care for her bottle feeding especially her head position. Remember never feed your baby in sleeping position.
 

Mother can build strong bonding with her baby by sparing time for bottle feeding. Talk with your baby softly to keep her happy. It will make strong bonding between mother and baby. Do not get hurry while your baby is feeding. Mother need to keep patience during her baby’s feeding time.

Basic Tips for Bottle Feeding

• Buy good quality bottle and nipple for your baby.
• Clean bottle in boiled water.
• Remove nipple and top of bottle and keep bottle, nipple and top in boiled water for few minutes. Sterilize the bottle is very essential to protect your baby from bacterial infection. 
• Keep good stock of bottle if you only bottle feed your baby. Don’t keep single bottle to feed your baby.
• Keep whole of nipple such that your baby can suck it easily. Do not keep it very small otherwise your baby will not get any satisfaction in bottle feeding and she may refuse to feed it. You also need to check that whole is not very large otherwise your baby need to suck fast and she might vomit if she cannot swallow properly.
• Change nipple if you find any leakage or found yellow layer around it. You should also clean nipple properly. Clean hole of nipple and check that milk can easily come out from it.
• Never give cold milk to your baby. Give warm milk to your baby. Check that milk is not very hot or cold. Take some drop in your hand and once you find that it is lukewarm, give it to your baby. Do not heat milk in microwave oven as it creates hot spot in milk.
• Do not reuse leftover milk from bottle. Do not keep milk in bottle. Once your baby finished drinking, make it empty immediately and clean it properly. Use baby brush to clean bottle properly.
• When you give formula-feed to your baby check manufacturing and expiry date before purchasing. Take advice of your baby’s pediatrician before giving her any formula feeding. Always prefer branded baby formula powder for your baby.
• Give attention to your baby while bottle feeding. Some times mother gives bottle to baby and sleep in the night. Baby do not understand that milk is finished or not and she continues to suck the bottle. It may affect your baby’s health as baby suck only air after finishing milk.
• When you give milk or formula powder, keep proper measurement for preparing formula feed. You can keep same scoop for preparing bottle feeding every time. Give it according to prescribed by your doctor or as per instructed on tin of formula powder. You should also care your baby to prevent her from constipation. Often infant gets gas or constipation problems due to milk. Use cow’s milk for infant as cow’s milk is the best after mother’s milk.

You can make your baby habituated with bottle feeding once you understand her feeding time. You can keep bottle ready once you acquainted with her timing and give to her immediately before she cries. Your tender care and love enhance strong bonding between mother and baby. Bottle feeding is the best medium to increase bonding with your baby.