Navigating the world of newborn bottle feeding can be both exciting and daunting. We’ve written this comprehensive guide to give new parents essential information and practical advice to ensure a smooth and enjoyable feeding experience.
From selecting the right bottles to mastering proper feeding techniques, we've got you covered.
What equipment do you need to bottle feed?
You'll need several baby bottles, nipples, a bottle brush, some sterilizing equipment, and perhaps a breast pump when you're getting ready to bottle feed.
Take a look at our baby feeding glossary to learn more about what you'll need to feed.
Knowing how often you plan to bottle feed can help you decide how many nipples and bottles you need.
If you're only going to use a bottle once a day or just occasionally, having two is a good idea. That way, if one is lost, damaged or needs to be cleaned and sterilized, you've got a backup.
But newborns can feed up to 12 times over 24 hours, so if you're solely bottle feeding a newborn, you should have around four to six bottles and nipples.
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How often should I check the nipples on my baby’s bottles?
You should change your nipples every two months or immediately if they're damaged, weak, or have been bitten.
Your baby will usually let you know when it's time to change the flow rate, or even if you've moved up too quickly.
Signs that it's time to move up a nipple flow rate include your baby:
- becoming impatient or aggravated when eating
- taking longer than 20 minutes to finish a feed
- falling asleep while feeding
- sucking hard and/or the teat collapsing in on itself
Signs that the flow rate of the teat you're using is too fast include your baby:
- gulping or hard swallowing
- coughing or gagging
- letting excess milk drip out of their mouth
- refusing to eat
How to sterilize bottles for feeding a newborn
It's recommended that anything that goes into a baby's mouth is sterilized for the first 12 months of their life.
Rinsing (to get rid of any milk residue), and then sterilizing your baby's bottles and feeding equipment thoroughly before each use is a must. It protects them from infections (especially while their immune system is still developing).
Not sterilizing can lead to stomach upsets like diarrhea.
The benefits of bottle feeding
Now that we've covered what you'll need to bottle feed, let's run through some of the benefits of bottle feeding.
Bonding time
Giving your baby a bottle might be one of the calmest parts of your day, so soak it up. Make sure that you can see your baby's face and reassure them by looking into their eyes.
Maintaining skin-to-skin contact releases the love hormone oxytocin. It's a great way to bond with your baby while improving their non-verbal communication skills.
Non-breastfeeding parents and other adults who hold and feed the baby can also experience and enjoy the feel-good nurturing hormones. According to UNICEF, skin-to-skin contact also:
- calms baby
- regulates their breathing and heart rate
- stimulates interest in feeding
- supports digestion
- helps regulate their temperature
- enables colonization of the baby's skin with the mother's friendly bacteria and protects against infection
A breastfeeding break
Bottle feeding gives non-breastfeeding parents, family, and friends the chance to get some quality one-on-one time with the baby.
Bottle feeding also means that the breastfeeding parent has some time to rest, pump, or recover if they're struggling with nipple soreness, clogged milk ducts or mastitis.
Monitoring how much milk your baby has had per feed
This is especially helpful if your baby needs to gain weight and you are monitoring their feeds.
Considerations when bottle feeding
- Bottle feeding can be more expensive than breastfeeding, especially if your baby requires a special type of formula.
- Formula doesn't provide the same kind of nutrients and antibodies that breast milk does.
- There's more feeding equipment to clean and sterilize.
- You need to be more prepared for feeds away from home.
- Some babies may have difficulty adjusting to bottle feeding and may experience digestive issues such as trapped wind, constipation, or diarrhea.
If you're bottle feeding, you'll either be giving your baby expressed breast milk or formula, or feeding using both (but not at the same time in the same bottle). This is sometimes called mixed or combination feeding.
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How to make up a bottle with breast milk
If you're going to give your baby breast milk in a sterile bottle, you'll need a breast pump (or to be able to express by hand), and some sterile pouches to store your expressed milk in the refrigerator or freezer.
How to make up a bottle with formula
When making a bottle of formula you should always carefully follow the preparation instructions. It's worth noting that too much water can dilute the formula, meaning your baby won't get the optimal amount of nutrition from their feed, and too much formula can lead to constipation and dehydration.
Only make up a formula feed when needed, and make one feed at a time, never in bulk.
Top tips for bottle feeding a baby
Here are some of our top tips to help you bottle feed your baby.
Check the temperature
If your baby likes a warm bottle, you can use an electric bottle warmer to heat their feed, then, use the inside of your wrist to test a few drops before you feed them. If it's a comfortable temperature (not too hot or cold), you're good to go.
While lots of babies like their feeds at body temperature (97–99°F), it's worth noting that not all babies need their milk to be warm. You can try them with cool milk first to see if they'll take it.
Get comfortable
When bottle fed lying down babies can sometimes take too much milk too quickly, so it's important to sit with them in a semi-upright position and support their head so they can swallow and breathe comfortably.
Remember, you should never leave your baby alone to feed with a propped-up bottle as they may choke on the milk.
Introduce the nipple gently
Try brushing your baby's lips with the bottle nipple. This helps to stimulate their gaping or mouth-opening reflex.
Once they've opened their mouth wide, you should let them draw in the nipple at their own pace, just like they would when breastfeeding.
Hold the bottle horizontally
Once the nipple is in your baby's mouth, keep the bottle tipped in a horizontal position so that the milk can flow steadily. Always tilt the bottle so the nipple is full of milk. You'll need to tip it higher as the bottle slowly drains.
This helps prevent them from ingesting air and means that they need to suck actively to get the milk (like they would when breastfeeding).
If you notice that the teat gets blocked and goes flat mid-feed, gently pull on the corner of your baby's mouth to release the latch and replace the old teat with a new sterile one.
Comfort your baby by talking and singing
Bottle feeds are a great time to bond with your baby, and talking and singing to them can be enjoyable and calming for you both.
Follow your baby's cues
Some babies want to feed more often than others, and your baby will let you know how much milk they need. It's best to feed your baby when they seem hungry. This is often called paced bottle feeding. Follow their lead and don't worry if they don't finish their full bottle.
Dispose of any milk your baby doesn't finish
Even though it may seem like a waste, you should discard any unused milk that's left over after a bottle feed. This is because bacteria can get into the milk while your baby is feeding, and if left, this could make them unwell.
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How to get a breastfed baby to take a bottle?
Parents of breastfed babies often choose to introduce a bottle alongside or to replace direct breastfeeding. It's a very personal choice and one that should be guided by what's best for both a parent and their baby.
If you've previously been breastfeeding your baby and want to introduce a bottle into your feeding routine, it can help to give your baby time to adjust and get familiar with the feel of the bottle and the nipple.
Take your time and be patient, because transitioning too fast could make your baby refuse the bottle.
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Is bottle feeding ok for newborns?
The decision to bottle feed or breastfeed is a very personal choice, and no two feeding journeys are the same.
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, but babies can be bottle fed from birth if they're unable to breastfeed or you choose not to for whatever reason.
Whichever feeding method you choose, your decision should be made in consultation with your healthcare provider.
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Can you overfeed a newborn?
Although rare and can easily prevented, it is possible to overfeed a bottle-fed baby. You can find out more in our dedicated guide on overfeeding a baby.
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Why is my newborn still hungry after feeding?
If your newborn is still hungry after feeding they may not be getting enough milk during each feed, or they may be cluster feeding.
It's also possible that they have a medical issue that's affecting their appetite. It's always a good idea to seek medical advice if you have any concerns about your baby's feeding habits.
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How do I wind my baby after bottle feeding?
Sometimes babies take in air bubbles as they feed which get trapped, cause discomfort, and can develop into colic.
Burping your baby can help to relieve their discomfort.
Give the following winding techniques a go:
- Over your shoulder: With their chin on your shoulder, support their head and shoulder area with one hand, and gently rub or pat their back with the other.
- Sitting on your lap: Sit your baby on your lap facing away from you. Place the palm of your hand flat against their chest and support their chin and jaw (don't put any pressure on the throat area). Lean them forward slightly and gently rub or pat their back with your other hand.
- Lying across your lap: Lie your baby face-down across your lap. Support their chin (don't put any pressure on the throat area) and use your other hand to gently rub or pat their back.
If the above techniques don't work and they still show signs of trapped wind - crying, arching their back, drawing their legs into their tummy, or clenching their fists - you can lie them on their back and gently massage their tummy or move their legs in a bicycle motion.
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Are Tommee Tippee baby bottles suitable for newborns?
Yes, Tommee Tippee bottles come with slow flow teats and are suitable for newborn babies.
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How often should I bottle feed my newborn?
Every baby is different, and so the frequency of the feeds they need varies from one baby to the next. But generally, it's recommended that newborns feed little and often and that parents should look for their baby's hunger cues and try to feed them before they start crying.
A baby’s early hunger cues can include:
- sucking their hands or fingers
- moving their eyes around
- rooting around or looking for the teat of the bottle
- wriggling and becoming restless
- opening and closing their mouth.
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How do I know when my baby has had enough milk?
Watch them carefully and look out for cues that signal that they may be feeling full or uncomfortable. These include:
- splaying their fingers and toes
- wrinkling their forehead
- spilling milk out of their mouth
- turning their head away
- pushing the bottle away.
If they need a break, just gently remove the teat, and bring the bottle down to cut off the flow until they ask for more milk. If they don't ask for more, they've probably had enough for now.
Overfeeding can cause distress and trying to bottle feed a crying baby means they could potentially choke. So try not to make the mistake of assuming that your baby is hungry every time they cry.
Other reasons your baby might be crying can include:
- needing to be burped
- needing their diaper changed
- being tired or generally irritable
- needing comfort and cuddles.
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