Bottle Feeding

The right baby bottle can be a new parent's best friend.  Pacifying a cranky baby with wholesome nutrition is a great feeling.  Before you settle in to feed your baby his or her first bottle, read on to master the fine art of bottle feeding.  Once you're done with this page, check out the National Network for Childcare's instructions.

The Bottle

Whether you are feeding your baby breast milk (obtained with a breast pump) or infant formula,  you're going to need baby bottles.  Here are a few things you should know about these simple containers:

• Bottles are typically capable of holding between 150 and 270 ml. (4-12 oz) of fluid.
• Babies under 6 months should have sterilized bottles.
• A good bottle should be able to tighten easily, and not leak!
• Plastic,  glass,  with liner,  without liner,  and color are all a matter of personal preference. Give your baby a couple of options and use whichever one works best.

Nipples

Nipples come in a variety of materials. Rubber  and latex  nipples are soft and flexible, but babies can develop allergies to these. Plus, latex nipples generally do not last as long. Silicone  nipples are firm and often dishwasher-safe. There are also orthodontic  nipples that are designed to prevent tooth and jaw problems. Buy a variety of nipples to determine which your child prefers. Nipples come in a variety of flow rates that should be selected according to the infant's age. If the flow is too fast, babies will get gas. Switching to a slower flow rate should fix this problem. When experiencing feeding problems, check to make sure the nipple opening isn't blocked, thus preventing your baby from getting food. "Nipple confusion" sometimes occurs when the baby is being switched back and forth between bottle and breast. Nipples that mimic the shape of the breast help eliminate this.

Formula

While you probably know that breastfeeding is best for your baby (to read more on this topic visit the CDC's website), you may choose to use formula for supplemental or personal reasons. This is a perfectly acceptable choice, as baby formula is highly regulated by the FDA to ensure it's safe and nutritious. Here are the four kinds of baby formula  available on the market today.

Types of Baby Formula
Powder Baby Formula	Liquid Concentrate Baby Formula	Ready-to-use Baby Formula	Organic Baby Formula
The most popular kind. The least expensive. Since this kind is not sterile, it should be fed to healthy babies only. Not suitable for premature infants or babies with immune problems.	Mixed with water before feeding. Easier to prepare than powdered formula. Takes up less space than Ready-to-use formula.	Most convenient -- no mixing or measuring required. Most expensive. Short lifespan.	Certified USDA organic. Cows only fed organic grains and grasses. May be more costly and difficult to find. Available in both milk and soy versions.

Milk-Based Vs. Soy-Based

When choosing between the milk-based and the soy-based formulas, you should know that milk-based  is most recommended by doctors because it most closely resembles the nutritious content in breast milk. Keep in mind, that the milk has been modified to provide more vitamins and minerals and to make the digestion process easier. You should not feed other milk products to your baby until he or she has reached one year of age or your health care provider has given you the green light.

If you suspect that your baby is allergic to cow's milk, soy milk  may be an acceptable alternative. Like the milk-based formula, the soy content has been modified for better nutrition and easier digestion. Consult your doctor before using the soy formula, as your baby may well be allergic to this variety as well.

For babies with severe allergies and digestion problems, hydrolysate formulas  are available. This semi-hypoallergenic variety contains proteins that have been broken down to make digestion easier for babies who struggle with the milk-based or soy formula.

Top Formula Brands Bright Beginnings  Enfamil  Similac  Mead Johnson  Carnation

Top Bottle Brands Avent  Dr. Brown  Evenflo  Gerber  The First Years  Playtex  Similac

Other items:

• You will definitely need a bottle brush  to clean your bottles and nipples.

• You may want to purchase a steam sterilizer  if you don't picture yourself cleaning and scrubbing bottles all day long.

• Dishwasher baskets  are a great invention for gathering up all the nipples and bottle lids and preventing them from ending up at the bottom of the dishwasher.

• Many parents swear by bottle warmers.   These are not a necessity, but they do serve a function of bring baby's bottle to the just-right temperature.  Stove warming can be hit or miss.

• Small coolers  or insultated bags are often useful for toting baby's meal.

Additional Links

• About.com -- Articles and resources on formula.
• Baby Bottle -- Safety information about bottles.
• Baby Milk Action -- An activist site commited to stopping the perceived threat that formula habits are wreaking on the developing nations of the world.
• Epinions -- A good guide to which formulas to choose for all sorts of infant health situations.
• FamilyDoctor.org -- When to switch formulas (less often than you'd think) and how to prepare and serve them.
• ReadySteadyBaby -- A guide to bottle feeding.
• Slate -- The pros and cons of breast and formula feeding.
• Wikipedia -- Baby bottle article.
• Wikipedia -- Introduction to baby formula.

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