How to Bottle Feed a Baby: Tips & Techniques

Paced bottle feeding is a feeding method that mimics the natural rhythm and flow of breastfeeding. It involves holding your baby's bottle horizontally so they can control the pace of their feed. Paced feeding can help to prevent overfeeding and lets your baby take a break whenever needed.    

Positives 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.  

Eye and skin-to-skin contact for both parents  

Bottle time might be the calmest part of your day with your baby, 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 colonisation of the baby's skin with the mother's friendly bacteria and protects against infection  

It gives breastfeeding parents a 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.  

You can see exactly how much milk your baby has had per feed  

This is especially beneficial if your baby needs to gain weight and you're monitoring their feeds. 

What are the disadvantages of bottle feeding?  

• Bottle feeding can be more expensive than breastfeeding, especially if the 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 sterilise.  
• 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 diarrhoea. 

Advice for bottle feeding a breastfed baby  

There are a few reasons why parents of breastfed babies 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 parent and 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 teat.  

It's best to take your time and be patient because taking things too fast can lead to your baby refusing their bottle altogether. 

1. NCT's infant feeding support line offers free advice and information from trained counsellors. They also have a YouTube channel with bottle feeding advice videos.
2. UNICEF offer a simple, concise overview of how to bottle feed responsively. They also provide advice on choosing infant formula.

Let's run through some helpful tips to keep in mind when you’re bottle feeding.  

Six is the magic number  

If your baby isn't taking to their bottle right away, it can be tempting to keep buying and trying until you find one they accept, but six tries of the same bottle are likely to be as successful as trying six different bottles.   

Don't be disheartened and try to persevere with the bottle you think is closest to a breast in shape and movement. Tommee Tippee bottle teats are made from soft silicone and have a special breast-like shape that encourages a natural latch.   

Always check the temperature of the milk  

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 (36.5–37.5°C), 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.   

Make sure you're both sitting comfortably  

Babies who're bottle-fed lying down can take too much milk too quickly, so it's important to sit with them close to you in a semi-upright position. Supporting your baby’s head while they feed is important, and means that 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.  

Gently introduce the teat  

Brushing your baby's lips with the bottle teat stimulates their gaping or mouth-opening reflex. Once they've opened their mouth wide, you should let them draw in the teat at their own pace, just like they would when breastfeeding.   

Hold the bottle horizontally  

Once the teat is in your baby's mouth, keep the bottle tipped in a horizontal position so that the milk can flow steadily. This helps prevent them from ingesting air and means that they need to suck actively to get the milk (like they would when breastfeeding).  

Always tilt the bottle so the teat is full of milk. You'll need to tip it higher as the bottle slowly drains.  

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.  

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. Follow their lead and don't worry if they don't finish their full bottle. This is often called paced bottle feeding.  

Talk and sing to your baby  

Talking and singing to your baby while bottle feeding is calming for you both, and can help create a really powerful emotional bond with them, even from a young age.  

Always discard unused milk  

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.