*Purchase between 1/1/19 and 31/3/19. Claim by 7/4/19. Retain receipt(s). One claim per pack purchased. Capped at one free lesson per venue, per child. Full Terms and Conditions apply.
The term formula feeding means giving your baby formula milk in a bottle. Formula milk is based on cow’s milk that’s been processed to make it more easily digested by a new baby. It’s for babies who don’t get breast milk, or in addition to breast milk. No matter how persistent some women are with attempting to fully breastfeed their baby, they find for one reason or another, that it is better for themselves and their baby to change to bottle-feeding. This can be a difficult decision for some mothers to make, especially if they had their heart set on breastfeeding their new baby.
Seek some guidance from your local Health Nurse. If you are trying to establish breastfeeding, it has been suggested that the early use of bottles and dummies can interfere with the establishment. It can reduce both the infants sucking capacity and stimulation of the breasts. This may result in delayed and poor establishment of lactation.
You may bottle-feed from the start, or find you make the change from breast-feeding later on.
If you plan to fully bottle-feed you’ll need:
For an occasional bottle only, one or two bottles and teats will be fine. You may not need to buy all the sterilising equipment.
Make up your baby’s feeds according to the instructions on the pack. The main points you need to remember are:
Important: Heating bottles of formula in a microwave oven is NOT recommended. The heat can be uneven, leading to scalding hot spots in the bottle.
Note: test the formula by shaking a drop or two onto your wrist or the back of your hand. It should feel more or less the same temperature as your skin.
If you need to switch to bottle feeding, do it gradually unless you’re changing over in the first few days. A sudden changeover can mean an uncomfortable build-up of milk in the breasts, which could lead to problems like mastitis. If you think you are developing mastitis contact your doctor immediately. Early treatment is essential.
For more information see Baby Care.