How to Bottle Feed a Baby

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Learning the proper techniques will help ensure that you and your baby can enjoy feeding times.

Warning
These instructions cannot replace a physician’s advice. Consult your pediatrician if you have concerns about feeding or your infant’s health.

Step 1: Sterilize bottle
Sterilize the bottle, the nipple, and ring by placing them in a pot of boiling water for five minutes or running them through a full dishwasher cycle. Wait for the parts to cool before using them.

Step 2: Fill the bottle
Mix the formula according to container directions and pour it into the bottle or fill the bottle with three to four ounces of expressed breast milk.

Step 3: Warm the milk
Warm the milk by placing the bottle in a bowl and running hot tap water over it.

Tip
Some babies like room-temperature or chilled milk.

Warning
Never warm the bottle in the microwave -- it can create dangerously hot pockets of milk.

Step 4: Check the temperature
Shake a few drops of milk onto the inside of your arm to check the temperature.

Step 5: Position your baby
Sit in a comfortable chair and hold the baby upright in your lap with their head supported in the crook of your arm.

Tip
Use a pillow under your arm to help support the baby’s head more comfortably.

Step 6: Insert the nipple
Insert the nipple into the baby's mouth holding the bottle at a 45-degree angle.

Tip
Make sure the nipple is already filled with milk before offering it to the baby. A half-filled nipple can make the baby swallow air, which causes gas.

Step 7: Enjoy feeding time
Enjoy feeding time with your children by making eye contact and talking to them as they drink their fill.

Step 8: Burp the baby
Place a burp cloth over your shoulder, lift your baby’s head to your shoulder, and pat and rub its back gently to bring up a burp.

Did You Know?
Newborns can sleep from 15 to 20 hours a day in the first month.