Feed by bottle

In addition to being able to breastfeed directly from the breast, it is also possible to express your milk and offer it by bottle. Some women choose to express full-time and give all feedings by bottle. Reasons for this could be: baby has been admitted to hospital, you do not like to feed your baby directly at the breast, sensitive breasts when latching, or an unpleasant breastfeeding experience in your history.

You can offer the bottle in the same way then as you would offer a breast:

TIPS FOR BOTTLE FEEDING

• You feed on demand. That means you learn to interpret the hunger signals your baby is giving. If he starts sucking on his hands or makes smacking noises, that's a sign of appetite. In the beginning, he will want to eat about every 3-4 hours. Some babies have not satisfied their sucking needs after a feeding and continue to search. This doesn't mean they haven't had enough! A pacifier is a good solution.
• On the bottle, use the teat with the smallest hole and a standard wide teat shape. The teat should be as long as possible (length 2.5-3cm). If you use the teat with the smallest hole, the milk will not come out by itself. Then your child can better decide for himself how quickly he/she wants to drink, without the mouth immediately filling up with milk.
• When feeding, take your baby upright on your lap, close to you with a lot of skin contact. Swallowing is easier for the baby when you sit up straight.
• Offer the bottle teat just as you would offer the breast. Move the tip of the teat over the upper lip and the skin above the upper lip. You can alternate this with stroking the cheek with the teat towards the mouth of your child. When your child opens his/her mouth, provoke the nipping at the teat by pulling the teat back slightly so that your child must reach for the bottle. Then offer the teat and your child will take a big bite and start drinking right away.
• Make sure that the teat of the bottle remains filled with milk while your baby is drinking so that no air gets in. Keep the bottle as horizontal as possible, this will disable gravity. This means that your baby must suck and massage more to get the milk out of the bottle. In this way you can ensure that your baby's suction needs are met.
• When your child takes a drinking break, pull back the teat with the bottle. You can withdraw the bottle completely or partially. See what works best for you. A drinking break is normal. After that, your child will continue to drink, or he/she is ready. Both are good. You do not have to force your child to empty the bottle. Your baby’s drinking needs can vary from day to day.
• Watch for signs of stress or discomfort in your child: spread fingers and/or toes, milk that runs off the corners of the mouth, a worried look of your baby, your baby turning its head or pushing the bottle away, gulping the milk in, or panting or a screeching breath. These could be signs that feeding is going too fast. Then take a drinking break to let your baby recover and adjust your feeding method. You can ask for help from your midwife, a lactation consultant, or the health clinic.
• Giving a 100 ml bottle takes an average of 20-25 minutes. Every baby is different, so your baby may act differently. If it takes very long or short, see if another teat (for example, 3-position teat) helps.