MICA HEALTH
....Home of The School of Antenatal....
Size of Babys Stomach
A parent understanding the size of a baby's stomach helps with peace of mind. Its peace of mind that baby is getting enough to eat
Bottlefeeding
Bottle feeding is an option for those who are struggling to feed baby via the breast.
Things for mothers to think about is..
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Costs
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Convenience
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Many mothers struggle to continue breastfeeding, often due to a lack of consistent breastfeeding support. Also, breastfeeding is viewed by many as largely unnecessary because formula milk is seen as a close second best.
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Advertising of breastmilk substitutes (any food or drink that replaces breastmilk) is inadequately regulated, misleading parents and presenting formula feeding as the norm.
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In addition, breastfeeding is a highly emotive subject because so many families have not breastfed, or have experienced the trauma of trying very hard to breastfeed and not succeeding.
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More information about Breastfeeding can be found on MICA - The MasterClass in Childbirth App
Tips for Bottle Feeding
Positioning
Cradle her head in your arm
Support the head in a semi-upright position
Hold the bottle at an angle making sure no air is sucked in
Quantity: During the first week or so your infant will drink about 1 oz every few hours
2 to 4 oz for the next few weeks after that
Demand feeding
Demand feeding: It's recommended to feed on demand to ensure that your baby is getting enough to eat.
Feed baby when they need it
Formula Feeds
Always read the instructions on the formula
Never ever double up on the powder, thinking it will fill baby
Hungry Baby: There are specially measured baby milk formulas that are for ‘hungry babies’
Never be tempted to put rice or any other filler in the baby’s bottle
Be careful to stick to the one ‘make’ formula. Swapping and changing can aggravate baby’s stomach
More information on Bottle feeding is on MICA - the MasterClass in Childbirth App
Body language
Tip:
Baby; When baby is full look at her hand, if it's closed into a fist she is full (myth or fact?)
Position: Never feed baby lying down as this could cause an ear infection
Hold your baby often even when not feeding so they don’t associate being held with eating only
Wash your hands before feeding your baby or handling the bottle
Clean: Make sure to wash the bottles and Teats with hot water and soap to keep your baby safe from bacteria
Do Not heat bottles in the microwave - the heat isn't evenly distributed
Do not batch make bottles and store in fridge until needed
Each bottle must be made up fresh as you need them
Bin the milk in the bottles if not drank within an hour - never offer for the next feed
Tap water (not bottled or filtered ) that hasn’t been boiled previously as this can change the mineral content
Boil to 70c- enough to kill any bacteria
Follow the formula instructions
Add the powder to the water attach the cap and teat firmly and shake well to fully dissolve the powder
Test the temperature of the milk – shake well. It should feel slightly warm, never hot
Cool the bottle in a bowl of cold water or put under a running tap
Important to dispose of any formula that is not used after feeding
Bottle Feeding
