11/25/2022
PACE FEEDING: For all bottles, including formula.
One of the biggest issues we hear from mothers who need to bottle feed is that they just aren't making enough for their babies, perpetuating the myth moms need a freezer stash full of milk. Additionally, we hear that baby is beginning to prefer bottle over breast, causing stress and sometimes feelings of failure that baby no longer prefers mama. This is why it is SO important to properly pace feed bottles. When pace feeding, bottles should take 5 to 7 minutes to finish 1oz of milk. This can be done by keeping bottles almost parallel to the floor, assuring that sweet baby needs to work for their milk and will not begin to prefer the faster flow of a bottle. Furthermore, bottle ni***es should always be a preemie ni**le that NEVER sizes up (or the slowest flow ni**le your bottle brand makes.) Whether baby is 1 month or 9 months, a preemie ni**le is always preferred. How much we feed baby is important, too! Rule of thumb is 1 to 1.25oz (not 1.5) of breastmilk per hour of separation from mom. So if mama is away for 8 hours, baby needs 8 to 10z of milk max! Bottle should never exceed 4oz at one time. It always better to do more frequent feeds with less ounces vs. more ounces and less feeds to not stretch tummy. This includes formula fed babies as well! Stretching the tummy can lead to gas, upset tummy, and even issues with regulating fullness as older children and adults! Along with properly pumping, this will ensure help to ensure mama and baby are fully content.
Proper pumping in another post :)
Paced bottle feeding is a technique that allows your baby to drink more slowly and take breaks, helping to prevent overfeeding and choking. This video will s...
