ABCs of Formula Feeding
Basics of Formula Feeding
I remember when the hospital sent us home with our first son. I could not believe that they were going to let us out of that hospital to care for that tiny, helpless baby. What kind of people would do that to a child?
Like most everyone else, we were petrified and had no clue what to do. That drive home was nerve racking.
Sometimes we forget how nervous new parents are and that they don’t have a clue about the basics of formula feeding. How do I make a bottle or Am I doing this right is something we all asked ourselves. I wanted to give some advice on preparing and feeding a baby formula. First, almost every study shows that if you can breastfeed, do it. But if you need to feed or supplement with formula, there are a lot of great options.
How you prepare formula can make a difference both in nutrition and health Babies’s immune systems are just getting up and running, so the less stress you put on that system the better.
Don’t use Expired Formula
Look for an expiration or “use by” date on the can of formula. If the formula has expired, its quality must be questioned.
Wash your hands
Formula feeding is food preparation. Just like preparing any meal be sanitary. Wash your hands under warm running water with soap. Sing happy birthday to yourself and when your done with the song, your done washing.
Sanitize area and utensils
This is just an extension of washing your hands. Make sure the area where you prepare the formula is clean. You also need to clean and sterilize bottles, nipples, etc. before the 1st use and then periodically after that. All you need to do is boil them for about 5 minutes and let air dry.
This is really pretty simple, just use the pot that you normally use for making pasta and add water. Bring it to a boil and add items. Let it boil for about five minutes and pull out with some tongs or a long kitchen spoon and let air dry. I usually did this every Saturday or Sunday during nap time.
Measure
Although it is as simple as following the directions on your product, whether it is powered formula or ready to use, this is always hard to do. The reason you want to do this is to insure that the little one is getting the proper amount of nutritiion.
Adding Water
First, only add water if you are supposed to, like with a powdered formula. Your formula of choice will tell you how to mix. For example: 1 scoop with 4 ounces of water. Again, measure. Too much water may dilute the formula and too little may cause digestive issues, like constipation. Shake well and your on your way.
Use filtered or purified water if you can. If you must use tap water, some experts suggest boiling the tap water and letting it cool. I never did this, we were able to use filtered water.
Heating formula
There is no requirement that formula must be warm. It’s OK to give a baby formula at room temperature or colder. However, most parents heat formula and most will tell you that a warm bottle goes down easier and helps make a baby sleep.
If you heat it, it should be warm, not hot. I strongly recommend a bottle warmer. It saves time, which is great at 3 am. This is one of the absolute best investments you will ever make.
Quick Serve Bottle Warmer
Fast and foolproof! This versatile warmer takes out the guesswork, so you can’t overheat breast milk and destroy precious nutrients. Great for formula, too; it eliminates dangerous “hot spots.” The secret: fast, gentle steam heat and a precise water measuring system. Accepts any size or shape bottle, even jars of baby food.
If you don’t go with a warmer, keep a pan on the stove. Fill it with water and get the water hot and let the bottle sit in the water until warm.
Don’t warm bottles in the microwave. The formula may heat unevenly, creating hot spots that could burn your baby’s mouth.
Storage
If your baby does not take or finish a bottle, after you have heated it, I would dump it after about an hour.
For all of the new parents, I hope this quick guide helps. Just know that you can do it.
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