Proper Handling of Breast Milk and Formula

Proper Handling of Breast Milk and Formula

August 20th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Because your baby’s system is very delicate, caution should be used when handling and preparing bottles of both breast milk and formula for your baby. Cleanliness and attention to temperature are vitally important steps in feeding your baby a safe, healthy bottle.

Handling Breast Milk

When pumping breast milk, be sure to wash everything thoroughly, including your hands before handling pump parts and bottles. Pumped breast milk can be left out at room temperature for some time, from four hours to up to 8 hours. Fresh breast milk contains the highest level of nutrition, as some compounds can be damaged by cold temperatures. If your baby will be feeding soon, it’s best to leave it out. If you aren’t planning to use pumped breast milk soon however, you should get it into the fridge immediately, or freeze it for later use. Breast milk can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.

While it’s normal to shake up a bottle of formula to dissolve powder into water, you should never shake breast milk. Shaking can damage the delicate molecules and affect the composition of breast milk. You will notice that the fat separates and sits on top of the milk when it is refrigerated. This is normal. The best way to recombine the fat into the milk is to wait until the milk is warmed and then gently swirl it around. This will provide enough agitation to get the fat back into the milk without damaging it.

Once you have thawed breast milk that has been frozen, you should not refreeze it. Frozen breast milk is good for about 3 months in the freezer section of your fridge, and 6 months in a deep freezer.

Handling Formula

Formula is a little different from breast milk. As long as it remains unmixed, powdered formula is good for quite a while. Check the expiration date on the can to know how long it will be ok unopened – an open can is good for about a month. Once mixed, however, formula has a shorter shelf life. A bottle of mixed formula should not be left out at room temperature for longer than an hour, and should be discarded after 48 hours in the fridge.

Always mix formula according to the manufacturers directions. Formula should not be diluted with extra water. The best choice for mixing formula is water that has been boiled and then cooled.

Tips for Bottle Feeding

Whether the bottle contains formula or breast milk, you should always discard what is left in the bottle after feeding. Bacteria can get into the bottle from baby’s mouth and cause the leftover liquid to go bad, so don’t save it for a later feeding.

Bottles should be warmed carefully using a bottle warmer or warm water. Never microwave a bottle as it can create dangerous hot spots in the liquid and lead to burns. Microwaving breast milk can also damage its composition. Don’t forget to test the temperature of the liquid inside the bottle – feeling the outside of the bottle is not an accurate measure of how hot the breast milk or formula inside might be.

Make sure that the bottles and nipples are clean and sterile before adding the breast milk or formula, and wash everything in clean soapy water after use. If you dump the leftovers immediately after a feeding, the likelihood of it being fed to baby by accident will be lessened. Also, you can wash the bottle immediately before the contents can start to go bad.

Feeding Your Baby Breast Milk in a Bottle

Feeding Your Baby Breast Milk in a Bottle

August 16th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

For many women who choose to breastfeed, there will come a time when you might want to give baby a bottle of pumped breast milk, or have someone else take over a feeding that way. There is nothing wrong with giving your breastfed baby a bottle either occasionally or even regularly. Breast milk is the same no matter what the source. You might find, however, that your baby is resistant to the bottle, so take it slowly and follow these tips.

Breast Milk in a Bottle – Pick Your Timing

Most breastfeeding experts recommend against giving a breastfed baby a bottle in the first few weeks of life. During this time, baby and you are establishing breastfeeding, both learning the necessary skills and also getting your milk supply regulated.

Because sucking from a bottle requires a different mechanism of the baby’s mouth to extract milk than does nursing, babies who are given bottles in the first weeks of life may have more difficulty learning to latch on to the breast properly, or may prefer the bottle because it is easier to get milk from. Giving a bottle too early can be detrimental to the long-term success of breastfeeding.

Although you may have heard that giving the baby a bottle earlier will make it more likely to be accepted, it isn’t worth the risk of damaging the process of establishing proper nursing.

Choosing the Right Bottle

When selecting bottles for breast milk, look for a wide mouth bottle with a larger nipple. These wider nipples are designed to feel more like the breast to the baby, making it more likely that your baby will accept the bottle. You might also want to consider choosing bottles that attach directly to your breast pump for convenience, but these are often not the wide mouth type. Some pumps do have a converter that allows you to use the wide mouth bottles on the pump.

Feeding Breast Milk in a Bottle for the First Time

Don’t be surprised if baby refuses the bottle the first time you try. Remember that this is a new experience, and your baby has no idea what a bottle is! Keep it familiar by feeding baby in the same position in which you normally nurse, slightly modified. If you use a nursing pillow, you should also use it for bottle feeding. Try to warm the bottle to a temperature very close to breast milk from the body – you can estimate this better if you test freshly pumped breast milk to know how it feels. You may have more success if you attempt bottle feeding when the baby is very hungry and searching for food, but beware that this might also cause frustration for the baby who is looking for the breast and instead finds the bottle.

Odds are that once baby discovers that the bottle contains the same milk as the breast, you won’t have much trouble with feeding your baby breast milk in a bottle. To encourage this, try putting some breast milk on the outside of the nipple so that when you touch it to baby’s lips, the taste and smell of breast milk make the bottle more appetizing.

Most babies will have no difficulty switching back and forth between the breast and bottle if you time it right and go slowly at the beginning. You may find though, that baby does show a preference for one or the other. Just like anyone else, babies will have opinions and preferences! In most cases though, this won’t lead to refusal of either the breast or the bottle in the long term.

The Proper Method of Warming Baby Bottle

The Proper Method of Warming Baby Bottle

August 14th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Whether you are warming a bottle of breast milk or of formula, you need to take special precautions to make sure that you don’t overheat the contents, or destroy precious nutrients. There are a couple of safe options for warming baby bottle.

A Word on the Microwave

The microwave oven has become a staple of the modern kitchen because of its fast cooking and convenience. As wonderful is your microwave might be for warming up leftovers, you should never use it to warm a bottle of formula or breast milk. Microwaves can create hot spots in the liquid that might not go away even with careful stirring or shaking. This can cause serious burns to your baby. Microwaves can also damage the nutritional makeup of breast milk. So though it might be tempting, skip the microwave when warming baby bottle.

Baby Milk Bottle Warmers

There are a number of devices on the market specifically designed for warming up a baby’s bottle. The two main types both use water to warm baby bottle, but while one actually heats up the water that the bottle is sitting in, the other flash heats the water to create steam, which heats the liquid in the bottle. Both are effective, but the steam type tends to be faster.

The main problem with either of these baby milk bottle warmer designs is that it can be difficult to get just the right level of heat. Most of them have an alarm that tells you when the bottle is done, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s at the right temperature. The amount of milk or formula in the bottle, the type of bottle, and the amount of water in the machine can all affect the end temperature. You might find your baby waiting impatiently while an over heated bottle cools – not a good thing in the middle of the night.

Some baby milk bottle warmers also have a cooler section to keep milk cold, allowing you to store bottles in baby’s room or your room overnight instead of heading to the kitchen to get one from the fridge when baby is hungry.

The Old-fashioned Way

Many people still prefer the pre-bottle warmer method of heating a bottle. Simply place the bottle in a larger vessel filled with hot tap water, and wait. You will have to check it repeatedly, and may have to replace the tap water with hotter water to continue warming baby bottle. This method may take longer than the baby milk bottle warmer, but it is less likely to cause overheating.

Because the water in the surrounding vessel is slowly cooling, at some point it will have heated the bottle as much as it possibly can, and heating will stop. Baby milk bottle warmers, on the other hand, often continue to apply heat, causing the bottle to overheat.

The other advantage of the old-fashioned method is that it doesn’t cost a thing, unlike baby milk bottle warmers which can be expensive.

No matter which method you choose, always test the temperature of the milk or formula on the inside of your wrist for appropriate temperature before feeding it to baby. It should not be much more than lukewarm, and definitely not hot. Grown ups may enjoy a steaming cup of coffee, but your baby’s sensitive tongue can’t handle that kind of heat. When warming a bottle of breast milk or formula, be sure to gently swirl the contents of the bottle around.

baby milk bottle warmer
Proper Measurement and Mixing of Formula

Proper Measurement and Mixing of Formula

August 12th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Although a can of powdered formula comes with a special scoop that should make it easy to measure and prepare a bottle properly, there remain a number of parents who make serious mistakes when putting together a bottle. Infant formula has been specifically designed to be fed to baby with a certain ratio of powder to water, and failing to follow the instructions can have consequences for your baby.

Measuring Properly

For most infant formulas, the ratio will be one scoop of powder to every two ounces of water. Even if your baby will not eat the full amount, it’s better to make an extra ounce rather than trying to eye what comprises a half-full scoop of formula in order to come up with an uneven number of ounces. If your baby normally takes 5 ounces, you should go ahead and make six in order to be sure your measurements are accurate.

Never use the scoop from an old can of formula in a new can. Each can comes with a fresh scoop, so discard the old one and use the new one. Over time, bacteria may contaminate a can of formula as well as the scoop. If you use the old scoop in a new can, you risk passing bacteria into the freshly opened formula.

Never Dilute Formula

Many parents will give their baby a bottle of formula that has been diluted; this means that they have added more water than the recommended two ounces to every scoop. Formula already contains the right amount of water for your baby’s needs. Giving a young baby too much water can actually be dangerous to their health. Too much water affect the ability of the baby’s body to absorb nutrients. There is also a dangerous condition called water intoxication that can be very serious; it occurs when the levels of electrolytes in the body are changed by too much water. Water intoxication can cause seizures and even put your baby into a coma.

Never give a baby under six months old extra water. If you have reason to suspect dehydration in your baby, contact your pediatrician right away for advice. Electrolyte beverages are the best choice for treating dehydration in babies, and will work more effectively than water.

Mixing Formula with Breast Milk

It is generally ok to combine breast milk and formula in the same bottle, whether you have been advised to do so for special reasons, or you are combining breast milk and formula in your baby’s diet. If you plan to combine them however, you should pre-mix the formula with water first, and then add the prepared formula to the breast milk. This prevents the powdered formula from making the breast milk too thick and also stops potential changes to the nutritional composition of the milk.

Because breast milk has a longer shelf life than formula, it can be wasteful to mix the two together. Any breast milk that has had formula added will need to be discarded according to the shelf life of formula and not of the milk. Don’t add formula to breast milk until right before a feeding. If possible, feed baby from two different bottles rather than mixing them. If you plan to wean from breast milk to formula, this will help baby to become accustomed to the new taste.

Getting Some Energy Back After Baby is Born

Getting Some Energy Back After Baby is Born

June 14th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

You’re holding your new baby in your arms and can hardly believe that they are here. After nine long months of pregnancy and however long it took to conceive, your little bundle of joy is finally here. It’s a miracle and something that’s just so amazing to absorb for most new moms.

The miracle of life is something that can’t be replicated in anything else, and therefore we cling to it with the birth of our child. Therefore we are filled with a plethora of emotions, all of pure joy, right? If you are feeling a bit less than joyful as you are experiencing what it’s like to have many sleepless nights, then you’re not alone.

Though your lack of energy likely doesn’t take away any of the joy that you feel, you are probably feeling simply exhausted. This is a stage that many new parents go through and it’s a normal and natural part of the cycle. Knowing how to get some much needed energy back can help you to feel more like yourself again.

Take Advantage of Help When You Get It

If you are breastfeeding then you may feel as though you never have a break. You may feel as though your entire existence is based on feeding and caring for that little darling – and it is! If you are bottle feeding, then you may have a bit more of a break. You may be able to trade off feedings with your partner or a close family member that can help out a bit.

No matter what you are doing for feedings or how you are caring for your baby, you do want to take people up on the offer to help. If people offer to help with simple chores around the house, run errands for you, or make you dinner, then let them. This can result in you having a bit more time to relax or at least not have to worry about the many things that need to be done. This is a simple enough way to get some energy back and allows you to enjoy your new baby and a bit of freedom.

Along the same lines comes the notion of resting when the baby rests. Until the baby gets on any sort of schedule, this can be tough. It can also be difficult if you have another child at home. However even the notion of a mini nap of twenty minutes here and there can be of great help. Resting and putting your feet up if nothing else is always a great way to regain some of that much needed energy. Whatever you can do to rest your body and take care of yourself will pay you back in dividends.

Eat Right and Exercise

If you really want to ensure that you get your energy back, then you may have to expend a bit of energy. Though this does sound counterintuitive, it really can work. It may not be something that you can do in the baby’s first couple of days, but is something that you should look to whenever necessary. So consider eating the right foods, that is a well balanced diet to give you nutrients and of course energy.

You also want to start to incorporate exercise whenever possible. This can be something as simple as putting the baby in the stroller and taking it out for a walk, but it gets you moving. Though this may not sound desirable, it can really help you to regain some energy and feel more like yourself again in no time.

Getting In Some Sleep With a New Baby

Getting In Some Sleep With a New Baby

May 23rd, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

You may have feel like you waited forever for your new little bundle of joy to arrive. Now that the time is here and you’re holding them in your arms, you feel so full of joy you can hardly stand it. After the reality of your new baby sets in a bit, you start to realize just how tired you are. All of a sudden, you may wake up one day and realize that you are just downright sleep deprived. This is a terrible feeling for all new parents. Though you love your new baby and want to give them the very best, you are also recognizing that their waking at night is leaving you feeling exhausted. This is rather frustrating for many parents and they may find that they need to get into some sort of pattern, or at least get more sleep and get it quickly.

Cut Down on the Damage

Your baby is going to get up at night, that much you can’t deny. It’s unrealistic to think that your baby will stay down for the entirety of the night when you lay them down. What you can do is keep your waking time and theirs to a minimum. Take a look at these ideas and you will quickly see that you can get into a sort of habit in the middle of the night. First and foremost, avoid the temptation to put them down in bed with you. This not only ensures that they will get used to snuggling up next to mom and dad, but will also ensure that neither of you are getting a restful night. Get them up, feed them, change them, and then put them back to bed. Keep it short and sweet.

You also want to do your very best to share the responsibilities however possible. So for example if you are bottle feeding, get into some sort of a routine or pattern whereby you and your partner are sharing the feedings. Let them take the late night feeding and you go to sleep earlier so that you can get up for the next one. Whatever you can do to get in a few uninterrupted hours of sleep will help both of you in the long run. Figure out a routine that works best for you, ensures that your baby gets everything that it needs, and that you get in as much sleep at one time as is possible.

Sleep Whenever You Can

It may seem that “me time” is hard to come by these days. With a bit of help, though, you can enjoy a bit of napping or at least relaxation with the proper planning. The first rule of thumb that many experts will tell you is to nap when your baby naps. This is often easier said than done because if you have another child or a job, this is just not a reality for you.

Whenever possible, you want to try to get some time to put your feet up, relax, and catch a few winks if at all possible. This will really do wonders to recharge your engines and leave you feeling energized. It’s important to be flexible enough to change up your sleeping patterns as necessary. Knowing that you are going to get up in the middle of the night, you may very well want to go to bed earlier. This may take some adjusting, but it’s a great way to ensure you get plenty of sleep and are ready to care for your new baby.

The Amount of Liquids Your Baby Should Be Drinking at Each Age

The Amount of Liquids Your Baby Should Be Drinking at Each Age

February 22nd, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

Babies begin life with a liquid diet of either breast milk, formula or a combination of the two. They should remain on an entirely liquid diet until around six months when solid solid foods are introduced gradually. By a year, your baby should be eating three meals and two snacks a day of table food and drinking milk as a supplement – not a meal. It’s a fast transition for both mother and child, and the most important part of ensuring a smooth transition is determining how much your child should be drinking over that first year.

Birth to Six Months

Breastfeeding

When you breastfeed your baby, you normally don’t have a gauge of how much your baby is actually eating other than the amount of time he spends on each breast. A session of breastfeeding, once established for both mother and child, should take ten to thirty minutes, but can be longer for any number of reasons. As a newborn, your baby might nurse eight to twelve times a day at any interval and this pattern can last up to six months of age.

Bottle Feeding

Formula takes a bit longer to digest, so babies typically wait a bit longer between feedings, and the amounts consumed can vary widely among babies. There is no average amount, but before the introduction of solids, your baby is likely drinking 16 to 32 ounces, or 460 to 940 mL, a day. Some babies drink more or less, and the best way to gauge if the amount is correct is to check your baby’s weight gain and growth over time. Your doctor will be doing this at every appointment.

A more numerical approach to the amount a child should be eating is offered by the American Academy of Pediatrics, -On average, your baby should take in about 2 1/2 ounces of formula a day for every pound of body weight.- This translates to 24 to 36 ounces of formula after four months for most babies.

Six Months to One Year

Around six months you will start introducing solid foods. During this period of introduction, the solid foods are a supplement to the milk-based diet, but over the remaining months, solid food will become the basis of your baby’s diet and he will be supplemented first by breast milk or formula and then by cow’s milk (unless you continue to nurse after this point.)

At six months your child will be nursing on demand or drinking close to 36 ounces of formula per day. This requirement should hold steady over the next few months as you increase his diet in solid foods. As solids become more proficient, milk will actually decrease until he is drinking only about two cups at his first birthday per day. The two cup requirement is an average and is the same for toddlers and young children of all ages.