Infant Feeding

Besides meeting an infant's nutrition needs, feeding is a time for a parent to nurture and bond with the baby. Whether breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, there are several issues for parents to think about.

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Feeding can be a special time for parent and baby. Both breastfeeding and bottle-feeding allow for bonding and soothing. This is a great time to communicate with a baby. While feeding the baby, parents can make eye-to-eye contact and massage the baby's hands and feet. They can stroke the baby's hair and face and talk to the baby in a soft, sweet voice. The skin-to-skin contact can be very soothing to a baby.

Parents need to decide whether to bottle-feed or breastfeed, or both. Mothers should be made aware of the benefits of breastfeeding. The type of feeding is a personal choice. Whatever decision is made, others should be supportive.

Breastfeeding

Positioning an infant during breastfeeding is a learned technique. The main positions in which to hold a baby while nursing are:

Bottle-feeding

Bottle-feeding is similar in many ways to breastfeeding. Positioning is important, so the baby can relax enough to drink from the bottle. The parent should hold the baby in his or her arm against the chest. He or she should look at the baby and talk softly to him or her. This is an essential time in the baby's development. The baby needs to feel security and closeness from the parent. The parent should support the baby's head in the cradle of his or her arm. The nipple of the bottle is gently put straight into the baby's mouth. The bottle should be tipped up so that no air gets through the nipple, just formula. Propping the bottle for feeding is not a good idea, though. It can lead to dental problems in the future.

Buying equipment for bottle-feeding involves a number of decisions. Nipples and bottles come in a wide choice of shapes and sizes. There are traditional, flat-tipped, and orthodontic nipples. Some babies seem to prefer some nipple shapes to others, so parents may need to try different ones. Formula should drip out of the nipple steadily. If it comes out in a stream, the holes are too big, and the nipple should be discarded. Check nipples periodically for signs of wear, such as discoloration or thinning. Worn nipples should be replaced, because they could break and become a choking hazard.

Bottles also come in different sizes and shapes. They usually hold either 4 ounces or 8 ounces. For most newborns, a 4-ounce bottle may be more useful than an 8-ounce bottle. Babies this age may not drink more than 4 ounces at one sitting. A fresh bottle of formula or breast milk should be used for each feeding.

For storing, heating, or feeding, the safest bottles are those made of glass. Plastic bottles made of polypropylene are also considered safe. Plastic bottles made from polycarbonates or polyvinyl chlorides are unsafe. That's because they contain "plasticizers" that can be released during sterilization and contaminate the contents of the bottle.

The infant should be burped halfway through the feeding, and at the end of the feeding. This helps to rid the stomach of air bubbles. The mother can hold the baby on her shoulder, across her knees, or sitting up on her lap. The baby's back is gently rubbed or patted. Sometimes a small amount of milk will come up with the burp, which is normal. But if the baby vomits hard, parents should call the doctor.

Most infants are fed every 3 to 4 hours. A breastfed baby may need to be fed more often during the first few weeks to help increase the mother's milk supply. The newborn who is fed when hungry, which is called feeding on demand, will soon adjust to a flexible schedule. It is important to fulfill the baby's needs promptly to assure him or her that the world is a good place in which to live.

Feeding an infant is a learning experience for both a baby and a parent. At first, there are challenges, and every infant is different. There are no absolute rules for feeding every infant. With support and knowledge, feeding can be a very pleasurable experience for both parent and baby.