Cup or bottle feeding your baby

There are two main things to pay attention to when bottle feeding

• Connect and bond with your baby while you feed 
• Make sure your baby is getting the right food, in a clean and safe way. 

Connecting with your baby

Feeding is a good time for you to bond with your baby. Looking at them, quietly talking to them, smiling, responding to them with gentle touch and care, all contributes to building a safe relationship and bond with your baby. 

One of the benefits of bottle feeding is that others can share in the feeding experience. 

Find out about how dads can help.

https://raisingchildren.net.au/newborns/breastfeeding-bottle-feeding/bottle-feeding/dads-help-with-babies 

Here are some tips: 

1. Get comfortable: Try to relax and sit in a comfortable position. 
2. Hold your baby close: Always hold your baby in a slightly upright position while feeding. Support their head and back with your hand. It helps you bond and lets you see how much they're eating. 
3. Wait for your baby: Let your baby open their mouth to take the bottle or cup. You can touch their upper lip with the bottle nipple or teat so they open their mouth wide. 
4. Stay with your baby: Don't leave your baby alone with a bottle. Never prop or hold up the bottle with something like a pillow or blanket. This can cause choking, ear infections, and tooth decay. 
5. Go slow: It might take 20-30 minutes for a feed. It's okay to pause and let your baby rest during their feed. Try to keep the bottle horizontal (or slightly tipped upwards) so the milk does not flow too fast. If the bottle is too high, it can be hard for the baby to control the amount of milk they are drinking. 
6. Look for signs: Your baby will show these signs if they need a break: 

• open their fingers and stretch their feet
• turn or push their head away from the bottle 
• let milk dribble out from their mouth. 

7. Give a break: You can burp them or let them rest a bit. 
8. Listen to your baby: After resting, they might want more. Or they might be full. Watch and listen to know.

Milk can come of out the teat too fast or slow. 

If the feed is too quick, indigestion problems may happen. If the feed is too slow, your baby may get tired and not take as much milk as they need.

To test the flow, hold the bottle upside down when it’s filled with liquid at room temperature. The liquid should drip steadily from the teat but not pour out. You can adjust how fast or slow the milk comes out of the teat by loosening or tightening the ring around the top of the bottle.