Bottle Feeding: Your Guide to Knowing How Much to Feed Your Baby

Bottle Feeding: Your Guide to Knowing How Much to Feed Your Baby

Knowing how much formula or expressed breast milk to give your baby can feel like a guessing game, but it doesn't have to be. The most important principle of bottle feeding, as supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), is responsive feeding. This means following your baby's hunger and fullness cues instead of a strict schedule or amount.

Hunger and Fullness Cues: Your Baby's Language

Your baby will tell you when they're hungry and when they've had enough. Learning to recognize these cues is key to preventing underfeeding or overfeeding.

Hunger Cues-

Look for these signs that your baby is ready to eat:

• Early Cues: Stirring, stretching, opening and closing their mouth, and making little sounds.

• Mid Cues: Rooting (turning their head and opening their mouth when their cheek is stroked), sucking on their hands or fingers, and lip smacking.

• Late Cues: Crying, getting fussy or agitated. Crying is a late hunger cue and can make it harder for your baby to latch onto the bottle. Try to feed them before they reach this stage.

Fullness Cues-

Your baby will also let you know when they're full:

• Slowing down or stopping sucking.

• Pushing the bottle away.

• Turning their head away from the nipple.

• Relaxing their hands and body.

• Falling asleep.

Don't force your baby to finish the bottle. IBCLCs emphasize that this can lead to overfeeding, which can contribute to digestive discomfort and, in the long term, may affect the child's ability to self-regulate their food intake.

General Guidelines for Bottle Feeding

While every baby is unique, there are general guidelines from the AAP that can help you gauge a good starting point for how much to offer. Remember these are just averages, and your baby may eat more or less at any given feeding.

• First Few Days: Newborns have tiny stomachs and will only take about 1-2 ounces (30-60 mL) per feeding, every 2-3 hours.

• First Month: The amount gradually increases to about 2-4 ounces (60-120 mL) per feeding.

• 2-6 Months: Babies may drink 4-6 ounces (120-180 mL) per feeding, about 4-6 times a day.

• General Rule of Thumb: For the first six months, a baby typically needs about 2.5 ounces of formula per pound of body weight per day, with a maximum of about 32 ounces in a 24-hour period.

  
  

Remember to follow a feeding pattern that works for your baby, not a rigid schedule. Some babies prefer to "graze" with smaller, more frequent feedings, while others will take more at once.

Paced Bottle Feeding: A Safer Technique

Paced bottle feeding is a technique recommended by IBCLCs to give the baby more control over the flow of milk, similar to breastfeeding. This prevents them from taking in too much milk too quickly, which can lead to gas, discomfort, and overfeeding.

1. Positioning: Hold your baby in a semi-upright position, supporting their head and neck. This prevents them from guzzling the milk and reduces the risk of ear infections.

2. Bottle Angle: Hold the bottle horizontally, or parallel to the floor, with the nipple only partially filled with milk. This forces your baby to work for the milk, controlling the flow.

3. Take Breaks: Allow your baby to take breaks. You can do this by gently pulling the bottle away or by tipping the bottle downward so the nipple fills with air, prompting them to pause and swallow.

Signs Your Baby is Getting Enough

Beyond the amount in the bottle, there are clear indicators that your baby is well-fed and thriving. The AAP highlights these key signs:

• Weight Gain: Your baby is gaining weight steadily and following their growth curve. Most babies lose a small percentage of their birth weight in the first few days and regain it by two weeks.

• Wet and Dirty Diapers: After the first week of life, your baby should have at least 6 wet diapers a day. The urine should be clear or light yellow. Stools should be frequent in the early weeks and become less frequent but still soft after the first month.

• General Demeanor: Your baby seems relaxed and satisfied after feedings. They are alert and happy between feedings.

If you have any concerns about your baby's growth or feeding patterns, please consult with your pediatrician or an IBCLC.

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