How to Pick the Perfect Stroller For Your Baby

 9 Tips for Successfully Breastfeeding and Bottle Feeding

If you’re pregnant or have recently given birth, you may be unsure about the best way to feed your child. There are two main options to consider when deciding how to feed your baby: breastfeeding and bottle feeding. While both methods have their benefits, some mothers and babies are better off with one than the other. Here are some tips for successfully breastfeeding and bottle feeding if you aren’t sure which one is right for you and your baby.

1) Maintain a schedule

To be successful at both breastfeeding and bottle feeding, you need to establish a routine. Put your baby down in a consistent place, at consistent times, so he or she can learn to fall asleep on his or her own. In time, you will see that your baby starts falling asleep on their own without nursing first.

The same goes for night feedings: if you want to reduce these in frequency, you need to put your baby down before they start crying from hunger.

2) Know how much your baby needs to eat

As a general rule, you can use your baby’s weight to gauge whether or not they’re getting enough. Each week, babies gain about a pound (or 500 grams) in weight, so it makes sense to check their weight against how much milk you think they should be consuming each day.

When your baby hits eight pounds at two months old, for example, you know that he or she is drinking roughly 32 ounces of breast milk per day.

3) Experiment with bottles

If you’re breastfeeding, try introducing a bottle to your baby by 8 weeks of age. Not only will it make it easier on you when returning to work, but experts say babies who breastfeed AND bottle feed will sleep longer at night because their tummies are more full from eating more.

This also means they’ll be less likely to wake up hungry in between feeds. (And if you do have trouble getting your little one on a bottle, check out our guide here.)

4) Establish a bedtime routine

Establishing a bedtime routine can be helpful in getting your baby used to a schedule. Think about what time you’d like your baby to go to sleep, then follow these steps :

• Bathe baby;
• Dress him or her in pajamas;
• Give him or her a bottle (if breastfeeding);  Read him or her a book; 
• Rock him or her back and forth;
• Put him or her down in his crib/bassinet/crib mattress on his back (never on his side).

This will help create consistency with sleeping patterns and reduce risk of SIDS.

5) Keep track of all the medications you are taking

If you are breast-feeding, you will have to make sure that you do not take any medications that may be harmful to your baby.

Medications pass through breast milk, which means they can easily harm your infant. Because of these possible dangers, it is very important that if you are taking any medications while nursing, you consult a medical professional before doing so.

There are also certain over-the-counter medications that should be avoided if possible when breast-feeding.

6) Do not stress about how long you breastfeed

This can be tough, especially with all of those reports out there claiming that breastfeeding longer is better. And while it’s true that breast milk is packed with nutrients that aid your baby’s development, babies are different.

Babies don’t always take to breastfeeding right away; sometimes it takes a few days or weeks for them to get used to it. The same thing goes for bottle feeding: some babies will take to their bottles quicker than others.

7) If your baby isn’t latching well, see a lactation consultant

An expert can help you identify any issues that might be contributing to a bad latch, like tongue position or positioning.

It’s also important to keep in mind that what works for one baby may not work for another—so if your baby isn’t latching on, you may need to experiment with different positions until you find one that works.

If you have trouble breastfeeding, consider asking friends or family members who breastfed their babies for advice.

They may have tried some techniques that worked well for them! If all else fails, don’t hesitate to reach out to your doctor; many doctors are trained lactation consultants themselves.

8) Buy plenty of high-quality bottles, liners, nipples and formula if you are bottle feeding.

It might sound like common sense, but you’d be surprised how many parents don’t prepare adequately when they first start bottle feeding. While preparing to breastfeed is a little different because it requires planning ahead to make sure you have enough milk stored up, preparation is key with bottle feeding too.

Make sure you buy plenty of high-quality bottles, liners, nipples and formula if you are bottle feeding. You will also need to ensure that all of your equipment is clean before each use.

The last thing any parent wants after going through all of that hard work is for their baby to get sick from using dirty equipment!

9) Remember that breast milk is always better than formula

In our society, breastfeeding in public can be awkward or make people uncomfortable. You have a right to breastfeed your child anywhere you are legally allowed to be, but try not to put anyone else in an uncomfortable situation.

If you know that someone doesn’t like breastfeeding in public, then go somewhere where you feel comfortable feeding your baby. Don’t let anyone pressure you into doing something that makes you feel uncomfortable.

The important thing is making sure your baby is fed.