Feeding

“What are the benefits of bottle feeding my baby?”

Breast milk is best but not all new mums choose to or can breast feed and some prefer to bottle feed. Bottle feeding doesn’t mean that your baby will miss out on all the cuddles and intimacy that comes with breast feeding – it will still be a very special time for you and for your baby.

It is important to consult your healthcare professional before deciding to bottle feed. If you do decide to bottle feed, either from the start or move to bottle feeding after starting with breast feeding, your healthcare professional or the SMA Careline* will be able to give you lots of information. Call the SMA Careline on 0845 776 2900 in UK or 1800 931 832 in ROI.

“What kind of milk should I feed my baby?”

All infant milks contain all the nutrients, including proteins, a baby needs from birth to six months. Healthcare professionals can provide advice on which infant formula to use, but, generally, bottle-fed babies should be fed a whey-based milk to start with, such as SMA Gold*. Some babies may seem hungrier and, if this is the case, try changing to a curd-based milk, such as SMA White*, as these are specially-made for hungrier babies and can also be used to help prevent early weaning.

At SMA Nutrition, we know only too well that no two babies are the same and that some have slightly different requirements when it comes to feeding. If you suspect your baby has special feeding requirements, discuss this with your GP or other healthcare professional before making any changes to your baby’s infant milk or feeding routine – and if you’ve any further questions, contact the SMA Careline* on 0845 776 2900 in UK or 1800 931 832 in ROI.

When your baby is six months old, he can move onto a follow-on milk, such as SMA Progress*, which will provide all the additional nutrients, such as iron and zinc, he needs in addition to a healthy weaning diet. Your baby will be able to stay on follow-on milk until he is two years old and such a milk is particularly good if your baby is a faddy eater.

Cows’ milk should not be given as a main drink to babies until they are over a year old as it doesn’t contain enough of the vital nutrients babies need for growth and development.

Click here for information about the SMA* range.

Did you know?

Almost half of all mums in the UK and the Republic of Ireland who bottle feed, give their babies one of the SMA infant milks.

“One of the mums at the baby clinic said she was going to try combination feeding. What is this?”

Combination feeding is a mix of breast and bottle feeding, using infant milk in the bottle rather than expressed breast milk. Many mums find this is a very practical way of giving their baby the benefits of breast milk along with the convenience of bottle feeding.

You can introduce combination feeding to a breast-fed baby at any time, as long as breast feeding is well-established, but combination feeding is not an option if your baby is being bottle-fed. This is because it is almost impossible to restart breast feeding once you have completely moved on to bottle feeding.

For more advice about combination feeding, ask your healthcare professional as any decision to introduce bottle feeding will affect the amount of breast milk you produce.

“What equipment do I need for bottle feeding?”

At home, you’ll need:

A sterilising system
Six bottles
Six teats
A supply of first stage infant milk, such as SMA Gold
A bottle warmer

It’s best to avoid using second hand bottles and teats in case they have tiny cracks, which will prevent them from being properly sterilised.

“How do I sterilise my baby’s bottles?”

Sterilising is the most effective way of protecting your baby from harmful germs and bacteria. All your baby’s feeding equipment (such as bottles, caps, teats, breast pumps and containers for expressed breast milk) should be sterilised until your baby is at least six months old, either using a commercial steriliser (ensure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions) or by boiling. And if you continue to bottle feed beyond six months, continue to sterilise all your baby’s feeding equipment.

A step-by-step guide to cleaning and sterilising your baby’s feeding equipment…

Wash hands thoroughly.
Wash feeding equipment (bottles, teats, bottle caps etc) thoroughly in hot, soapy water.
Scrub inside and outside of bottles using bottle brush.
Scrub teats with teat brush before squirting water through the teats to help remove all traces of milk.
Rinse all equipment thoroughly under the tap.
Sterilise all equipment.
      a.   If using a commercial steriliser, such as a steam steriliser, cold water steriliser or microwave steam steriliser, follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
      b.   If you are sterilising your equipment by boiling, first check it is suitable for sterilisation by boiling.
      i.   Fill a large pan (you will have to buy a new pan and keep it just for this purpose) with water and completely immerse all the equipment, ensuring there are no trapped air bubbles.
      ii.   Cover the pan and boil for at least ten minutes, ensuring the pan does not boil dry.
      iii.   Keep the pan covered, and allow the contents to cool slightly before use.
      iv.   You will need to repeat the process if the equipment is not used within 3 hours.
Before removing equipment, wash hands thoroughly, remembering to clean the surface where the equipment will be placed.
If possible, remove equipment just before it is needed.
Check manufacturers’ instructions for how long equipment will remain sterile.

For more information on sterilising your baby’s feeding equipment, call the SMA Careline on 0845 776 2900 in UK or on 1800 931 832 in ROI.

“How do I make up my baby’s feed?”

Wash your hands, sterilise any utensils and clean the work surface where you’re going to be making up the bottle, and then carefully follow the instructions on the container of milk powder. This will also tell you how much powder and freshly-boiled, cooled tap water to use, depending on the age and weight of your baby. It is very important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions about making up your baby’s feed.

“How do I bottle feed my baby?”

Start by checking your baby doesn’t need his nappy changed. You don’t want to disturb his feed, or his after-dinner snooze, with a nappy change!

Sit in a chair that supports your back, with a table nearby where you can place the bottle, tissues, baby wipes and a glass of water, juice or milk, as you may need one.

Before feeding your baby, check the milk is the right temperature by shaking a few drops on the inside of your wrist – it should be lukewarm. If the milk is too hot, cool it by running the bottle under cold water.

When feeding your baby, tilt the bottle so the teat is always full of milk or he may get a mixture of air and milk – a definite recipe for wind. If your baby is unable to cope with the speed the milk is coming out at, change to a teat with a smaller hole. If he’s struggling to get enough milk, change to a teat with a larger hole, so the milk can flow quicker.

Safe Bottle Feeding

If you’re travelling abroad and unsure of the water supply, use freshly-boiled, cooled bottled water to make up your baby’s feed – but only use still bottled water that states ‘suitable for infant feeding’ on the label or has a sodium level below 20 mg per litre
Don’t be tempted to add anything extra to your baby’s bottle – infant milk contains everything your baby needs.
Once a can of infant milk has been opened, the contents must be used within the time advised by the manufacturer.
Never leave your baby alone when feeding.
Don’t heat up his bottle in the microwave - it may not heat evenly and hot spots could scald your baby’s mouth.
Either use a bottle warmer or stand the bottle in a jug of warm water. Always shake the bottle and check the feed is lukewarm.
Always throw away any milk left over in the bottle after two hours.

“How often should I bottle feed my baby?”

Your baby will tell you when he is hungry – and will stop feeding when he has had enough. To begin with, your baby might want a feed every couple of hours but, as he grows, feeding may become less frequent and more regular - most of the time!

There are often guidelines on infant milk packaging as to how much infant milk a baby should have in a single feed, but remember that these are only guidelines. Don’t worry if your baby wants more or less than the recommended amount but if you have any questions, your healthcare professional is there to help or you can contact the SMA Careline* on 0845 776 2900 in UK or on 1800 931 832 in ROI.

“Can I make up bottles in advance?”

The recommendations about this have recently been changed and the latest advice from the Department of Health is that bottles should be made up fresh for each feed. This means that you should only make up one bottle at a time and, if your baby doesn’t finish his feed, any milk that has not been used within two hours should be discarded.

As an alternative to preparing feed, you could use ready-to-feed infant milk. Ready-to-feed infant milks are great when you’re going out and are also very handy for baby-sitters, for emergencies, for night-time feeds, if you’re concerned about water purity or if you are travelling.

But if you are preparing feeds from powder in advance, it is best to prepare it the morning on the day it is used, rather than the night before. Remember to prepare feeds in individual bottles, not in a jug, and to store them in a fridge below 5^oC. Feeds should be removed from your fridge just before use, but if you are travelling, place the bottle in a cool bag containing an ice brick, and use within 4 hours. Alternatively, you can put boiled water into a sealed vacuum flask and use this to make up fresh feeds when needed (but care is needed to avoid scalding).

Mum’s The Word

A few of our best bottle feeding tips…

To reduce the chance of spilling powder when making up your baby’s feed, use wide-necked bottles.
When going out, leave your babysitter a couple of cartons of ready-to-feed infant milk so he or she doesn’t need to worry about making up bottles.
Once opened, make sure you check the infant formula container for use by date.

Feeding problems

Most bottle-fed babies thrive on infant milk. However, some babies may need additional or special requirements. At SMA Nutrition we understand this and we’ve developed a range of special infant formula – for more information, contact the SMA Careline on 0845 776 2900 in UK or on 1800 931 832 in ROI.

Significant reflux (regurgitation):
SMA Staydown* has been specially developed to help babies with significant reflux by ensuring that the milk stays in baby’s tummy so it can be properly digested.

Colic:
Colic is thought to be sometimes due to temporary intolerance to lactose/cows’ milk protein. SMA LF*, a clinically lactose-free milk-based formula, has been recommended as part of the management of colic. SMA LF must be used under medical supervision.

Lactose intolerance:
Lactose intolerance can be triggered by a bout of gastroenteritis and can result in symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, tummy ache and wind. Your healthcare professional may advise you to try changing to a clinically lactose-free milk-based formula, such as SMA LF.

Cows’ milk intolerance:
Most infant milks are based on cows’ milk protein so, if your baby is intolerant to cows' milk, your healthcare professional may advise you to use a protein hydrolysed infant formula or one based on soya protein, such as SMA Wysoy*.

Smaller babies with faltering growth:
Some babies need a little helping hand when it comes to growing and gaining weight – your healthcare professional may recommend SMA High Energy*, which contains extra calories, proteins and minerals. It is also the only nutrient-dense formula that contains LCPs. Which are important for vision, the brain and the central nervous system. SMA High Energy must be used under medical supervision.

Always talk to your GP or other healthcare professional before making any changes to your baby’s formula.

Top Tips

The secret of successful bottle feeding? Relax!

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Breast feeding is best for babies. You should always seek the advice of a doctor, midwife, health visitor, public health nurse, dietitian or pharmacist on the need for and proper method of use of infant formulae and on all matters of infant feeding. SMA infant formulae are intended to replace breast milk when mothers do not breast feed. Good maternal nutrition is important for the preparation and maintenance of breast feeding. Introducing partial bottle feeding may have a negative effect on breast feeding and reversing a decision not to breast feed is difficult. Infant formulae should always be prepared and used as directed. Unnecessary or improper use of infant formula may present a health hazard. Social and financial implications should be considered when selecting a method of infant feeding. Soya infant formulae are intended to meet the nutritional needs of infants and children who are intolerant to cows’ milk protein, lactose or sucrose. Soya infant formulae are not recommended for premature babies or those with kidney problems, where medical guidance should always be sought. Pre-thickened infant formulae are intended to replace breast milk when mothers do not breast feed and when significant reflux (regurgitation) is a problem. If the baby’s reflux does not improve within 2 weeks of starting use of a pre-thickened infant formula, or if the infant fails to thrive, the family doctor should be consulted. These products must be used under medical supervision. SMA High Energy is a milk based formula for the dietary management of infants and young children with medically determined high energy requirements as identified by a doctor or dietitian. It is suitable for use for infants and young children up to eighteen months of age, either as the sole source of nutrition or in conjunction with solid foods as advised by a doctor or dietitian. SMA High Energy is not intended for use with newborn premature babies, for whom fortified breast milk or a low birthweight formula is more appropriate. However, SMA High Energy may be used, under medical supervision, after these babies are discharged from hospital. SMA LF is a clinically lactose free milk based formula for the dietary management of infants and young children who are intolerant to lactose or sucrose, or who are suffering from symptoms such as diarrhoea, tummy ache or wind caused by temporary lactose intolerance. It is suitable as the sole source of nutrition for infants up to six months of age, and in conjunction with solid food, for infants and young children up to eighteen months of age. SMA LF is not suitable for those who are allergic to cows’ milk protein, or who suffer from galactosaemia or require a galactose free diet.

*Trade Mark