Bottle Feeding Mistakes that Most Parents Make
Maybe you are a new mom or you have had a baby before, sometimes you will end up making the same bottle feeding mistake. This is unless someone points out that you are doing it all wrong. Being a mother is quite the journey, some of the things you will get to learn about them more as you raise the baby.
Some of the mothers would say that they are good at bottle feeding, but that is not always the case. You might be surprised by the type of mistakes moms make today. We get to check out some of these mistakes and why it would be great if you avoid them.
Using any type of formula without careful inspection
Just because it is a formula you have been using before, you do not just open the bottle and scooping. Sometimes you have to check for the expiration date. The expiration date is important to know if the formula is still safe for consumption. The baby’s stomach is definitely sensitive, so feeding it with the right formula is important.
The same thing foes for the canned and liquid formulas. Such formulas would lose their nutritional value quite quickly. You need to examine to see if it is still nutritional before feeding your baby.
Examine for any dents or damage to the can. If the can is damaged, then the food might be dangerous for the baby.
Reusing the remaining food
A baby might not always finish the whole food in the bottle when feeding for the first time. This is quite the behavior where most parents would keep the remaining food and feed it to the baby later on. No need to recycle such leftovers. The reason is that the bacteria from the baby’s mouth will enter the milk while feeding and can more harmful later on.
The best thing to do is discard the remaining milk in the bottle. Proceed to clean the bottle in readiness for the next feeding session. You also have to prepare enough milk for feeding for the next session. Just make sure not to waste the milk, especially when using formulas.
Preparing the baby formula without boiled water
This part is no brainer for any parent, but what people do not know is that sometimes accessing clean water is not easy. You are often required to make the preparations of the food using sterilized or boiled water. No one wants to keep buying the sterilized water when boiling water at home is not a problem.
When it comes to having sterilized water at home, start by boiling the water for about 10 minutes. Let the water cool to the room temperature before using it for preparing the baby food. The boiling is important to make sure that any bacteria that might have been in the water has been eliminated. Your baby will be safe to eat the food at this point.
Always feeding the baby whenever he cries
It is possible that you have done this before if you are a parent. It is not always that the baby is hungry each time you hear him cry. Maybe you just fed him in the last 30 minutes and suddenly there is a cry. There is no way the baby is already hungry. Sometimes it is because of another reason that the baby is crying.
Start by checking the diaper. Babies can be quite sensitive to changes around them. If the diaper is dirty, the best way of getting you know is through crying. Sometimes it could be because of loud sounds in the area or even bright lights. Make sure that you understand what could make the baby cry rather than just feeding him always.
Feeding the baby all the time could lead to over-feeding and more health problems. Just feed him when it is necessary.
Trying to save money by skimping the baby formula
There is no doubt that the baby formulas can be expensive. It is possible you might want to save some money by buying less baby formula. It is important that you do not skimp on the baby formula. The formula comes with the relevant minerals and vitamins important for the baby. Such a formula should not miss on your shopping list all the time.
Make sure that you also read the instructions when it comes to preparing the baby formula. This will ensure that at any given time, you are giving the baby the right amount of nutrients. Just because they are nutrients, it does not mean that you have to overdo it.
Forgetting to sterilize the feeding bottle
The bottle is an important part of feeding your baby, so you might want to take the time and ensure that it is always clean. This does not just apply to the bottle, but also the nipples and any other feeding supplies you might be using.
You will also have to wash the bottles in the hot soapy water. Take the time to get into those grooves and clean it out correctly. This should be done immediately you are done with the feeding. This is an easy cleaning tip that you might want to consider all the time.
If you are using the dishwasher, then you could place the bottles on the top rack. The high temperature at this position will help with sterilization needed to clean all the bacteria in the bottle. As for the nipples, you do not have to expose them to high temperature for a long time. The reason is that it might lead to melting.
Heating the baby formula in a microwave
Well, this is something most parents do without noticing the effects. Many would be looking at the convenience of heating the formula fast enough and this will be through a microwave. We all know that the microwaves are blamed for killing the important minerals and vitamins in the food. The microwave will always heat the food to reach dangerous temperatures.
Sometimes heating the formula on the stove in a pot with hot water is the best way to go. You are not to boil the milk directly. With the milk being hot, you have to shake vigorously to ensure there is proper distribution of the heat throughout the milk. You could use a bottle warmer just to make sure the formula will be warm whenever you want to use it.
Packing several bottles for the outing
Yes, going for an outing is something that many people would want to do after getting their babies. It is good to go outdoors sometimes. That being said, you will find many parents preparing several bottles of baby formula for the trip. The problem is that the baby formula tends to coagulate after just a few hours. It becomes impossible to feed the baby with such food.
It is time that you got yourself an ice pack for keeping the formula in the right condition for feeding. You would also need a bottle warmer to raise the temperature before feeding the baby.
If you were making the mentioned mistakes above, now you know what has to be done to change the situation. It is always important to take great care of your baby at all times. Some of the things we take for granted could lead to serious health issues. Always make your baby’s health priority by keeping in mind all the suggested solutions above.