How to make bottle feeding more comfortable for your baby

When babies switch to a bottle, it can be hard for them to control the flow of milk like they would if they were breastfeeding. That’s where paced bottle feeding comes in. 

Paced bottle feeding is a technique designed to give babies control while feeding on a bottle, slowing the flow of milk and ensuring they don’t overeat.

What is paced bottle feeding?

If your baby is gulping down milk in his bottle, it can be hard to know if he’s genuinely hungry or swallowing so quickly to stop from choking. Paced feeding takes the guesswork out of bottle feeding, letting your baby decide when he’s had enough infant formula or expressed breast milk. 

Here’s how paced bottle feeding works:

• Start with the baby in an upright position. 
• Make sure you are using a slower teat. 
• Supporting your baby’s head and neck, with your hand, brush the teat downwards against the middle of his bottom lip. 
• Don’t force the teat in your baby’s mouth; let him take it himself. 
• Tip the bottle just enough so that a small amount of expressed breast milk or formula fills the teat.
• Once he has finished the milk in the teat, give him a minute to rest. 
• When your baby starts sucking again, tip some more milk into the teat. 
• Continue the process. When your baby releases the teat, this signals the feed is over. 

What if my baby doesn’t finish the bottle?

Raising Children Network says if your baby falls asleep while feeding on a bottle, you can rub his back or tummy gently to try and wake him up. Don’t offer the rest of the bottle until he is awake.

If he still doesn’t want it, don’t worry – babies are good at knowing when they’ve had enough to eat. 

Make sure you throw out any leftover infant formula or breastmilk after one hour. 

Don’t forget that you can shop bottle feeding products in the Tell Me Baby shop.

Read more:

• The best sippy cups and drink bottles for toddlers
• 5 best bottles for newborns
• Best baby bottle comparisons