8 simple tips for formula feeding your baby

If (for whatever reason) you’ve decided to formula feed your baby, you might be wondering where to start. 

This was the case for one parent who turned to Reddit for advice. 

“Hello everyone, I’m due with my second child in May. I had my first child a whopping 13 years ago, so a lot of this feels totally new again. Please reserve your judgement, but this time around (due to health reasons) I will be formula feeding my baby,” the mum writes.

“My daughter was breastfed exclusively, so I have zero experience with bottles. I have been googling, but all of the information is a little overwhelming, and I have no idea where to start. Any simple tips and advice on formula feeding would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!”

Parents were quick to help this mum out, offering some great advice. 

1. Make bottles ahead of time

Lots of parents suggested making up bottles ahead of time. 

“Get a pitcher and make one days worth of formula at once to save time and minimise gas issues,” wrote one mum.

Dr. Brown’s Formula Mixing Pitcher comes highly rated on Reddit and in the Tell Me Baby community. The pitcher allows you to prepare up to 8oz bottles at a time, and it mixes formula without clumping.

Read Dr. Brown’s Formula Mixing Pitcher reviews. 

2. Buy more bottles than you think you’ll need

Another parent added: “Buy more baby bottles than you think you might need. Also, get dishwasher baskets for washing the bottles and the parts. And a microwave sterilizer for speed (I hated boiling!).”

3. Don’t buy all of your bottles at once

Babies are fussy, and it can take a few bottles before finding the perfect fit.

As for how many bottles you will need, this mum said 20 worked for her – but suggested not buying them until you know what bottle baby prefers.

“We have 4 dishwasher baskets and 20 baby bottles. I assumed 8 feedings and a couple of accidents a day. So every day we can run the washer and sterilize everything, while those are drying we use the other 10,” she said. 

“But don’t go out and buy 20 at once, babies have preferences, and you may want to try a couple before deciding.”

4. Use cold milk to save time and energy

Again, this one might come down to your baby, but starting with cold milk saves a lot of time, according to some parents.  

“We fed both our girls formula. We did all their milk COLD. It saved a lot of time and headaches when baby was screaming for milk, and we didn’t need to warm it up,” replied one parent. “If they’ve never had warm milk before, then they won’t know any different. Also made switching to cow milk much much easier.”

That said, another mum shared that her baby would only drink formula warmed up.

5. Ask for formula samples

Similar to a baby bottle, formula can be a bit of trial and error. 

“Take ALL of the free samples. And make sure to ask what brands they’re using in the hospital,” said another wise mum.

Alternatively, you can read baby formula reviews from other parents to help with your decision.  

6. Check the nipple sizes

One mum said some of her bottles didn’t come with the right nipple size. 

“If you’re buying bottles, make sure to check the nipple sizes. A couple of the sample bottles you get in registry packs will not come with a newborn or slow flow!”

Nipples come in a variety of materials, sizes and flow speeds. Similar to the bottle shape, your nipple choice will depend on your baby’s preference. You may want to try a few different brands before stocking up on one. Read our article about different types of baby bottles and nipples.

7. “Feed baby when baby is hungry”

Some parents offered advice on how much formula to feed baby, but this information is best left up to the experts. 

According to Raising Children, “Newborn babies commonly have 6-8 feeds every 24 hours, but there’s no set amount of food or number of feeds your baby should have. 

“Different babies drink different amounts of formula or breastmilk. Some might have some feeds close together and others further apart.”

“Just feed your baby whenever baby is hungry.”

8. Follow the instructions

When in doubt, read the instructions, said one commenter. 

“Prepare formulas based on the instructions on the formula tin, store and reuse based on instructions as well,” they said. “Your bottles may come with specific sanitizing instructions, tbh I just washed with soap and water and replaced the nipples occasionally.” Read our article on how to clean baby bottles.

The Raising Children website adds that “information about quantity for age on formula tins is just a guide. It mightn’t necessarily suit your baby.”