Step by step bottle feeding and how it helps the baby

You want to make sure the baby is eating enough and gaining weight at a healthy rate. But until you and your little one get a feel for the whole bottle feeding thing, it can take a minute to really understand their needs. That’s where paced bottle feeding comes in. It helps you both find and maintain a rhythm during each feeding session and can ensure baby doesn’t eat too much (or too little). Even better, it can prevent tummy troubles. Ready to learn more about this bottle feeding technique? Read on for the full 411.

What is paced bottle feeding?

Paced bottle feeding is an intuitive, baby-led approach that closely follows your little one’s feeding cues. Essentially, the method mimics the way babies naturally feed at the breast and lets them control the pace of their feeding, he explains. Cuyler Romeo, IBCLC, child nutritionist and director of strategic initiatives at Feeding Matters. Paced bottle feeding uses a bottle to similarly achieve the rhythm and intimacy of breastfeeding and adapts to the baby’s needs at each feed. “The caregiver periodically stops the flow of milk by tipping the bottle upside down so the infant can take a short break to breathe or rest,” says Romeo. “This gives the infant more control over when he wants to accept milk and how much he wants to suckle at a time.”

Eventually, when the baby seems full (ie, stops sucking, turns his head away, gets sleepy, loses his latch, becomes more relaxed, etc.), caregivers can stop feeding—and this can also help avoid overfeeding. In fact, one of the best parts about the paced bottle feeding technique is that it takes the guesswork out of a traditional bottle feed. The baby will tell you when it is hungry and when it is time to stop.

How to practice the pacing technique with a bottle

Bottle feeding is all about reading your baby’s feeding cues — but how exactly do you get started with your newborn? First, you’ll want to use a bottle with a tapered nipple and a slow flow—the slowest possible when feeding a newborn, she says Siri Pearl, LPN, IBCLC, lactation consultant and founder of Best Latch. She also suggests teaching all of the baby’s caregivers (eg, parents, grandparents, and daycare staff) how to use the bottle-feeding method to ensure consistency in the baby’s feeding.

Below, Romeo offers a step-by-step guide on how to practice the rhythmic bottle-feeding technique:

1. Hold your baby in a fully supported upright or elevated side position.
2. Gently stroke the side of the baby’s mouth or lips with the bottle nipple to encourage him to open his mouth. Watch for signs that the baby is ready to feed, such as rooting or turning towards the nipple.
3. Instead of tilting the bottle down into baby’s mouth as you would for a traditional bottle feed, hold it in a flat horizontal position to encourage active sucking in response to the flow of milk. If the baby is lying down too much, gravity will make the bottle flow too quickly. Tip: Make sure the nipple is always full of milk so the baby doesn’t get too much air.
4. Pause often, as most babies need to stop sucking to catch their breath. If the baby’s eyes open, pulls away from the nipple, milk leaks from the corners of his mouth, or you hear swallowing sounds, he may be telling you he needs a break.
5. Turn the bottle upside down to stop the flow of milk to the nipple, or remove the nipple completely to take a short break.
6. When you’re done, keep the baby upright for about five to 10 minutes and don’t forget to burp to reduce gas.

Per La Leche League International, it will take the baby about 15 to 20 minutes to finish the bottle. Throughout feeding, remember to watch the baby carefully and follow his lead.

“Belching [baby] if they show signs of discomfort, give them a break if they are sleepy and start and stop feeding when they show signs of being full or hungry for more,” advises Romeo.

Advantages of the bottle feeding rate

When you’re bottle-feeding your baby, it’s tempting to make sure he’s emptying his bottle. After all, we all want to make sure our children are well fed and getting enough milk. But research suggests that responsive feeding – breast or bottle – may actually be more beneficial for long-term, healthy weight gain. This is why bottle feeding is often recommended by healthcare providers. While a breastfed baby is likely to self-regulate milk intake and achieve healthy rates of weight gain, a bottle-fed baby doesn’t have the same control, she notes. Alison K. Ventura, PhD, LEC, FTOSprofessor of kinesiology and public health at California Polytechnic State University.

The traditional features of bottles make feeding easy, but they can override infants’ hunger and fullness cues and increase feeding rate, ultimately leading to overfeeding. Rapid bottle feeding encourages you to slow down the feeding rate, allowing your little one to feel full and moderate his intake on his own.

Plus, because babies are born with small stomachs and immature gastrointestinal tracts, bottle feeding can also help with digestion and reduce gas, she adds Sarah PeckRN, MSN, IBCLC, Registered Nurse, Lactation Consultant and owner of Nesting Lactation.

Welcoming a newborn will inevitably introduce some curves — and that’s okay (and expected!). In some cases, the baby may have special feeding needs that require a different approach, so always check with your provider for specific questions and concerns.

You will likely experiment with a variety of different feeding methods before settling on a technique that is comfortable for you and baby. Whatever you decide, the key is to find an approach that helps baby continue to gain weight at a healthy rate and develop good eating habits.

Note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended and do not constitute medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult a qualified doctor or healthcare professional regarding your particular circumstances.

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