BPA-Free Bottle Feeding

Only a few mothers are not able to breastfeed by special reasons. If you are one of them, or if you have chosen not to breastfeed by any other reason, you should not feel guilty about doing so. There are even a few advantages to bottle-feed.

Baby feels satisfied for longer periods when bottle-fed, which extends the time between feedings in the very early days. Which means that a mother who bottle feeds can get more rest between feeds than a mother who breastfeeds.

It’s an easy way to keep the amount of milk taken from the baby per feed on track. A mother who bottle feeds her baby knows exactly how much she has fed her child.

Although natural remedies are best, bottle-feeding mothers can take medication when the need to. A breastfeeding mother has to be very careful about any medication she takes as this will be passed on to baby through her breast milk.

Your partner can feed your baby during the night and provides you unbroken sleep for longer hours. It is also comfortable when going out and leaving your baby with someone else. Although breastfeeding mother could also experience this by expressing breastmilk before going to sleep and storing it for the fridge for the night feeds. However, when a breastfed baby is given a bottle, he would easily get used to it, as bottle-feeding is much easier for him to suck. This may cause problems with the breastfeeding afterwards, and even leading to reducing you breastmilk, leaving the baby hungry and unsatisfied.

Here are a few points to consider when bottle-feed

Choose the right bottles. And we are not talking here about shapes and colours.Many plastic baby bottles are made from polycarbonate plastic, which contains the dangerous chemical Bisphenol A (BPA). A very small amount may leak into the baby’s milk, especially when the bottles are heated, but even that small amount may be harmful for your baby and disrupt his hormones. Find and buy BPA-free bottles, which may be either glass bottles (like BornFreeTM), or made from other BPA-free material.

BornFreeTM, which is a best-seller in the USA, and also becoming a leader in the UK, offers a completely safe option for parents wishing to avoid any risks from BPA. Their bottles and cups feature the unique BornFreeTM venting system, designed to reduce colic and middle-ear infections by reducing vacuum build-up. Non-leak bottles and cups are wide-necked, aesthetically pleasing, easy to hold and dishwasher-safe. The BornFreeTM feeding system encourages easy transition from breast to bottle-feeding, and is built around interchangeable parts; teats, spouts and handles, which fit all bottles and cups. Check on the Internet for manufacturers on other suitable brands.

Keeping it clean
Bacteria multiply quickly in milk, so it is vital that any bottles and equipment you use are absolutely clean to protect your baby from gastro-infections and tummy upsets. Whatever sterilising method you choose, make sure you always wash the bottles first, and then sterilize, following the manufacturer instructions.

Milk temperature
It’s best to give your baby milk at the same temperature as the breastmilk. This means when you place a drop on your wrist, you should not feel it neither warmer or cooler. Never warm the bottles in a microwave and always check the milk temperature before feeding.

Formula milk and allergy. There are may formulas on the market – from cow’s milk protein based formulas, through soy-based, hydrolysed formulas, and even elemental, amino-based formulas developed for very sensitive babies, showing the signs of a food allergy. If you think you baby may have an allergy, always consult your GP or a qualified dietician. Please refer to the signs of an allergy reaction in the food allergy section.

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