Things You'll Need:
- Baby bottles
- Nursing pillow
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Step 1
Find a quiet and relaxing place to feed your baby. Tuning out as many distractions as possible will help you spend feeding time being solely focused on your baby.
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Step 2
Pump breast milk at the same time everyday. For a newborn or young infant, every two hours is a common time frame. Every pumping session can give you different amounts of milk so don't worry over the amount you pump at each feeding. Keep track of the amount of milk you pump over a two or day period to ensure you're pumping enough to meet your baby's demand.
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Step 3
Hold your baby in the same position while bottle nursing as you would if you were breastfeeding. Holding them on a nursing pillow will help them stay in a breastfeeding position. Keeping your baby close to the breast will not only stimulate your own milk supply but it will also signal to your baby that it's time to eat.
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Step 4
Promote lots of skin-to-skin contact during feedings and throughout the day. Your baby became used to your smell while in utero, and keeping them close to bare skin during the day will continue to help them bond with you as well as stimulate their appetite.
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Step 5
Let the baby eat at their own pace. It may be necessary to remove the bottle nipple several times during a feeding to help them catch up on their swallowing similar to a breastfeeding let-down. Take as much time as necessary during feedings and allow your baby to set the time limits.
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Step 6
Look into your baby's eyes and stroke their skin during feedings. Babies crave touch and can sense the familiarity of parents and caregivers based on touch and smell long before they can recognize you with their vision.
