How to Bond With Your Baby When You Bottle Feed

It is a new mother's choice if she wants to breastfeed or bottle feed her baby. There are no right or wrong decisions, as each baby and mother are different and what works for one may not work for another. If you choose to bottle feed your baby, here is how you can bond with your baby while bottle feeding

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Baby
• Bottle
• Quiet place

1. Feed your baby formula that is body temperature. Run a bottle filled with formula under warm water or let the bottle stand in heated water for a short time. Warm it up until the temperature of the formula reaches around body temperature or is lukewarm. This gives your baby the sensation of warm milk and will help her calm down during bottle feedings.

2. Find a comfortable place to bottle feed your baby such as a rocking chain in the baby nursery. Make sure that you are comfortable while feeding your baby. If you are not comfortable, then you can make your baby uncomfortable. Also, you may try to rush through the feeding with your baby instead of enjoying it.

3. To bond with your baby while bottle-feeding, make sure to snuggle with her and keep her close to your body. Research has shown that skin to skin contact can have a soothing affect on babies. Even if you don't breastfeed, you can still have skin to skin contact with your baby by holding your close to your chest and making sure your arms are holding her close.

4. Make sure to make a load of eye contact with your baby while bottle feeding. Talking, singing and cooing at your baby will also help you two bond while feeding. Take this time to give all your attention to your baby and nothing else. Let your small baby hold your hand while you bottle feed her. This simple thing can make you closer to your baby.

5. When your baby has finished her bottle, make sure not to automatically put her down. Continue to hold her close as you continue to bond with her. Remove the bottle from her mouth though and just continue to share time with your precious baby. Also, holding your baby in your arms may help prevent spit ups after feeding anyway, so not only are you developing a bond with your baby you are keeping her safe and healthy.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't feel bad about not breastfeeding your baby, as you will still be able to bond with her just as well.

[Kilogramm]

on 11/9/2008 My wifey is going thru this right now as I type, this is a great how to, thanks a bunch!