Bottle Feeding Your Baby
THE GOOD NEWS...
"Infant formulas are a safe alternative to breast milk" says
Dr. Barton D. Schmitt, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado
School of Medicine and Director of General Consultative Services at the
Children's Hospital of Denver. In his book, YOUR CHILD'S HEALTH, he states
— "bottle feeding can provide your child with all the emotional
benefits and many of the health benefits of breastfeeding. Bottle-fed
babies grow as rapidly and can be as happy as breastfed babies."
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REMEMBER Bacteria doubles every 20 minutes at room temperature. |
Proper Preparation
"Infant formula is increasingly close to breast milk," writes
John C Wallingford, Ph.D., an infant nutrition specialist with the FDA's
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. "This means,"
writes Isadora Stehlin also with the FDA, "that while breastfeeding
is still the best nourishment for infants, infant formula is a close enough
second that babies not only survive but thrive." Unfortunately, however,
as infant formula has improved and become more nutrient-rich, it now spoils
much more quickly. As a result, health officials stress the need to feed
babies immediately after mixing formula. Gone are the days when you could
mix up a bottle and carry it around for two to four hours. Experts at
the University of Nebraska together with the U.S.D.A. warn parents that
formula should be fed to infants within 30 minutes of preparation and
discarded after 1 hour.
Late Night Feeding
Late night feedings are especially difficult for parents. Most experts
agree feeding "on demand" is important. Babies don't understand
space and time the way we do. The more quickly you are able to meet their
needs, the less chance they will feel scared or abandoned. Preparing bottles
ahead of time and having them ready by the side of the crib is one way
to meet this need. When baby starts to cry, you can feed immediately.
This also decreases the chance your baby's whimper will turn into a full-fledged
roar, and means you will be able to get back to sleep sooner. There are
numerous products available to keep formula fresh at the edge of the crib
— bottle coolers, bottle warmers, and specialized bottles and accessories
that keep powder and water separate prior to serving.
Traveling
According to the new guidelines on formula feeding, formula mixed in regular
and "angled" bottles fill up rapidly with bacteria and should
never be transported in a baby bag without refrigeration.
Remember: Bacteria doubles every 20 minutes at room temperature.
The College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State University states,
"Formula should not be kept in a diaper bag or on the kitchen counter.
If you are going away, keep it cold in an insulated thermos bottle or
carry it in an insulated container with a freezer gel pack to keep the
formula cold. If you are unable to keep the formula cold, bring along
an unopened can of ready-to-eat formula."
Daycare
According to Penn State University, the number one cause of contamination
in childcare facilities comes from dirty diapers. Infant diapers are full
of bacteria. The safest way of protecting your child from contamination
is by providing pre-prepared bottles of formula instead of counting on
childcare workers to always wash their hands properly between changing
diapers and making formula. For parents looking for that extra degree
of safety, specialized "safety-sealed" bottles are available.
Currently, there are two types of "safety-sealed" infant formula bottles available to parents disposable and reusable. Disposable jars of ready-to-use formula are available from Ross Labs — the makers of Similac formula. Reusable bottles that can be "safety-sealed" are available from a company called Umix. Their special Shake It Up ™ bottle keeps powdered formula separate from water until serving and allows parents to prepare formula at home and "safety seal" it before it goes to daycare.
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New
guidelines on infant feeding are available on the internet at:
FDA —
Infant
Formula Second Best but Good Enough Penn State University — Safe Food, It's Up to You! University of Nebraska — Guidelines for Bottlefeeding |
