Advantages to Bottlefeeding
Your baby can receive good nutrition if
you bottlefeed her iron-fortified formula. Some women enjoy the freedom
bottlefeeding provides. It can make it easier for someone else to help
care for the baby. You can determine exactly how much formula your baby
is taking in at each feeding. There are also other advantages to
bottlefeeding.
• Bottlefeeding is easy to learn; it never hurts if it’s done incorrectly.
• Dad can be more involved in caring for baby.
• Bottlefed babies may go longer between feedings because formula is usually digested more slowly than breast milk.
• A day’s supply of formula can be mixed at one time, saving time and effort.
• You don’t have to be concerned about feeding baby in front of other people.
• It may be easier to bottlefeed if you plan to return to work soon after baby’s birth.
• If you feed iron-fortified formula, baby won’t need iron supplements.
• If you use fluoridated tap water to mix formula, you may not have to give baby fluoride supplements.
• Premeasured formula containers are great when you’re on the go.
Bottlefeeding is not cheap—you’ll spend $1500 to $2000 to feed your baby formula for the first year.
Most parents want to establish a strong
bond with baby. However, some fear bottlefeeding won’t encourage
closeness with their child. They fear bonding won’t happen between
parent and baby. It’s not true that a woman must breastfeed her baby to
bond with her.
Skin-to-skin contact while bottlefeeding
helps bring mom (or anyone else feeding baby) and baby closer. When
feeding baby, choose a quiet place—this helps her concentrate on eating
and helps you bond.
It takes about 10 to 15 days for your
milk production to decline and stop if you don’t breastfeed. The
greatest discomfort is usually experienced between the third and fifth
day after delivery. To help ease soreness, wear a sports bra day and night, take acetaminophen or ibuprofen, and use cold packs.
Your Nutrition If You Bottlefeed
Even if you bottlefeed, it’s important to
follow a nutritious eating plan, such as the one you followed during
pregnancy. Continue to eat foods high in complex carbohydrates, such as
grain products, fruits and vegetables. Lean meats, chicken and fish are
good sources of protein. For your dairy products, choose the low-fat or
skim types.
You need fewer calories than you would if
you were breastfeeding. But don’t drastically cut your calories in the
hopes of losing weight quickly. You still need to eat nutritiously to
maintain good energy levels. Be sure the calories you eat are not from
junk foods.
Here is a list of the types and
quantities of foods you should try to eat each day. Choose 6 servings
from the bread/cereal/pasta/rice group and 3 servings of fruit. Eat 3
servings of vegetables. From the dairy group, choose 2 servings. Eat
about 6 ounces of protein each day. We still advise caution with fats,
oils and sugars; limit intake to 3 teaspoons. And keep up your fluid intake.
