When Can A Baby Start Holding The Bottle On Their Own

Your child is growing up. Along with mother's milk, she has also got used to bottle milk. In the beginning, you are holding it with your hands and feeding it. But, he has to learn to hold the bottle with his own hands. You will get used to it gradually. An attempt has been made to cover many topics related to baby and bottle in this blog.

When Should The Bottle Milk Be Given To A Baby?

Do you know what is the right age to bottle feed a baby? According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a baby should drink only breast milk for up to 6 months. But if for some reason the milk is not coming in the mother's breasts, then she should start feeding the baby with a bottle or a spoon-bowl.

When Should You Introduce Bottle Feeding?

When the baby is fully breastfed, then you can start bottle feeding your baby. Along with breastfeeding, you can bottle feed your baby once or twice a day. Do not start bottle milk right away from breastfeeding, but if you breastfeed for some time during the day, then feed bottle milk for some time. It may take about two weeks for a baby to learn to bottle feed.

How Many Times Should I Bottle Feed The Baby?

In the beginning, feed the baby only 30 to 60 ml of milk from the bottle. After two to three days, you can give 60 to 90 ml of milk. Apart from this, keep feeding the baby every 3 to 4 hours. After drinking milk, the child can sleep for 4 to 5 hours, but you must pick him up and feed him milk every 5 hours. After drinking bottle milk for a month, give 120 ml of milk to the baby and give milk every four hours. After this, 180 to 240 ml of milk is to be given.

When Is The Right Time To Introduce Cow’s Milk To The Baby?

There will also be a question in your mind that from when should we give cow's milk to the baby? Experts recommend that even before the first birthday, babies still need nutrients in breast milk or formula. But after that, they are ready to adopt cow's milk.

Include Calcium And Vitamin D In Your Child’s Diet

Most children under the age of 2 should drink milk. If the child is overweight or has a family history of obesity, high cholesterol, or heart problems, your doctor may recommend switching to low-fat (2:) milk. If your child cannot drink cow's milk, offer a drink rich in calcium and vitamin D. Other milk alternatives, such as almond, oat, rice, or coconut milk, have less protein and may not be fortified.

Is Your Baby Drinking Milk Properly?

When the baby has learned to hold the bottle comfortably, then the next question that will come to your mind: is your baby drinking milk properly? If there is more sound than the nipple of the bottle while feeding, then it may be that the nipple is filled with air, due to which the baby can take air along with the milk. Therefore, feed the bottle with a slant so that the nipple is always full of milk. The baby may also pause in between while feeding. This shows that the baby is drinking milk comfortably. If the nipple keeps coming out of the baby's mouth frequently, it may be that the bottle is not held correctly or the feeding position is not correct. If the baby is taking his mouth off the nipple on his own while feeding, it may be that he is full.

Wrapping Up

If you are a new mother this guide will come in handy as it throws a light on all the important aspects of feeding the baby with a bottle and when is the right time to introduce your little one to the bottle feed. If you ever feel confused or stressed, it is advisable to get in touch with your paediatrician and clarify all your doubts with her.