Even while pleading ‘No contest’ to the fact that ‘Breast feeding is best feeding’, one has to understand that many a time one has to settle for an alternative option of Bottle-feeding. Let’s take a look at the rights and wrongs of bottle-feeding.
What are the disadvantages of bottle-feeding?
It helps to know the pitfalls in bottle-feeding before embarking on that path. Following disadvantages are commonly associated with bottle-feeding.
- Infection: through contamination is a common danger. Gastrointestinal, respiratory and ear infections are more common in bottle-fed children.
- Nutritional problems: Too dilute a formula will lead to malnutrition. Too concentrated formula sometimes can cause excessive sodium level and even fits. Using cow’s milk can lead to iron deficiency and goat’s milk can cause folate deficiency.
Childhood obesity is more common in bottle–fed children. - Economic: Buying fresh or formula milk is expensive. Isn’t it?
- Work-load: Preparing formula, sterilization of bottles and nipples – all this just adds to the daily domestic chores.
- More chances for illnesses: Bottle- fed children lose out on natural protection provided by breast-milk. Apart from infections, many other illnesses like colic, eczema, asthma and dental caries are more commonly seen in bottle-fed children.
- Wrong habits: Many bottle-fed babies will show reluctance to eat semisolid and solid feeds. They are also prone for constipation.
What are its advantages?
Despite all raising hue and cry against it, bottle-feeding does offer some advantages which all could be grouped under one heading – Convenience.
- It makes mother ‘free’ as anyone can feed the baby with bottle and the mother can then pursue her career and other social activities without feeling tied down. There needn’t be any restrictions as regards her diet, drinks or medicines.
- It is a convenient mode of feeding while travelling or in public places.
- Bottle-fed babies need less number of feeds as they take longer to digest animal milk.
- When bottle-feeding, mother knows exactly how much milk the baby is taking and that often gives a sense of security and satisfaction about the adequacy of intake.
- It is the only method of feeding available when breast-feeding is not possible in case mother is suffering from a severe illness or is on certain dangerous medicines like lithium, radio-active iodine, anti-thyroid medicines and anti-cancer drugs.
What are the types of milk used for bottle-feeding?
- Cow-milk, buffalo-milk and milk formulas are the popular choices for bottle-feeding.
- In some regions they use milk of animals like goats, camels and donkeys.
- Raw animal milk is fed in some tribes but that is a dangerous practice with almost guaranteed transmission of infection and difficulty in digestion.
- Evaporated cow-milk available in tetra-packs has the advantage of prolonged storage and is easier to digest than whole milk.
- Condensed milk (with too much of sugar) and skimmed milk (with too much of proteins/minerals; too less of fats/ calories) are not good choices and are not advisable for babies.
What are the Milk Formulas or Formula Milks?
The popularly called ‘Formula milks’(Milk Formulas) have a base of cow-milk and they have been chemically modified to match human milk as closely as possible. Vitamins and minerals are added in them to improve their nutritional value. Both, powder and liquid (ready-to-feed) formulas are available.
Special milk formulas are sometimes used in premature babies and in babies with some metabolic, digestive or allergic problems. They should only be used on your doctor’s prescription.
What type of milk is better – Fresh milk or formula milk?
The adjective ‘Fresh’ somehow gives off a superior feeling to a layman (e.g. Fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fresh meat etc.). But understand one thing that fresh milk is finally some animal’s milk for babies of that particular animal-species.
‘Formula Milk’ is prepared by chemically converting cow’s milk to a formula which closely matches the human breast milk. That’s why if one can afford it, formula milk is a nutritionally superior choice.
How do I choose the milk formula?
Despite tall claims and counter-claims, between different reputed brands of formula milk there is practically no difference and one can safely choose any one according to his budget and liking. If the baby is feeding comfortably and gaining weight normally, then it doesn’t make any sense to change from one brand to another.
Nowadays, most of leading brands have come up with No.1 (from 0- 6 months), No.2 (from 6-12 months) and No.3 (from 1-4 years) formulae which are supposed to be catering to particular growth patterns and nutritional needs.
Is Bowl-and-Spoon-feeding superior to Bottle-feeding?
Sterilization of a bowl and a spoon is easier and more likely to be fool-proof. But spoon-feeding is time-consuming and requires a high degree of self-motivation. So even though bowl-and-spoon-feeding may be more hygienic, still the bottle remains the most popular way of milk-feeding.
Still it is always preferable to do away with bottle and switch over to cup as soon as the baby is ready to drink from it. You can do it by the time baby turns nine months or older.
How do I prepare milk for bottle-feeding?
As compared to breast-milk, the cow-milk has higher concentration of heavy protein (casein) and a lower concentration of sugar (lactose). Buffalo milk, in addition to these differences, also has more fat. Hence these animal milks need a preparation or ‘Humanization’ before consumption.
- Preparing whole cow-milk for feeds:
Boil it for 10 minutes (to break down casein into softer curds) and add sugar (1 teaspoonful for every 2 ½ Oz or 75 ml). - Preparing whole buffalo-milk: Follow same steps as for cow-milk and in addition remove the cream (to reduce fat).
After preparing (humanization), both, whole cow-milk and whole buffalo-milk can be given undiluted.
- Preparing formula-milk for feeds: Usually, 1 supplied measure (filled flat to the top) added to 1 Oz or 30 ml of boiled water makes up that much amount of formula milk. Check your formula container/ leaflet for exact instructions.
How do I clean and sterilize the bottles and nipples?
This is the most important precaution to avoid infections. Follow these steps.
- Wash the used bottles, caps and nipples thoroughly with mild detergent in warm water.
- Clean the sticky interior of the used bottles with detergent-water and brush.
- Then thoroughly rinse the bottles, caps and nipples in running water to remove traces of soap.
- Place the cleaned feeding equipment in a wide container of water. Cover the container. Boil for at least 5 minutes (preferably for 10 minutes).
- Remove the sterilized equipment by tongs and keep on a rack to air-dry.
- Immediately prepare the feed in the bottle.
The commonest mistake is drying the bottle and nipple inside out with some cloth after they are out of the boiling container. This ‘cleaning’ only serves to introduce germs and wastes all the earlier sterilization process!
When is the right time to stop bottle-feeding?
By around 9 months, the baby becomes ready to hold a cup for feeding and that’s the cue to stop bottle for good! Don’t let this habit go on and on for the sake of convenience. Just understand that the risk involved in this feeding- practice is much higher than the benefit.
The longer you continue the bottle feeding habit, it will be more difficult to stop and more harmful it would become to your baby’s overall health and nutritional habits.
Are there any general tips for bottle-feeding?
Yes, the following tips are useful for every bottle-feeding mother.
- Whenever it is possible, the mother herself should be bottle-feeding, holding the baby in the crook of her arm. This promotes the emotional bonding.
- Don’t bottle-feed to a baby who is lying down on her back as there is a risk of choking and ear infection.
- Burp well after feeding.
- Choose good quality feeding equipment from reputed manufacturers.
- Check temperature of milk by dropping it on the inside of your wrist or back of hand. Milk should be preferably fed at body temperature.
- If the milk seems too cold then you can warm it by placing bottle in warm water. Do not warm the milk-bottle in a microwave oven.
- Check nipple-hole size by seeing that milk comes out in slow drops. Too small nipple-hole causes underfeeding and tires the baby. You can enlarge its size by piercing with a red-hot needle. Too large a hole can lead to overfeeding, obesity and even choking.
- Check the milk level in the bottle while feeding. Holding the bottle in a slanted position often leads to excessive air-sucking. That’s why always make sure that there is no air level in the bottle while feeding.
- Check the integrity of formula packing and its expiry date.
- Stop bottle-feeding once the baby becomes nine months and learns to hold a feeding cup in hands! No bottle-feeding beyond first birthday!
Conclusion:
Bottle-feeding has been portrayed as a big bad wolf by pediatricians all over and not without a ton of justification, but the fact remains that it is a well-trenched tradition and is there to stay.
Educating the mother about its dangers and its correct technique is the only way of taming this wolf!
