Your baby may give clues to which he likes best. Some things to
consider: Plastic bottles are lighter than glass and are shatterproof.
But they may not last as long as glass. In the past, some parents
chose glass to avoid a chemical called bisphenol. A (BPA) that is used
in some plastic bottles. Now, all plastic bottles sold in the U.S. are
BPA-free, don't really know if that's also true Nigeria.
1. Sterilize Bottles Before First Use
Sterilize new bottles and nipples in a pot of boiling water for 5
minutes. After that, you can wash them with detergent and hot water
-- by hand or in the dishwasher -- each time you use them. You may
prefer to wash bottles by hand, as there have been some studies that
show chemicals leak from plastic when exposed to heat.
2. Stick to Breast Milk or Formula
Give your newborn only pumped breast milk or formula in the bottle --
no water or juice. Mix formula exactly as the label says. Adding too
much water thins the formula, skimping on nutrition. Too little water
may be hard for your baby's stomach and kidneys. Your baby may
have special circumstances that require special mixing or addition of
cereal, but that should be done under the guidance of a pediatrician.
3. Warm or Room Temperature?
It's fine to give your baby a cool or room-temperature bottle. If he
prefers warm formula, put the filled bottle in warm water or run hot tap
water over it for 1-2 minutes. Don't use the microwave. It can cause
hot spots that could burn your baby's mouth. Shake the formula and
put a drop on the top of your hand to test the temperature. Don't test
it on your wrist -- it's less sensitive to heat.
4. How to Hold Your Baby
Put a bib on your baby and have a cloth ready to clean any spit-up
milk or formula. Now, cradle him with his head a bit higher than the
rest of his body. Hold the bottle and watch him eat. Watching your
baby will help you know when he’s finished. If your baby slows his
eating, try burping him.
5. Cut Down on Spit-Up
If your baby spits up a lot, try burping her every few minutes during
feedings. Don't lay her down or play with her for 20-30 minutes after
eating. Spitting up often gets better when a baby starts sitting up. If
you're worried about how much she spits up, or if she is fussy when
spitting up, talk to your pediatrician.
6. Should You Switch Formulas?
If your baby spits up a lot or is fussy, you may blame the formula.
Sometimes, babies can have reflux, or allergies that can cause things
like diarrhea, vomiting, bloody stools, fussiness, or dry, red skin. If
you see this, talk to your baby's doctor. He or she will tell you if you
need to change formulas -- and if so, how to do it best. Don't make a
change without talking to your doctor first.
7. How Long Can You Store Milk?
Formula left over in the bottle should always be thrown out.
Immediately refrigerate opened packages of liquid formula, and use
them within 48 hours. If you have mixed formula from powder, it can
be stored for 24 hours in the fridge. If formula is left out more than 2
hours, throw it out. Make formula as needed -- don't mix big batches.
Freshly pumped breast milk is good for 5 hours at room temperature.
Refrigerate breast milk for use within 5 days. Or freeze it. It can last 5
months at a temperature of -5 degrees, or 1 year at a temperature of
-20.
[Source: WebMD]