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Feeding the newborn is tricky. You might not be very efficient at it from the first but moms.com can assist you in this process as hundreds of moms share their experience and expertise here that will help you to a great extent.
According to most experts, you should not keep a very rigid schedule for feeding in the first few weeks but you will be able to set a pattern within two months. You could breastfeed the baby or offer the bottle to the baby whenever the baby is hungry, that is at 2-3 hour intervals. This can be repeated till the baby takes in 10 ounces. Never force feed the baby as you might be giving the baby more than they need. The amount of food should be decided by the doctor.
If you are using bottles, nipples, or rings for the first time, make sure that you sterilize them by putting them into boiling water for five minutes and then let it be air dried on a clean towel. After the first use, follow the same process so that the bottle is sterilized for the next use. This process is a must for people using well water as the water itself is sometimes contaminated. Try not boiling any plastic bottles as they contain bisphenol A and many other chemicals and these are released when the bottle is heated. This way the chemicals can get mixed up in your baby’s milk or water. Many baby stores have bottle drying racks and dishwasher baskets for washing nipples.
If your baby likes warm milk, warm up the bottle containing the milk by placing it in a bowl of warm water. Do not put it in boiling water but you could use the bottle warmers available in the market solely for this purpose. You do not need to do through the above process if your baby is ok with drinking water or milk at room temperature. If you are feeding the baby some formula or breast milk in a bottle, never heat it as the heating might cause the breakdown of the nutrients.
Make sure that the baby is drinking properly. Observe very closely. Too much sucking sound while drinking may mean that too much air is being sucked in. so, hold the baby at a 45 degree angle to make her swallow lesser air. Keep the bottle tilted to make the nipple always be filled up with the liquid inside the bottle.
