How to prepare a bottle

How to prepare and give a formula feed

How?

Best practice is to make up each feed as required

Boil fresh tap water in the kettle and allow it to cool to no less than 70^oC. In practice, this means using water that has been left for between 25 and 30 minutes after boiling
Make sure your equipment is sterilised
Clean the work surface where you’ll be preparing the bottle
Wash your hands thoroughly
Measure exactly the required amount of cooled boiled water into the sterilised bottle (careful - the water will still be hot). See manufacturer’s instructions for the amount of water required
Using the scoop provided with the infant milk powder, add the exact amount of scoops of powder to the bottle, levelling off each scoop with a clean, dry knife. Do not pack the powder down in the scoop as this will over concentrate the feed and could make your baby ill
Place the sterilised teat and cap on the bottle and shake well
Cool the bottle under cold running water until lukewarm
Before giving to your baby, test the temperature by shaking a few drops onto the inside of your wrist
Throw away any milk that has not been used within 1 hour if the bottle has been fed from. And after 2 hours even if it’s untouched

Warming a bottle

If you are using ready made formula and you need to warm up your baby’s milk, either place the bottle in a jug of hot water or use an electric bottle warmer. Never warm milk in a microwave as this may cause uneven heating and could scald your baby’s mouth.

Cows’ milk should not be used as a drink until your baby is over 1 year old
Goats and sheep milk, and milks based on rice or oats, are not suitable as drinks for babies under 1 year old as they are deficient in iron and other nutrients
Never add any food to your baby’s bottle

Bottle-feeding positions

Hold the bottle at an angle, so the teat and neck are always full of milk. This way there’s less chance of your baby getting trapped wind
Put your baby into an upright position before and after feeding
If wind is an issue, wind your baby frequently during the feed

Don’t add extra water or powder to make your baby’s feeds stronger or weaker unless advised by a healthcare professional as it could make your baby ill.

How much formula how often: find out how much formula and how often you need to feed your baby
How to make up a formula; find out how to make up SMA formula
Winding: find out how to wind your baby after a feed
From bottle to cup: for information how how to move from bottle to cup

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Breastfeeding is best for babies. Good maternal nutrition is important for the preparation and maintenance of breastfeeding. Introducing partial bottle-feeding may have a negative effect on breastfeeding and reversing a decision not to breastfeed is difficult. You should always seek the advice of a doctor, midwife, health visitor, public health nurse, dietitian or pharmacist on the need for and proper method of use of infant milks and on all matters of infant feeding. Social and financial implications should be considered when selecting a method of infant feeding. Infant milk should always be prepared and used as directed. Inappropriate foods or feeding methods, or improper use of infant formula, may present a health hazard.