Bottle Feeding Baby Without Guilt

The "breast is best" pendulum has swung so far in favor of breast feeding infants that parents who choose to (or have no choice but to) bottle feed their babies feel stigma and guilt. Although just a half century ago, bottle-feeding was the norm in the United States, times and trends have changed and breast feeding is the accepted "best practice" for infant feeding. Still, according to physicians, bottle feeding is a healthy and satisfactory choice, and a reasonable substitute for breast feeding. In other words, bottle fed babies are healthy and develop just fine. Here are some bottle feeding tips on how to feed our baby and shake the bottle-feeding guilt!

It is important to know that infant formulas on the market are regulated in terms of their content. They are manufactured to resemble human breast milk as closely as possible. So, there is not significant difference in the constitution of different brands of formula. What a parent will find is that formula is available in cow-based or soy-based. Most physicians recommend trying the cow-based formula first. Then, if a reaction or allergy develops, try a soy-based formula. Check with your physician or pediatrician for suggestions. He or she may have suggestions based on your genetic history, or updated information on products available.

Formula is available in powder, liquid concentrate and ready-made packages. The powder is the least expensive and must be mixed with water. The liquid concentrate is more expensive and must also be mixed with water to make it consumable. The ready-made cans or "bottles" are the most expensive and can be served to the baby "as is." These are great for travel and visits. Be sure to read the expiration dates on formula cans as they do have a finite shelf-life. This is especially important for parents who like to "stock up" to save even more money. Make sure you'll be able to use the formula before it expires.