How to bottle-feed your baby

Bottle feeding can involve either formula or expressed breast milk and how much milk your baby will need will vary depending on their age and weight. Newborns generally only need a small amount but this will grow as they get older and bigger.

Most babies will fall into their own feeding pattern and routine and you should feed your baby when they show signs of being hungry. Don’t ignore your baby’s hunger cues by sticking to a strict regime.

When your baby is first born, they will usually only take small amounts of milk by bottle, whether it is expressed breast milk or formula.

As a general guide, a newborn baby may typically take around 60 ml to 70 ml of formula per feed seven or eight times a day. Between three weeks and eight weeks, they may take between 90 ml and 120 ml five to seven times a day. However, if you are breastfeeding this is obviously impossible to gauge so you can be guided by your baby’s wet and dirty nappies.

If you are formula feeding, most babies who are more than a week old will need between 150 ml and 200 ml per kilogram of their body weight over a 24-hour period, until they are around 6 months old. This means a baby which weighs 5 kg or 11 lbs will need between 750 ml and 1 litre of formula milk per day. How much formula they will need will depend on how heavy they are and, of course, all babies are different and some will have bigger appetites than others.

Once your baby is a month old, they will probably need between 90 ml and 120 ml of milk for a feed.

Between two months and six months, a bottle-fed baby may only need around five feeds a
day but will take more milk at each feed – between 150 ml to 210 ml.
Babies who are older than six months still need plenty of milk alongside solid foods. They are likely to only need four bottle feeds a day at this stage with between 150 ml and 180 ml per bottle. This will gradually decrease as they start to eat more solid food.

You may find there are times when your baby wants to bottle feed more often than usual. This might be because they are teething or feeling unwell or they may be experiencing a growth spurt.

Below is a handy newborn feeding chart for healthy babies born at fullterm (after 37 weeks). This is a rough guide so remember that all babies are different. Some may drink slightly less or more per feed than others. If a baby drinks less per feed, they may make it up by having more feeds in 24 hours.

When you are bottle feeding you can measure how much milk they take at each feed. However, you still may be wondering if they are getting enough.

If your baby is settling in between feeds and gaining weight, this is usually a good sign that they are feeding well. Another indicator is how many wet and dirty nappies they are producing.

Once your baby is a few days old or older, they should be producing at least six wet nappies in a 24-hour period. For the first 48 hours, this will be less and only two or three wet nappies is normal.

For the first week, you can expect your baby to have four dirty nappies a day. As your baby gets older, the number of poos they do each day will decrease and may go down to two a day after a few months.

If you need more individual advice on how much or how often to feed your baby, please contact your healthcare professional.

Just as with breastfeeding, it is important for parents who are bottle feeding to learn to recognise when their baby is hungry. Crying is a late sign for hunger and there are plenty of signs to look out for before your baby gets to that point.

If your baby seems restless and is finding it hard to settle, this is often a sign they are hungry. You may notice they are turning their head and opening their mouth – an instinctive action which is known as rooting. You may also find that your baby is sucking either their fist or fingers or is attempting to suck something else like a toy.

You may be wondering how to bottle feed a baby as it doesn’t come automatically for everyone. When bottle-feeding, you want to ensure baby is close to you and able to maintain eye contact, promoting bonding. Sit in a comfortable chair with the baby’s head resting in the crook of your elbow. The baby’s head and shoulders should be slightly elevated and not flat. The head should be higher than their stomach to prevent milk from flowing too quickly.

This position gives you control over the bottle and allows the baby to feel snug and secure, mimicking breastfeeding.

It’s important to follow all recommended steps for preparing bottles, to ensure to safety and well-being of your baby. Start by washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Clean the bottle, teat, and other feeding equipment in hot, soapy water, ensuring all milk residue is removed, and rinse them well. Once cleaned, sterilise the equipment either by boiling, using a microwave, or a cold-water sterilising solution. After sterilising, ensure all equipment is assembled and used within 24 hours, keeping it covered until needed.

To prepare the formula, boil fresh tap water in a kettle and let it cool for no longer than 30 minutes, so it remains at a temperature of at least 70°C. Pour the required amount of hot water into the sterilized bottle, following the instructions on the formula packaging for the correct ratio of water to powder. Use the scoop provided in the formula tin, levelling off the powder with a clean knife. Add the powder to the bottle, screw on the lid, and shake well to ensure it dissolves completely.

Before feeding, cool the bottle down by placing it in cold water or holding it under a cold tap until it reaches a safe temperature. Test the temperature by dropping a little formula on the inside of your wrist; it should feel lukewarm, not hot. Once the bottle is prepared, feed your baby immediately. Discard any unused formula within two hours to avoid bacterial contamination. Store the unopened formula in a cool, dry place, and always use within the manufacturer's recommended time frame after opening.