baby’s age. On average, as with breast-fed babies, it is anywhere from 1½
to 3 ounces per feeding in the first several weeks. This amount gradually
increases as baby grows. If you prepare a four-ounce bottle for each
feeding and allow your baby to take as much as he or she wants, the baby
will tend to stop when full. While a larger baby might take more milk,
that is not always the case. As with breast-fed babies, the feeding routine
is what establishes the corresponding hunger patterns. Not the substance
or the amount of food.
Again, we can not overstate breast milk’s advantage in infant
nourishment. However, if you choose not to nurse, you can’t nurse, or if
you decide to discontinue nursing within the first twelve months, the
decision will not make you an unloving mother. Just as breast-feeding
doesn’t make you a good mother, bottle-feeding won’t make you a bad
one.
Burping Your Baby
Baby needs to burp. Initially, formula-fed babies must be burped every
one-half ounce. By the time your baby is four to six months old, he or she
will probably be able to consume six to eight ounces before burping.
With both breast-feeding and bottle-feeding, there is a certain amount of
spitting up. You’ll learn to expect it. (For more on spitting up see page
225.) However, if you find your infant rejecting all his food frequently,
put in a call to your pediatrician.
Here are several workable techniques to assist in burping your baby to
bliss.