If they develop the habit of feed-to-sleep, then it'll become hard for the moms to get rid of that bad habit. Babies are supposed to be fed when awake only. Babies are in their development stage in the first six months; you establish their habits in these months. So make sure to develop good ones.
Babies are best to be fed before sleeping or waking up. It's healthy for babies. If your baby has shifted to bottle feeding, it's great, but if you don't know how to keep the baby awake during bottle feeding, there can be a problem. Don't worry; this article will guide you properly. Let's get started.
How To Keep The Baby Awake?
You must keep the baby awake and alert while bottle feeding him/her. There are many ways to do that.
Burp
It's important to burp the baby after feeding for a few minutes. There are three methods to burp the baby.
Over The Shoulder
- Put your baby's chin on your shoulder
- Gently rub and pat the back of your baby with your hand
On The Lap
- Let the baby sit on your lap
- Keep the baby's face away
- Place your one hand on the baby's chest
- Lean the baby forward a little
- Gently pat the back
Laying Across The Lap
- Carefully lie down the baby across your leg
- Baby's face should be a little down
- Gently pat the back of the baby
Remove The Bottle
To keep the baby awake, you should gently remove the bottle from the baby's mouth after some time, put it back in, then again take it out. It'll keep the baby alert.
Nappy Change
Start changing the nappy of the baby during feeding. It'll keep the baby awake and active. After changing the diaper, you can start feeding again.
Play
You can play with your baby while bottle-feeding him/her. Babies love to play. You can blow air on the baby's cheek, ears, or forehead. Play with their feet or fingers to keep them active.
Talking To The Baby
Talking, singing, and making weird voices can help keep the baby active. Babies love listening to different sounds; you can take advantage of that. You can also play some music to distract the baby.
Remove Clothes
Undress the baby a little so that the baby feels some air. It'll make him/her alert. Cover the baby again after some time.
Let The Baby Sit
It's good to change the baby's position and let him/her sit while bottle feeding. It'll keep the baby awake and active. Sitting upright is a great option because it's hard to sleep in that position.
Flat Surface
We have to deal with the babies very technically. It's one of the most recommended ways to keep the baby awake while bottle feeding. When the baby lays on a flat surface without blankets or other soft items, he/she will not fall asleep in that condition. They will start eating more.
Noisy Environment
Baby can't fall asleep in a noisy place, especially one full of lights. Keep the place noisy while feeding the baby. If there's no one except you and your baby, you can turn on the television with a loud sound.
Hannah Holt
Palmar Technique
Use your thumbs to massage the palms of the baby. It'll make the baby open his/her mouth and feed more without sleeping.
How To Bottle Feed The Baby?
Prepare Bottle
Read the powder and water concentration on the formula milk and follow it carefully. It's not good to mess up with the milk of the baby.
Warm Up The Bottle
It's good to warm the milk. It can easily be done with a bottle warmer, oven, or on a stove.
Testing The Bottle
Give the bottle a shake, and then put a few drops on your hand to check whether the temperature of the milk is right for the baby or not.
Positioning
Take the baby in your arms. Support the head; let the neck and head incline. If you don't want your arm to get tired, place a pillow below it. While feeding the baby, try to tilt the bottle instead of positioning it upside down. It will prevent the baby from choking. You can switch sides after some time if you want your arm to relax a bit.
Checking The Nipple
When the baby is bottle feeding, and the milk starts getting out of his/her mouth, or the baby starts making gulping sounds, then probably the milk flow is way too fast for the baby. On the other hand, if the baby struggles to suck the milk, it means the milk flow is very slow. You should buy a new nipple in both cases.
Some Tips For Bottle Feeding
Newborns need to be fed 10-12 times a day, and when it comes to bottle feeding, there are some things you should keep in mind.
- Never leave your baby out of sight when bottle feeding. Choking on milk can happen.
- Never position the bottle upside down(straight) in the baby's mouth.
- Never force the baby to finish the entire bottle
- Burping the baby is necessary after feeding
- Throw away the remaining milk, don't save it to feed next time
- You can also make a baby bottle with breast milk
Final Thoughts
New parents especially find it difficult to know which position is the best to bottle feed their baby. Holding the baby in your arms is the most recommended position. But never bore the baby by doing nothing except holding the feeding bottle; otherwise, the baby will definitely fall asleep.
You should play, talk and respond to your baby while feeding him/her. The babies find it amusing, and they remain active. We hope that the information was helpful.
