Bottle feeding

Bottle Feeding: A Practical Guide to Feeding with Confidence

Bottle feeding can be part of many feeding journeys — whether you’re formula feeding, expressing breast milk, combination feeding, or transitioning from breastfeeding. With the right products, clear guidance, and trusted advice, bottle feeding can feel calm, predictable, and supportive for both baby and parent.

This guide is designed to help you understand how bottle feeding works, which bottles and teats to choose, how to prepare feeds safely, and how babaloo supports parents with trusted products and expert advice — so you can shop with clarity and confidence.

What Is Bottle Feeding?

Bottle feeding is the practice of feeding your baby breast milk or infant formula using a bottle and teat. It may be used:

• From birth
• Alongside breastfeeding
• As a transition between feeding methods
• By partners or caregivers

When bottle feeding is used

Parents choose bottle feeding for many reasons, including:

• Medical or supply considerations
• Returning to work or needing flexibility
• Sharing feeding responsibilities
• Personal preference or lifestyle needs

All feeding choices are valid, and support matters most.

Pros and considerations

Benefits

• Allows other caregivers to feed the baby
• Easier tracking of intake
• Flexible feeding schedules
• Supports combination feeding

Considerations

• Requires preparation and cleaning
• Formula feeding involves additional costs
• Bottle and teat choice can affect comfort and digestion

The right products can significantly reduce these challenges.

How to Bottle Feed Step by Step

Preparing formula safely

Key steps include:

• Wash your hands thoroughly
• Use sterilised bottles and teats
• Follow the formula instructions exactly
• Measure water before adding powder
• Use cooled, boiled water as recommended in Australia
• Discard unfinished feeds

Always follow Australian health guidelines and the specific instructions on your formula tin.

Bottle feeding positions

Feeding position affects comfort, digestion, and pacing.

Common positions include:

• Semi-upright cradle position
• Paced bottle feeding (bottle held more horizontally)
• Eye-level feeding for interaction and bonding

Paced feeding helps reduce overfeeding and supports babies who switch between breast and bottle.

Choosing Bottles and Teats

Bottle materials and shapes

Common bottle materials:

• Plastic (lightweight and durable)
• Glass (long-lasting and easy to clean)

Bottle shapes vary from slim-neck,  wide-neck to angled designs, which can affect grip, milk flow, and cleaning ease.

Teat flow and anti-colic options

Teats play a big role in feeding comfort.

Things to consider:

• Flow rate appropriate for the baby’s age
• The teat shape that supports a natural latch
• Anti-colic valves to reduce air intake

If the baby shows signs of discomfort, gas, or leaking, changing teat size or style can help.

Cleaning and Sterilising Bottles

Best practice includes:

• Rinsing bottles immediately after use
• Washing with warm soapy water or bottle brushes
• Sterilising regularly for newborns
• Air-drying on a clean surface

Sterilising options include boiling, steam sterilisers, or microwave systems. Always check manufacturer instructions.

Troubleshooting Common Bottle Feeding Issues

Baby refusing the bottle

Possible reasons include:

• The tea flows too fast or too slow
• Teat shape preference
• Feeding position
• Temperature of milk

Trying a different teat or bottle style often helps.

Wind, reflux, or discomfort

Supportive strategies:

• Use anti-colic bottles
• Burp baby during and after feeds
• Keep the baby upright after feeding
• Slow the feeding pace

Overfeeding

Signs of overfeeding may include frequent spit-up or discomfort. Paced bottle feeding can help the baby self-regulate intake.

Bottle Feeding FAQs

How often should I bottle-feed?
Newborns typically feed every 3–4 hours. Feeding frequency changes as the baby grows.

Can I combine breastfeeding and bottle feeding?
Yes. Many families successfully combine feeding methods using paced feeding and suitable teats.

How many bottles do I need?
Most families start with 4–6 bottles and adjust based on feeding frequency and cleaning routines.

Do I need special bottles for formula feeding?
Not necessarily, but bottles with anti-colic features can support digestion.

Expert Support and Trusted Products from babaloo

Choosing bottles, teats, and feeding accessories can feel overwhelming — especially with so many options available. At babaloo, we support parents with:

• Carefully selected, trusted bottle brands
• Guidance on bottle and teat selection
• Product advice tailored to your feeding style
• Support for combination and transition feeding

Our goal is to make feeding choices clear, supported, and stress-free.

Shop Bottle Feeding Essentials with Confidence

Whether you’re starting from scratch or updating your feeding setup, the right products make a real difference.

Browse our best-selling bottles and feeding essentials to support your feeding journey — shop now.