It is OK to use artifical milk and to bottle-feed

Aik, kenapa tiba-tiba beralih arah ni? My role as a peer counselor is only to help, suggest and motivate mothers to breastfeed their infants.

Eventually, the choice is in the mothers' hand. Therefore, this is another option for mothers out there. 

So, It is OK for you to opt for formula and to bottle-feed if you are OK and willingly to follow all these steps of preparation and storage to ensure your babies get the best for themselves.

1. Be very careful when mixing up a bottle of formula. The bottles must be always be sterilised and the water must be clean boiled.Sterilize bottles and nipples in a dishwasher or in a pot of boiling water for five minutes.

2. Before adding water to powder formula or liquid concentrate, boil the water a minute or two and cool. 

Klish advises heating the water until it reaches a rolling boil, continue to boil for one to two minutes, and then let it cool. "That should take care of all the bacteria and parasites that might be in the water," he explains. There was a case of the contamination of Milwaukee's water with the parasite Cryptosporidium in 1993 - American Academy of Pediatrics.

If you are unsure about the water supply, you may use bottled water. There are some bottled waters that are suitable for infant feeding and you might see the statement "Suitable for infant feeding" on their labels. But that will only cost more.

3. Mix powder formula and liquid concentrate with the exact amount of water stated on the label. Too much water (over-diluted) will not provide adequate nutrition, keeps your baby from getting enough to eat and the baby may fail to thrive and grow. Meanwhile too little water (Under-diluted formula) can upset your baby’s stomach, hurt their kidneys and can cause problems for the infant's organs and digestive system.


4. After you mix formula with water, and would not want to use it immediately, you may store it in the refrigerator until you use it, preferably within 24 hours.

Never leave formula at room temperature.

Cover an opened can of formula (liquid concentrate or ready-to-feed), store in the refrigerator, and use within 48 hours after opening.

5. Some babies will drink a bottle straight from the refrigerator. However, if your baby prefers warm formula, right before feeding time, heat the bottle in one of these three ways: use a bottle warmer according to directions; hold the bottle under a stream of warm tap water, or put it in a pan of warm water (that has been removed from the stovetop) for about five minutes.

6. Gently shake the bottle, and then sprinkle several drops of formula (or milk) on the back of your hand, not your wrist, to test the temperature and ensure it’s not too hot for feeding. It should be slightly warm to the touch, and you should barely feel the temperature on your skin.

7. Never heat a bottle of formula in a microwave oven, because it doesn’t heat evenly and could burn your baby’s mouth.

8. Discard unused formula left in the bottle after feeding. bacteria love formula. If you don't, the bacteria can multiply very quick and can make the baby sick. Bacteria that are naturally present in the baby's saliva can transfer into the formula and grow rapidly in the nutrient-rich product.

It's all your choice. Choose wisely.


Source: 
1. The Code In Cartoon (IBFAN)
2. babyparenting.about.com
3.www.infantformula.org
4. HGIC 4101 Breast Milk or Infant Formula?