After nine months of pregnancy, giving birth and meanwhile some sleepless nights, making a bottle is not rocket science. Nice huh? We think so too! But it is important that the steps are followed carefully with a hyper-mama focus on the hygiene part. In just seven steps you can put a bottle on the table in no time. In addition, we give you tips and advice on how and for how long you can best store a bottle, the way of heating the content for when you are at home or on the road and we take you with us in our products. Ready, set, go!
Breast milk versus formula
Moedermelk wordt ook wel vloeibaar goud genoemd, daarom adviseren te allen tijde om moedermelk te geven. Maar voor sommige moeders is dit soms niet mogelijk of simpelweg niet haalbaar, daarom is kunstvoeding een mooi alternatief. Kunstvoeding voorbereiden en bereiden is niet heel heavy, maar houd je aandacht erbij en hou het schoon!
The right products
In order to be able to give formula without worries, it is very important to purchase the right items. We recommend the bottles and bottle nipples from NurtureGoods. This gives you a stable and safe base and you always have an extra teat in your pocket.
Step 1: hygiene first!
Take your time and wash your hands carefully. Also make sure that the bottle and teat are clean (Voedingscentrum, n.d.).
Step 2: water quality
To be on the safe side, we recommend that you use boiling water to mix with the powder. This means you can be 100% sure that there are no bacteria in the water (Nutricia, n.d.). Pour the required amount into the bottle and let the water cool down until you can hold the bottle without any problems (Voedingscentrum, n.d.). You can also add cold water to speed up the process. Use bottled water for this. Take a good look at the packaging, not all bottled water is suitable for baby food (Consumentenbond, 2019).
Step 3: scoop, scoop, scoop
Be careful, use the measuring spoon to scoop the right amount of powder. Put your extra love for your baby in a hug or kiss, but not an extra scoop of powder. The wrong ratio can be harmful to your little one (Voedingscentrum, n.d.). Extra tip: stick to the correct order, because the powder dissolves much better if you add it after the water (Nutricia, n.d.).
Step 4: shake it mommy
Put the cap back on the bottle and shake it. Make sure to shake vigorously and vertically until the powder is completely dissolved. Continue like this for about ten seconds (Nutricia, n.d.).
Step 5: check, check & double check
Make sure that the content is not too warm before feeding the feed to your baby. You do this by dripping a few drops on the inside of your wrist. When the content is about as warm as your skin, then you are ready to go. If not? Let the bottle cool down for a while and repeat the operation (Voedingscentrum, n.d.).
Step 6: Don't forget to clean up
Important! Keep the measuring spoon in the package and close it tightly. It is best to store the formula in a cool and dry place (Nutricia, n.d.).
Step 7: at the table… uhh the breast
Give the bottle within 1 hour of preparation and do not let your little one drink for much longer than half an hour. Leftovers left? Throw them away (Nutricia, n.d.) (Voedingscentrum, n.d.).
On the road, and now?
Do you see any problems? We see opportunities! All you have to do is take boiled water with you in a thermos and the correct amount of powder in a separate container and you're ready to go. You can conjure up a bottle from your sleeve in no time. If you are in the vicinity of the catering industry, there are always friendly ladies or gentlemen who want to boil or heat the water for you.
Next time you will read more about ...
In the next blog, we'll take you through cleaning the bottle. Because babies have a weaker resistance, they are less resistant to bacteria that we as adults often do not feel. Therefore it is very important to clean the bottle thoroughly after use.
Sources:
Consumers' Association. (2019, November 1). Bottle feeding for babies: questions and answers. https://www.consumentenbond.nl/kindervoeding/vragen-en-antwoorden-over-flesvoeding
Nutricia. (z.d.). Opvolgmelk: Flesvoeding klaarmaken in een baby flesje, doe je zo! Nutricia voor jou. https://www.nutriciavoorjou.nl/pages/item-not-found?item=%2fnutrilon%2fflesje-maken%2f&user=extranet%5cAnonymous&site=www.nutriciavoorjou.nl
Nutrition Center. (s.d.). How do I prepare the bottle? https://www.voedingscentrum.nl/nl/zwanger-en-kind/borstvoeding-en-flesvoeding/flesvoeding-geven/hoe-maak-ik-de-fles-klaar-.aspx