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Is A Smaller Feeding Bottle Better For A Newborn?
Question: hi doc my daughter is 3+ months old.which nipple size shall i use for the feesing bottle, small or medium?
Brief Answer:
Medium nipple should do, but would discourage bottle feeding
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I have gone through your query and understand your concerns. Let me emphasize the fact that breast milk is the best possible milk for a baby and there can be no alternatives for the same. I would discourage bottle feeding.
But if you still need to give it, a medium nipple size should be fine. However, let me mention once again that I would strongly discourage bottle feeding and formula feeding.
Most formula milk is cow milk based and hence difficult to digest. Moreover, they make the child more prone to complications and infections. Mother's breast milk is produced on the demand of the baby.
Hungrier the baby, more vigorous is the suck. More is the suck, more is the amount of breast milk produced. Giving formula automatically reduces the demand of the baby and thereby the production of breast milk.
All you need to do is to switch back to exclusive breastfeeding and the production will increase automatically. All you need to do is to monitor the urine output.
If the frequency is more than 6 times in 24 hours, you would know that the amount of feeding is adequate.
If the amount of passage of urine is less or if the child is lethargic you would need to take the child to a doctor without delay.
Hope I have answered your query.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Diptanshu Das, Pediatrician
Medium nipple should do, but would discourage bottle feeding
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I have gone through your query and understand your concerns. Let me emphasize the fact that breast milk is the best possible milk for a baby and there can be no alternatives for the same. I would discourage bottle feeding.
But if you still need to give it, a medium nipple size should be fine. However, let me mention once again that I would strongly discourage bottle feeding and formula feeding.
Most formula milk is cow milk based and hence difficult to digest. Moreover, they make the child more prone to complications and infections. Mother's breast milk is produced on the demand of the baby.
Hungrier the baby, more vigorous is the suck. More is the suck, more is the amount of breast milk produced. Giving formula automatically reduces the demand of the baby and thereby the production of breast milk.
All you need to do is to switch back to exclusive breastfeeding and the production will increase automatically. All you need to do is to monitor the urine output.
If the frequency is more than 6 times in 24 hours, you would know that the amount of feeding is adequate.
If the amount of passage of urine is less or if the child is lethargic you would need to take the child to a doctor without delay.
Hope I have answered your query.
Take care
Regards,
Dr Diptanshu Das, Pediatrician
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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