Formula infants how long

Use a stage 1 formula that is suitable for newborn babies. Your baby can stay on this same formula when you start to introduce solid foods at around 6 months and continue on it until they are 12 months 1 year old. These should only be given to babies aged 6 months and over but are not necessary for most babies.

The labels on follow-on formula can look very similar to infant formula, so read them carefully to avoid making a mistake. Avoid using any kind of recipe for homemade infant formula.

Homemade infant formula may not provide the right nutrients for your baby. They might also contain unsafe ingredients, or could be prepared in a way that allows harmful bacteria to grow. This can lead to serious illness or even death. Do not give other drinks to your baby. Never give tea, coffee, alcohol, fruit juice, cordial or fizzy drinks to your baby. Powdered infant formula is not sterile, which means it may contain low levels of bacteria.

These bacteria very rarely cause illness in babies when the formula is prepared and stored correctly. A bottle brush and a teat brush. Sterilising equipment, such as a pot shown to boil the feeding equipment in, a steam steriliser or cold-water sterilising chemicals.

Formula should drip from the teat at about one drop per second when tipped. There are a range of teats available. Talk to your health professional or pharmacist about which type of teat is best for your baby. Newborn and young babies are at risk of infection because their immune system is not fully developed yet.

You must wash and sterilise all feeding equipment until your baby is at least 6 months old. From 6 months, thorough washing and rinsing are enough. Follow the steps below for all feeding equipment that you use for your baby — whether you are using expressed breast milk or infant formula.

Clean the feeding equipment as soon as possible after a feed. Feeding equipment must be washed and rinsed before it is sterilised. You must sterilise feeding equipment until your baby is at least 6 months old. There are several ways to sterilise, such as:. Place the washed feeding equipment in the water. Make sure that everything is completely covered with water and that no air bubbles are trapped. Keep the pot handle turned away from the edge of the stove. Keep children away from boiling water.

If you remove the bottles before you need them, they should be put together fully with the teat and cap on. Always wash your hands before touching sterilised feeding equipment, and try not to touch the inside of the bottle and the inside and outside of the teat. Formula should be made up fresh for each feed. Harmful bacteria can grow in prepared formula, and the longer the formula is kept before use, the greater the risk of your baby getting sick.

From birth until your baby is at least 6 months old, all water used for formula should be boiled and cooled to room temperature on the day you use it. Pour boiled water into a sterilised container, cover and leave to cool to room temperature — until it no longer feels warm. Store out of direct sunlight. Keep for up to 24 hours — throw it away after that.

From 6 months of age you can use cold water straight from the tap to make formula. Run the tap for 10—15 seconds before you collect the water. Bore water and tank water should be boiled until your baby is 18 months old.

If your water comes from a private supply such as from a well or bore , have it tested for any contaminants that could harm you and your baby. If testing shows water is high in nitrates, it is not suitable for preparing infant formula. Bottled water is not recommended as it is not sterile. Like tap water, bottled water needs to be boiled then allowed to cool before it is used to prepare formula.

Whether you've decided to formula feed your baby from the start, are supplementing your breast milk with formula, or are switching from breast milk to formula, you're bound to have questions. Here are answers to some common queries about formula feeding. Before the first use, you'll need to sterilize nipples and bottles in a rolling boil for 5 minutes.

You can also sterilize them with a store-bought countertop or microwaveable sterilizer, but boiling works just as well and costs nothing. After that, it's not necessary to sterilize your baby's bottles and supplies each time you feed your baby. You will need to wash bottles and nipples in hot, soapy water or run them through the dishwasher after every use. They can transmit bacteria if not cleaned properly. Prepare your baby's formula by mixing water and the appropriate amount of powdered infant formula.

The packaging on the side of the formula container will tell you how much to use. Carefully follow the directions. You can use tepid room temperature tap water, as long as your local or state health departments have labeled it as safe to drink. Make sure they're served in forms that your baby can easily swallow. Note: There is no benefit to offering fruit juice , even to older babies. Juice can fill them up and leave little room for more nutritious foods, promote obesity, cause diarrhea, and even put a baby at an increased risk for cavities when teeth start coming in.

Before their first birthday, babies still need the nutrients in breast milk or formula. But at 1 year old, your baby can try whole cow's milk. Because babies need the fat in whole milk for normal growth and brain development during the busy early toddler period. You can transition your baby from formula to whole milk by beginning to replace bottles of formula with bottles — or sippy cups — of milk.

By 1 year old, your baby should be eating a variety of other foods and only cups milliliters of milk per day. If your baby was put on a soy or hypoallergenic formula because of a milk allergy , talk to your doctor before introducing milk. Think of snacks as mini meals and use them to get more grains, fruits, and vegetables into your child's diet.

Try to include at least two food groups in every snack. Updated visitor guidelines. How much should my breastfed baby eat? Most breastfed babies eat more frequently than those who are formula fed. They tend to nurse every hours. Plan to nurse your baby on demand, which is about times per day in the beginning.

Watch for signs of hunger such as waking up, putting hands in and around the mouth, turning the head from side to side, smacking lips, sticking out tongue. These are all cues that your baby is hungry. Crying is a late sign of hunger and fussy babies can be more frantic at mealtime so try to feed your baby when you see the early cues of hunger, before the crying begins.

Try to nurse your baby minutes on each breast during each feeding. Do not let your baby stay latched longer than 20 minutes on each side. Storing breast milk Safe storage of breast milk can extend the life of your breast milk and help keep your baby safe. How to warm milk From frozen: thaw in refrigerator overnight or run under cool running water Refrigerated milk or thawed milk: run under warm running water or immerse in a pan of warm water.

Never microwave formula or breast milk. Microwaves can have uneven heating, causing some areas of the bottle and milk to be so hot it could burn your baby. It could also cause the loss of the beneficial properties of breast milk. Breastfeeding information and support It may seem like breastfeeding is natural and it should "come naturally. How much should my formula-fed or bottle-fed baby eat? Formula-fed babies tend to go slightly longer between feedings than breastfed babies, usually every hours.

Plan to feed on demand, which may be more frequent in the beginning and space out as your baby gets older. Crying is a late sign of hunger and fussy babies can be more frantic at mealtime so try to feed your baby when you see the early cues of hunger and before the crying begins. When bottle feeding, there is no need to force your baby to finish the bottle. Babies know when they are full. They will tell you buy turning their head away, dozing off, or pushing the nipple out of their mouth. Treat feeding time as a special bonding time.

Hold your baby and enjoy your time together. Never prop a bottle during a feeding as your baby could choke if he or she cannot push the bottle away. After the first few days, your formula-fed baby will take ounces per feeding. By the end of the first month, your baby may be up to ounces per feeding. Formula preparation Follow the mixing instructions on the formula can for powder formulas unless otherwise instructed by your pediatrician. If you plan to refrigerate prepared formula, always store it in bottles.

Never microwave formula or breastmilk. Microwaves can heat unevenly, causing some areas of the bottle and milk to be very hot. This could burn your baby. According to the CDC, formula and food prepared with well water may have excess nitrate.

If you use well water, have it tested for nitrate content. Even when mothers take in very high levels of nitrates, a breastfed baby is not at risk. Feeding Your Baby 2 — 6 months Around 2 months of age, most babies will begin to stretch out their sleeping at night to hours. Feeding Your Baby 4 — 6 months Breast milk or formula is far more nutritious than any solid food you could give your baby. Look for developmental signs of readiness including: Baby has steady head and neck control in an upright position Baby shows interest in food when you eat Baby can transfer food from a spoon to their mouth Babies that are breastfed should start with single grain cereals, such as rice or oatmeal.

These cereals are fortified with iron, which can help prevent anemia. These can be found in the baby section at the store. They are not the same as the rice or oatmeal cereals that kids and adults eat. When first introducing cereal, mix cereal with breast milk or formula into a thin consistency.

When your baby handles this well, you can make it thicker.