Not only breastfed babies wake up at night. Those bottle-fed also wake up. Do you find night bottle feeding a challenge? We suggest how to organize it.
Why Do Babies Wake Up at Night?
Because that’s their nature! Infants wake up for different reasons: because they react to stimuli, because they need the parent’s closeness and warmth, because they are teething, because they need mother’s milk, and for many, many other reasons.
An infant’s sleep phases are shorter than those of an adult. The baby needs closeness, the certainty that it is not alone, and a sense of security to fall asleep peacefully again. In addition, its immature digestive system needs easily digestible food so that the unburdened body can develop properly. Nothing is digested better and easier than mother’s milk. Those babies who are not breastfed require a correctly chosen organic baby formula.
Do Formula-Fed Babies Sleep Better?
They also wake up at night. Giving the mixture will not give you 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. There is a difference, however, in how breastfed and bottle-fed babies sleep because of how their bodies work. Formula milk is harder to digest for a baby than a mother’s milk. The body turns off some functions, falls asleep, and focuses on digesting the food. On the contrary, speaking of breastfeeding at night, digestion takes place without straining the body.
Night Feeding with Baby Formula
Whether you adhere to the newborn feeding schedule or not, remember that the mixture should not be prepared earlier than just before giving it to the baby. Here are two convenient and quick ways to prepare a ready-to-serve formula.
Method 1
You need:
- thermos with boiled warm water;
- boiled cold water in a glass bottle;
- measured portions of the baby formula;
- a bottle with a feeding teat.
Pour water into the bottle in proportions that will allow you to get the right temperature, add milk powder, and mix thoroughly.
Method 2
You need:
- cooled boiled water;
- measured portions of the baby formula;
- milk heater;
- a bottle with a feeding teat.
Pour a measured portion of water into a bottle and put it into the heater. Turn it on, and after some time the green light will let you know that the temperature is right. Many heaters have an option to automatically maintain the right temperature for several hours. When this happens, just in case, check the water temperature, add baby formula, and mix it.
Good Organization Is the Basis
For bottle feeding to run smoothly at night, it is necessary to prepare the boiled water and feeding accessories in advance, but also to adjust the space accordingly.
Here are some points to consider when organizing a place to feed your baby at night:
- it should be right near the baby’s sleeping place;
- it would be good if there was a table on which to put the necessary accessories;
- there should be a chair on which you will sit to feed the baby;
- a bedside lamp with subdued light will be the perfect option so as not to wake the baby up.
Bottle feeding has one huge benefit that you cannot take advantage of when breastfeeding — your partner can replace you. You can share the obligation to get up to the baby at night.
For the sake of the baby’s teeth, night bottle feeding should not be too extended. At night, the production of saliva is significantly reduced, which naturally protects the teeth by rinsing out food, and during feeding, particles of baby formula, including sugars, remain on the teeth. This can lead to the development of tooth decay. Therefore, if you bottle feed a baby who already has teeth, do not forget to wash the gums and teeth with moist gauze after the meal.
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