How to Bottle Feed a Newborn: A Gentle, Step-by-Step Guide for New Parents

Feeding your newborn with a baby bottle takes practice. Nobody is born knowing how to do this perfectly! We’re here to offer you clear guidance on how to bottle feed your newborn, regardless of what your feeding journey looks like. Whether your baby is formula-fed, expressed breast milk, combi-fed, or pumping because you’re returning to work, we’ve got you covered with our best baby bottle tips.

1. What You Need Before You Start Bottle Feeding

For ease, have a designated space for baby bottles so you can prepare feeds with everything to hand. It’s also nice to have a feeding space set up with all your home comforts and feeding essentials within reach.

• Sterilised bottles & teats
• Fresh breast milk or formula
• A comfortable feeding spot
• Muslin cloths
• Safe ways to warm milk (e.g. bottle warmer)

Optional feeding accessories, such as milk collectors, water wipes, or a night light for late feeds, can also be useful to have on hand when feeding. And remember, the right baby bottle can make feeding easier. Baby bottles with a breast-like nipple shape, anti-colic vent, and compatible with a breast pump like the NaturalFlow Baby Bottle can take one bottle feed to a complete feeding solution.

2. Step-by-Step: How to Bottle Feed a Newborn Safely

1. Wash Your Hands

Basic hygiene is essential for a safe feeding practice. Use warm water and soap to clean your hands. If you are breastfeeding or pumping, you can sanitise your breast with a water wipe.

2. Warm the Milk

Breast milk and formula milk that have been stored in the fridge can be fed to your baby as it is; however, babies take to their bottles best when the milk is slightly warmed. If it has thawed from the freezer or come straight from the fridge, there are specific ways you need to safely warm milk.

1. Do not use a microwave to warm milk. It creates hot spots that could burn your baby's mouth.
2. Use a bottle warmer to bring the milk to a set temperature.
3. Place a sealed baby bottle into a pool of warm water to bring it to a warmer temperature.
4. Hold a sealed baby bottle of milk under warm running water.

Read more:Breast Milk Storage: Essential Tips for Mums

3. Test the Nipple Flow

Each bottle nipple will be labelled to identify how fast the milk flows. Newborn babies start with the slowest nipple flow and steadily move onto faster milk flow nipples when they show signs of being ready. When you tip the bottle to test, the milk will drip steadily rather than pour out of the nipple. Testing your bottle nipples also means you’re checking for wear and tear, so you can feed with no leaks.

4. Position Your Baby Semi-Upright, Tilt the head, Introduce the nipple

Positioning your baby correctly helps their digestion and prevents choking. You can use feeding pillows to help you support their head and body, so you’re not compromising your own posture. You can try different feeding positions to see what works well for you and your baby, such as:

• Cradle hold: Hold your baby in one arm, against your body, and support your baby’s head while tilting their body in a slightly leaned-back position. Check your baby’s chin isn’t tilting towards their chest before feeding.
• Sitting up: Hold your baby in a sitting position on your lap with their back against your chest. This feeding position can really help babies who experience colic symptoms.
• Bent legs: Place your baby on your lap facing you with their feet against your stomach. Bend your knees so your baby is sitting semi-upright.

5. Use Paced Bottle Feeding

Paced bottle feeding is about letting your baby feed at their own pace. Life gets busy, and it’s so easy to feel rushed, but by slowing things down and taking the time to connect with your baby, feeding is a lot smoother.

To pace feed, simply hold the bottle horizontally and let your baby set the rhythm. It helps your baby’s digestion, prevents overfeeding, and mimics breastfeeding as they work to draw the milk from the nipple.

Read more:The Ultimate Guide to Paced Bottle Feeding: Tips for Healthy Feeding Habits

6. Take Breaks & Burp During the Feed

You don’t have to down the bottle in one go! Just like adults, when we have a drink, we would sip and take a break in between. Babies need this too. Put down the baby bottle every 30-60ml to burp your baby and release any gas to minimise discomfort.

7. Look for Fullness Cues

Your baby may not be able to speak, but they can show you that they’re full by looking out for these feeding cues. Respect their feeding rhythm for healthier feeding patterns and discard any milk left in the baby's bottle.

• Turning their head away
• Slow sucking
• Relaxed hands
• Pushing the baby bottle away

3. Paced Bottle Feeding: Why It Matters for Newborns

Slow and controlled bottle feeds will make for a smoother bottle feeding experience, for both you and your baby. Paced bottle feeding has been shown to reduce gas, spit-up, and encourages bottle preference.

Babies who are combi-fed also maintain breastfeeding skills and dexterity because they’re still working to draw the milk out of the bottle. Your feeds will become led by your baby rather than solely based on volume. Paced feeding isn’t just a technique; it’s a calmer, more connected way to feed your baby.

4. Choosing the Right Baby Bottle for Your Newborn

A newborn baby needs a baby bottle that holds a smaller milk volume to begin with, and most importantly, a breast-like nipple with the slowest flow rate. Baby bottles have lots of different features that make them stand out from each other, for example, anti-colic venting or glass baby bottles.

For a newborn, they’re not ready to hold their own baby bottle. So, a feature like indented grooves and large volume sizes wouldn’t be a top priority until your baby is much older (6 months +). We’ve narrowed down the most wanted baby bottle features that make the best baby bottles for newborns:

• A breast-like nipple
• Slow-flow options
• Anti-colic venting system
• Soft silicone teat
• Easy-to-clean parts (with fewer to assemble)
• Breast pump compatibility
• All-in-one feeding solution (pump, store, feed)
• Made from safe and sustainable materials

Want a bottle that ticks all of the boxes? Try Lola&Lykke’s NaturalFlow Baby Bottle, which is loved by parents and babies.

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

We’re all new to this, and bottle feeding is a skill even parents have to learn. Let’s be clear, almost every parent has done one of these at least once! Awareness of common feeding mistakes will reduce discomfort for your little one and make the process smoother for you. When we know better, we can do better.

• Feeding too fast or holding the bottle vertically
• Using a fast-flow nipple too early
• Lying your baby flat whilst feeding or straight after a feed
• Rewarming milk multiple times
• Forgetting mid-feed burping
• Forcing a baby to finish the bottle

FAQs About Bottle-Feeding a Newborn

1. What's the best baby bottle for a breastfed baby?

Breastfed babies who are combi-fed (mixture of breastfeeding and bottle feeding) take best to a baby bottle with a wide-neck nipple. This shape nipple is more breast-like, and babies get a better latch.

2. Do I need to warm every bottle?

You don’t have to warm every bottle of milk. However, it’s been known that babies take to a bottle of milk best when it is warm or room temperature instead of drinking it straight from the fridge.

3. What if my newborn refuses the bottle?

Bottle refusal is completely normal, similar to when a breastfed baby goes on a nursing strike. Be consistent and still offer the feed. Read more tips about what to do when your baby develops bottle refusal.

4. How long is pumped milk safe at room temperature?

If kept at room temperature, newly expressed breast milk can be consumed within four hours before needing to be discarded. If the breast milk has been thawed from frozen, it must be used within 2 hours.

5. How many bottles should I own?

Think about your setup and whether you plan to feed on the go or mostly at home. You’ll need enough baby bottles prepped to last you a morning, afternoon, or a whole day before you’ll need to wash and sterilise them again before using. Start with five baby bottles and buy more if the turnaround time is a bit tight!

6. When should I see a doctor about bottle-feeding latch issues?

If you have concerns about your baby’s weight gain, number of wet and soiled nappies, and how often they’re feeding, consult with your doctor for feeding advice. Sometimes, these signs can be linked to latch issues, which can be resolved with the support of your doctor or lactation consultant.

Final Thoughts

Take each day and each feed as it comes. Some days you’ll feel like a baby bottle prepping pro, and other days you will be cursing the steriliser you forgot to switch on the night before. We’ve all been there! Use feeding times to connect with your baby and practice your bottle feeding technique. And if you need a hand, we’re right here to support you on your feeding journey.