There are many ways to feed newborn babies. Breastfeeding remains an excellent way to provide nutrition to infants; however, some babies have trouble breastfeeding. Equipment has been designed to help. The most effective infant-feeding equipment has the ability to slow the flow rate. Synthetic nipples that fit to bottles and have single holes deliver a rate of formula, or breastmilk that has been pumped from the breast and stored, that is easier for the baby to manage. This type of synthetic nipple is firm to the touch. Alternatively, small spoons can be used to deliver formula or breastmilk to babies with problems that may affect their ability to suck, such as neurological injury or disease, cleft lip and palate, prematurity, and more.
If you have access to limited equipment, make sure to watch the infant closely during feeding and respond to the infant’s cues. You can create a successful feeding opportunity even if you must use a higher-flow synthetic nipple. If the baby seems to be getting too much while sucking, you can try a technique called “pacing.” Pacing means you stop feeding temporarily and give the baby a chance to rest. For example, you may tilt the bottle downward so that while the baby sucks, there is no delivery of the formula or breastmilk and, therefore, the baby can take a break from sucking. Another way to slow the delivery of formula or breastmilk is to tilt the baby slightly to one side when feeding. The left side is commonly used for this technique. Tilting the baby helps to prevent the baby from choking, because the formula or breastmilk can exit from the corner of the mouth if the baby cannot handle the amount delivered from the bottle or breast.
It is very important that the baby receive enough to eat during the critical time after birth. If a baby seems to be struggling with formula or breastmilk management, try to understand what might be causing the problem. Slowing the rate of flow with equipment or evidenced-based techniques may be the answer.
Pados, B. F. (2021). Milk Flow Rates From Bottle Nipples: What We Know and Why It Matters. Nursing for Women’s Health, 25(3), 229-235.
