Essential Tips for Feeding Your Infant

• sealing the lips together
• decreased sucking
• spitting out the nipple
• turning away from the bottle or pushing the bottle away

Never force a baby to finish what is in the bottle. Babies are the best judges of how much they need. They may eat less if they are not feeling well or eat more if they are going through a growth spurt.

Most babies will need to burp after a large feeding. The easiest way to burp your baby is by gently patting or rubbing the back while the baby is resting on your shoulder or sitting on your lap. Don't be surprised if the baby brings up some milk along with the swallowed air. If your baby doesn't burp right away, wait a minute or two and try again. If the baby still doesn't burp, but seems content, you can stop there. However, if the baby seems fussy, keep trying. Some babies are more prone to gas and may need to burp in the middle of large feedings or after even very small feedings. You will get to know your own baby's needs through trial and error.

What next?
Typically, you should begin to introduce solid foods to your baby at four to six months. Check with your health care provider about what might be best, especially if your child shows any indication of food allergies or digestive problems. Milks other than breast milk, including cow or goat milk, soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk, are not recommended for children under 12 months of age, because they can be difficult to digest and do not meet a baby's nutritional needs. Until your baby reaches one year old, continue to supplement solid food with either formula or breast milk.

This content was developed with the support of the International Formula Council.