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Bottle feeding

Parents who choose to feed their babies with formula are supported to build a strong bond with their little one through skin to skin contact and recognising hunger cues.

This page aims to give you all the information that you need to safely bottle feed your baby.

The early days with your baby are a great time to get to know and love each other. We encourage you to keep your baby close to you, enjoying skin contact, look out for signs that your baby is hungry, and to feed your baby as soon as you notice this.

Babies feel more secure if most feeds are given by their parents, especially in the early weeks. This will help you bond with each other and has a positive impact on your baby’s brain development and emotional wellbeing.

For information and support about how to safely prepare formula and tips for getting off to a good start with bottle feeding, click the button below:

Guide to bottle feeding
Guide to bottle feeding leaflet cover

Click the button below to view the Unicef Baby Friendly Initiative ten steps to responsive bottle feeding:

Responsive bottle feeding

If you are planning to feed formula in hospital

Do

  • Bring small, ready-to-feed bottles into hospital with you. As a guide, your baby will need approximately eight feeds per day.

  • Bring only first stage infant formula – we do not recommend a particular brand

Don’t

  • Bring powdered formula into hospital – we do not have the facilities to prepare this safely

  • Bring larger bottles of ready-to-mix formula into hospital – we do not have the facilities to store formula once opened

We do not recommend the use of infant formula preparation machines.

There are a number of infant formula preparation machines on the market. There are problems with these devices that can lead to your baby becoming seriously unwell.