My Totally Un-Scientific Advice about Bottlefeeding.
I've got some links at the bottom of this page that I hope help with the nuts and bolts of switching from the breast to the bottle, but from all the articles I've read about breast v. bottlefeeding, I've made a few conclusions of my own about lessening whatever differences there might be between the two.
HOLD YOUR BABY WHEN YOU FEED
Sounds obvious, but as babies get older and can hold the bottle, it's very tempting to let them. Extra cuddling can't be bad, and I think it's good for the whole bonding issue.
DON'T PUT YOUR BABY IN THE CRIB WITH A BOTTLE
It's bad for their teeth, and scientists aren't sure why breastfed babies are less likely to get ear infections. One hypothesis I read was that it has something to do with how they're held when they're fed. i.e. a baby lying down with a bottle is more likely to have liquid pool in its ear canal, leading to infection. I may be totally wrong, but it's good to play it safe.
RINSE BOTTLE IMMEDIATELY AFTER FEEDING
This will help prevent residue that could possibly upset your baby's belly if you miss it when you wash them. Always wash them thoroughly. I believe in sterilizing, or putting them through a dry cycle of the dishwasher. Some women have differing opinions on this, but I figure it's in the "can't hurt, could help" category. The WHO recommends breastfeeding in part because women in Third World countries don't have access to clean water to make formula, or sanitary conditions to sterilize bottles.
BE BOTTLE SMART
Don't heat your formula in a plastic container. While there's a huge movement to eliminate the plastics that leech the potentially harmful chemical BPA, play it safe and warm formula in glass and transfer it to the bottle. Heat increases the chances of leeching. And, when you're not sure what you're using is safe, look for the little recycling numbers on the bottom of the bottle. Avoid using products with the numbers 3 or 7 on the bottom, but 5 is generally okay.
