Paced Bottle Feeding

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What is Paced Bottle Why Should I Use It?

Paced bottle feeding allows the caregiver to control how fast a baby drinks
Allows a baby to drink at a comfortable pace and helps prevent choking and overfeeding

How Do I Use Paced Bottle Feeding?

Watch for signs your baby is hungry
- Restlessness
- Sucking their fingers
- Moving their head side to side
Hold baby in an upright position with support
Use a bottle with a wide base, slow-flow nipple
- Brush the nipple across the baby’s lips to encourage them to open their mouth
Avoid pushing the nipple into your baby’s mouth, allow them to take it own their own
Tip the bottom of the bottle up so that the nipple fills with milk
Keep the bottle almost horizontal so the nipple is partially full of milk, this slows the flow of milk
Let your baby rest every few minutes
- If your baby does not take a breath by the 3-5 suck, remove the bottle and allow a short pause for them to breathe
A baby may not need to finish the whole bottle
- Watch for cues your baby is finished feeding, such as:
  - Falling asleep
  - Turning head to the side away from the bottle
  - No longer sucking
  - Letting go of the nipple
  - Leaking breastmilk/formula from the corners of their mouth

Remove the bottle from your baby’s mouth if they show any of the following signs:

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