A New Beginning

Formula Feeding

NORMAL NEWBORN FEEDING PATTERNS

Frequently Asked Questions about Making Formula Types of Water for Mixing Formula

DAY 1: BIRTHDAY NAP

FIRST 24 HOURS • Babies are usually awake and alert for 1 to 2 hours after birth. Then, they sleep for many hours. • Babies are resting from birth, so they eat less often in the first 24 hours. • Skin-to-skin is great today.

What kind of water should I use to make formula? You’ll want to make sure the water you use to mix your baby’s formula comes from a safe source. Because it must meet the federal standards of the EPA standards, tap water from most places in the U.S. is safe. But even when water is tested and considered safe, it’s possible for it to absorb some unwanted things — like lead, copper, and other contaminants — as it makes its way to your tap. If you’re not sure if your tap water is safe to use for preparing infant formula, contact your local health department. Is well-water safe for making formula? If you’re using well-water, know that it’s not regulated at all. This means you’ll need to test the water before you use it to make your baby’s formula. There are state-certified labs that test water from wells and your tap. For help in finding a certified lab, contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 800-426-4791 . There’s also a home testing kit that shows if water contains lead, arsenic, pesticides, or bacteria. You should also be aware that hot water and water that’s been sitting in pipes for a while tend to have more impurities. So when using tap water, it’s best to first run cold water from the tap for a few minutes before filling the bottle. Is bottled water safer for making formula? Many parents think that bottled water is safe for making formula. But that’s not necessarily the case. Although most bottled water has been filtered to remove some impurities, it’s typically not sterilized. So to be safe, you’ll need to boil the bottled water before using.

DAY 2: LEARNING DAY

24 TO 48 HOURS • Babies usually start to show more feeding cues on day 2. Early feeding cues include putting hands-to mouth, tongue thrusting, lip smacking and rooting. • Keep your baby with you. Your baby may eat every 3 hours.

DAY 3: RECOGNIZING CUES

48 TO 72 HOURS • Keep baby with you. Watch for feeding cues. • Your baby will be eating 8 times in 24 hours. • Skin-to-skin is a great way to recognize feeding cues.

DAYS 4 & 5: NIGHT OWLS

72 TO 120 HOURS • You may notice your baby becomes satisfied and drifts off to sleep after feeding. It is normal if baby sleeps more during the day and is awake more at night. Your baby will be eating 8 times in 24 hours. Your baby will start to gain weight. Your baby will also be having more wet and dirty diapers.

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Chapter 10: Formula Feeding