Best Advice For Feeding Your Baby | Breast & Bottle

Disclosure: I am part of the PTPA Brand Ambassador Program with Philips Avent and I received Compensation as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions and tips for best advice for feeding your baby are not under influence.

Everyone you talk to will have their own advice or tip when it comes to feeding your baby. I even wrote a post about my 5 Tips for Introducing Bottles to Babies. Sometimes the advice is super relatable and other times it’s in one ear and out the other. I asked a group of mamas for their best advice in hopes to encourage other mamas. At the same time I want to hear from you, what your best advice for feeding your baby? Make sure to share in the comments.

When I first became a mom, I felt like I had the most questions around feeding my baby. It is something that you really can’t prepare for, besides doing a good chuck of reading. You really just don’t know if they are going to have a good strong latch right from the get go, take a while to get the hang of it, or maybe even they are better off taking a bottle.

For me, it was asking friends for advice around bottles. What kind of bottles they were using and when to increase the nipple speed were my top questions. For my first baby I had a harder time with breast feeding, personally didn’t even enjoy it very much. This lead me to start exclusive pumping at two months, and feeding with a bottle. It is a good idea to invest in a high quality bottles, easy to use bottles with varied nipple speeds. You can find the ones we are currently using here.

With my second daughter we have had a much different breast feeding experience and I have held off from pumping as much as possible. Anyone who has exclusively pumped I am sure can understand me here, ha! However, I have been pumping and bottle feeding on occasion as I do need my time to myself. For my first night away last month I started introducing Evelyn to our Philips Avent bottles with a low flow nipple. This allowed me to make sure that she would eat without an issue, before leaving her. She loves the bottles! We use a slower nipple speed to match my own flow and love that the top of the bottle feels so similar to a mama’s breast.

With all of the advice that I have personally asked and given I thought it would be so valuable to hear from some other mamas. I asked a group of ladies “What’s your best advice for feeding your baby?” and have put together such an encouraging list.

Best Advice For Feeding Your Baby

Be patient with your baby and with yourself! It’s a first time experience for both of you and with time you’ll both become pros. Before you know it your baby will be able to properly latch on in the middle of the night half asleep no problem!
– Hannah Kaup

Don’t stress, they’ll eat when they’re hungry.
– Tara Teng

“You are feeding your baby too much.” I was constantly told by the older generation that I was overfeeding but my doula said it’s not possible. Lots of babies can feed for comfort, thirst or fighting illnesses as well.
– Reg Lok Von

Allow yourself time to adjust to all of the newness of this special time with your little one even if it’s challenging in the beginning. You’re are a great mother for wanting to nurse and trying your best! You’re a great mama even if you need to find alternative options for feeding your babe. Find the most relaxing environment, wear comfortable clothes, trust in your motherly intuition and never be afraid to ask for help
– Lynnelle Peters

A good nipple cream and comfortable bra will be the best money you’ve ever spent 
– Jaleesa Matteazzi

If your baby seems fussy while eating try feeding in a different position like the football hold. Your letdown may just be too fast and a different position could help.
– Shannon Grochowski

This is the best time to clip nails without a giant fuss!
– Tara Jensen

When baby eats, mama needs to snack and hydrate too!
– Carolina Gonzalez

Make sure to switch sides when breastfeeding; being lop sided is no fun and stuffing your nursing bra is a pain in the butt. (I am all too familiar with this lol)
– Samantha Lenz

Don’t expect to learn how to breastfeed all on your own. If you’ve never seen another person latch on their baby to the breast and feed them, how will you know how to latch on your own baby? It turns out that breastfeeding is more than just feeling ‘natural’ and a lot about learning a new skill.
– Andrea Firmani

Don’t let anyone make you feel bad about how you feed your baby…breastfed, formula, both…a fed baby is the best kind of baby!
– Brie Fraser

Ask lots of questions! I thought breastfeeding would be so intuitive, but it wasn’t, and that’s okay. Also, do what’s right for you and Baby. This time around I’m exclusively pumping, and I have no regrets. It just worked better for my lifestyle this time.
– Jenn Schultz

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 5 Tips for Introducing Bottles to Babies

Don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice from other moms or professionals if there are some hiccups along the way while feeding your little babe. Breastfeeding isn’t as straightforward as it seems and even formula feeding can require a change now and then as baby grows. It’s a learning curve for everyone but there are so many ways to make it a comfortable and rewarding experience for you both, whichever path you choose!
– Lisa Gegolick

A lot of people will tell you what they did and what they think is best, but YOU know your baby the best so follow your mama intuition and do what you think is best for your baby. I was struggling with getting my son to nurse on a schedule and this advice made me throw out the books I was trying to follow and I’ve never looked back.
– Sheila Coppi

Always remember that eventually they will help you hold that bottle and it’s the sweetest thing having your hands locked together holding that bottle!
-Keisha Johnson

Feed on demand! New babies shouldn’t be put on a schedule
– Haley Campbell

Don’t ever feel guilty for bottle feeding or formula feeding. I had a very smart friend remind me that “Your breast is best only when you’re not stressed.”
– Joanne Ma

A fed baby is truly what’s best, it’s what it always narrows down to. Trust your mama intuition too, you’re the one who spends all day (and sometimes nights ) with them, so your their greatest advocate.
– Olivia Driediger

My first thought is how so many new moms say “my baby won’t take a bottle, I’ve tried everyone” ok I understand some kids don’t like bottles my second definitely wasn’t a fan but I was going back to work after 2 months and he had to take it! Yes breastfeeding is easier and yes most babies prefer it but if breastfeeding isn’t for you and your wanting bottle feeding to work (because lets be real it brings so many perks) then don’t give up! Stick with the same bottle (I used Avent Phillips) don’t go spending your money, and when baby is screaming with it in their mouth just sit them up and try again in another minute or so. Just keep trying they will take it eventually, other little tips for a super fussy baby are making sure milks warm (it streams out of the bottle nipple then also upping nipple size so that milk flows faster)
– Roxann Redekop

Fed is best. Everyone will have an opinion so stick to your gut and what makes you feel well and healthy because the well being of mama is so important. Shame is horrible and no mom should feel it when doing the very best you can to care for your baby.
– Julie Christine

I really wish this was a conversation we were having 8 years ago when I was pregnant with my first. All I kept hearing was “breast is best”. That phrase was stuck in my head with my second baby three years later. The hospital also changed the recommended feedings from every two hours to three hours even though my baby was underweight. I wish I listen to my gut at first and stuck with ever two hours + a top up of formula, but for some reason, I thought I was failing my daughter by giving her an ounce of formula. Ugh. I know I can’t change anything, and that it didn’t contribute to her muscle condition, but there’s still that lingering thought of “what if’s”.
Do what’s best for YOUR babies. That’s the best advice I can give you.
– Kristina Cross

Share With Me Your Best Advice for Feeding Your Baby…

What was some of the best advice that you recieved? I would love to hear it in the comments below. Whether you were breast feeding or bottle feeding, let’s help another mama out.

Enter the Philips Avent Giveaway below:

In partnership with Philips Avent we are also hosting a giveaway with one lucky winner!
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March/April 2017