When bottle-feeding your baby, it's essential to minimize the amount of air swallowed. Air bubbles can actually harm your child, leading to digestive problems, discomfort, and very painful colic … These difficulties are especially hard to cope with as a parent!
“Prevention is better than cure!”
To avoid getting to that point and having to treat symptoms related to colic and stomach aches caused by air swallowed during meals, it is wise to identify the situations that cause these air bubbles to appear.
Here are some practical tips to ensure a more comfortable feeding experience for your child!
SUMMARY :
- The way the bottle is shaken to prepare the mixture affects the formation of air bubbles.
- Finding the right angle when feeding the bottle can reduce air ingestion and stomach upset.
- Using an anti-colic bottle limits the formation of air bubbles.
- Fill the bottle according to the indicated markings
- In summary
The way the bottle is shaken to prepare the mixture affects the formation of air bubbles.
For the sake of quality, many parents shake the bottle vigorously before feeding it to their child. This way, the formula doesn't contain any large lumps and the powdered milk in the bottle is completely dissolved.
Unfortunately, excessive agitation of the bottle leads to the formation of air bubbles, sometimes so small that they are not necessarily visible to the naked eye.
It's always best to gently shake the bottle rather than vigorously. Since infant formulas are designed to prevent lumps from forming, simply rolling the bottle between your palms will be enough to obtain a proper and safe mixture.
Finding the right angle when feeding the bottle can reduce air ingestion and stomach upset.
Holding the bottle at the correct angle during feeding is essential to reduce air ingestion and prevent stomach problems . Hold the bottle so that the milk fills the nipple, but without creating excessive pressure that would cause air to enter. Generally, it is recommended to offer a bottle to a child while holding it horizontally.
Similarly, limit sudden movements during feedings to avoid excessive shaking of the bottle. Not only could overly vigorous movements injure your baby and make it difficult for them to drink, but jerky movements could also worsen air bubble formation. Opt for gentle, slow , and steady movements for a calm and comfortable feeding experience.
Using an anti-colic bottle limits the formation of air bubbles.
Anti-colic baby bottles are specially designed to reduce air ingestion during feeding. They are equipped with ventilation systems that allow air to circulate without coming into direct contact with the milk.
Did you know that the Elhée anti-colic bottle was designed to offer maximum comfort to your child, both during and after their milk feeding?
Our baby bottle, made from medical grade silicone , and therefore without risk of spreading microplastic particles into the child's food, is equipped with a soft physiological teat that reproduces the sensation of natural sucking .
Baby can thus enjoy a feeding experience similar to breastfeeding , without ingesting excessive air!
Fill the bottle according to the indicated markings
When preparing the bottle, avoid filling it to the brim! Even if you think that filling the empty space in the bottle will reduce the risk of intestinal discomfort by eliminating the air present and "visible", it is rather advisable to leave some free space to allow the air to circulate and escape on its own.
Contrary to what one might think, leaving a gap in the bottle helps reduce the formation of unwanted air bubbles. When you shake the bottle to mix the formula, air can become trapped between the liquid molecules.
Furthermore, this air space allows the liquid to flow evenly and reduces pressure on the nipple. This makes sucking much smoother !
To help you measure, refer to the graduations on the bottle itself. These will guide you in the amount of liquid to pour, depending on your baby'sage . If the capacity is 240 ml , respect the limit and don't fill it above the rim… 😉
If your child is very demanding and the bottle proves too small to satisfy their healthy appetite, it is better to consider switching to a larger size rather than filling the bottle at every feeding.
In summary
To prevent digestive problems, discomfort, and colic in your baby due to swallowing air, it is important to take certain precautions:
- Avoid, for example, shaking the bottle vigorously . Gently mix the formula to reduce the formation of unwanted air bubbles.
- Find the right angle while feeding and limit sudden movements, which contribute to generating micro-bubbles of air in the bottle.
- Always fill your baby bottle according to the indicated graduation to allow air to circulate and escape.
The use of an anti-colic bottle is highly recommended. These bottles are equipped with a ventilation system that prevents air from entering the milk during feeding.
