Experts agree that breastfeeding is best for babies. However, sometimes it isn’t possible for infants to feed exclusively from the breast – so bottles are needed to feed expressed breast milk or infant formula.
From the breast or from the bottle, breast milk provides all the nutritional benefits your baby needs as a sole source of nutrition for infants under 6 months of age.
If you decide to introduce bottle feeding, you should ideally wait until breastfeeding is well established – at least six weeks. Then express close to the time you usually breastfeed to maintain your supply.
If you choose to formula feed your baby, there are many choices available. While all products available in Australia provide adequate nutrition for infants, some of their ingredients can vary.
Consult your healthcare professional before introducing a formula and talk about how to choose an appropriate formula for your baby.
