You May Be Bottle Feeding The Wrong Way: The Art of Paced Bottle Feeding

Paced bottle feeding. You may have heard of it, but do you know what it really entails? Is it just for breastfed babies? And why should you even consider it when feeding your little one?

First things first, let's clarify what paced bottle feeding is all about. It’s about letting the baby take the lead during feeding time. Instead of a rapid flow of milk, it allows the baby to control the pace and take breaks when needed. It's a more respectful and intuitive approach to feeding, much like how we adults prefer to drink - savoring each sip rather than gulping it down. This is why I often refer to paced bottle feeding as ‘responsive feeding’.


So, how do you actually practice paced bottle feeding? Contrary to what you might think, it's quite simple. Forget the traditional method of tipping the bottle and letting the milk flow freely. Instead, tilt the bottle so that the milk just covers the nipple hole. This way, the baby has to actively suck to get the milk, promoting a slower, more controlled feeding. Newborns will automatically pause after a few swallows before they go back to sucking on the bottle again. I recommend watching a video to learn what this looks like in action.

But why bother with paced bottle feeding when it seems to take more time and effort? It mimics the flow of breast milk, which helps prevent a preference for bottle flow instead of nursing at the breast. And paced bottle feeding isn’t just for breastfed babies! I recommend it to all the families I work with, even if they are exclusively fed by bottle. I find that babies fed with responsive bottle feeding decrease their excess spit-up and fussiness after feeds.

What if your baby is already accustomed to traditional, more rapid flow bottle feeding? Is it too late to switch to paced feeding? Not necessarily. While it may take some patience and persistence, you can gradually introduce paced feeding techniques to your baby, even if they've been bottle feeding for a while. By starting with small adjustments and gradually increasing the pauses, you can help your baby adapt to the new feeding method over time.

Of course, convincing others to embrace paced bottle feeding, especially caregivers who may be skeptical, can be a challenge. Sometimes explaining that it helps preserve breastfeeding directly helps, but realistically this isn’t always a productive approach. Instead, it often helps to emphasize other benefits including reduced spit-up and fussiness, and improved coordination of sucking, swallowing, and breathing.

Ultimately, paced bottle feeding is about putting the baby's needs first and respecting their natural feeding instincts. By adopting this gentle and responsive approach to feeding, you can promote healthier feeding habits and a more enjoyable feeding experience for both you and your baby. So, the next time you reach for that bottle, consider giving paced bottle feeding a try. You may be surprised at the difference it can make.

Head over to my YouTube channel, Lindsay Moore MD, to learn more hands-on information about paced bottle feeding including how to do this technique, why you should bother with it, and how to retrain your baby to accept a paced bottle feed.