Baby-led bottle-feeding: The Key to problem-free feeding eBook

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By Rowena Bennett

Why Baby-Led Bottle-Feeding

In “Baby-led Bottle-Feeding: The key to problem-free feeding” child health nurse Rowena Bennett shares over 40 years of experience providing parenting education and prevention and solutions to feeding related problems. People in general believe that bottle-feeding a baby is “easy”. It can be, but many parents find the experience of feeding their baby to be a joyless struggle, filled with uncertainty and confusion.

“Baby-led Bottle-feeding” is a reference book packed full of information that your baby’s doctor and other health professionals may not be aware of, and significantly more than they could impart during a brief baby health check.

It covers all the basics, like choosing feeding equipment, how to prepare infant formula, the best feeding positions, and most importantly how to interpret and respond to your baby’s feeding cues. It also explains behavioral and physical reasons for sucking or feeding-problems that so often trouble healthy babies.

The understanding of what is means to be a baby, babies’ needs and behavior, how your baby knows when and how much to eat, and what to expect as your baby develops physically, intellectually and emotionally is critical in supporting your baby to develop a healthy relationship with food and eating.

Why I wrote this book

Feeding a healthy baby is meant to be an enjoyable experience, and indeed it can be. However, for many parents, it can be filled with uncertainty and self-doubt. During my career, I have witnessed so much suffering related to infant feeding problems (breast, bottle and solids). Babies become so distressed at feeding times, that they choose to go hungry rather than eat. Others are unknowingly prevented from accessing the milk due to equipment and feeding position problems. Feeding battles between parents and their babies (and children) may persist for months or years. Parents may suffer extreme anxiety or depression caused by dealing with prolonged, unresolved infant feeding problems.

In most instances the baby’s and parent’s suffering could have been avoided. It occurred because of lack of knowledge—their own and that of the healthcare professionals they consulted—related to the reasons and solutions to behavioral bottle-feeding problems. (“Behavioral” meaning the baby’s feeding difficulties are linked to the parent’s infant feeding practices).

Far too many health professionals and baby care educators advise parents to employ parent-led feeding practices, which have the potential to cause infant feeding problems. When problems develop, infant crying, fussy and avoidant feeding behavior, poor growth or gastrointestinal symptoms are often mistakenly attributed to a physical problem or medical condition.

After such a long career, I have no doubt that baby-led feeding—whether this be bottle-feeding, breastfeeding or when eating solid foods—is the best option for physically well, normally developing babies. Years of experience specializing in educating parents have confirmed that baby-led feeding is the most effective way to prevent and resolve problems.

So much of what I have learned about baby-led bottle-feeding, and share in this book, is not yet taught to parents in maternity hospitals, or during well-baby health checks. My feeding recommendations differ from parent-led feeding practices (the dominant style taught to parents, childcare workers, doctors, midwives, nurses, and other health professionals to this day).

I wrote this book because I want you to know the reasons behind, and solutions to behavioral feeding problems, so that you can appreciate that enjoyable feeding is in your hands. My goal is to empower you to avoid, or at least quickly resolve, any feeding problem, and embrace this precious time with your baby.

'This book changed our lives! The book gave us the framework to help our son get over his aversion. It taught us to TRUST our baby to eat as much as they need/want, and in turn, baby started to trust us never to pressure him again'.

Need some personalized support?

Rowena Bennett's Online Bottle-Feeding Aversion Program

Rowena's online Bottle-Feeding Aversion Program is broken down into short, bite size pieces; with real-life video examples, providing the solution you need to overcome your baby's bottle-feeding aversion.

LEARN MORE