Bottle-fed babies grow as rapidly and can be as happy as breastfed babies. Unfortunately, however, as infant formula has improved and become more nutrient-rich, it now spoils much more quickly. As a result, health officials stress the need to feed babies immediately after mixing formula. Gone are the days when you could mix up a bottle and carry it around for two to four hours. Experts at the University of Nebraska together with the U.S.D.A. warn parents that formula should be fed to infants within 30 minutes of preparation and discarded after 1 hour.
Late Night Feeding Late night feedings are especially difficult for parents.
Babies don't understand space and time the way we do. The more quickly you are able to meet their needs, the less chance they will feel scared or abandoned. Preparing bottles ahead of time and having them ready by the side of the crib is one way to meet this need. When baby starts to cry, you can feed immediately. This also decreases the chance your baby's whimper will turn into a full-fledged roar, and means you will be able to get back to sleep sooner.