What is bottle feeding?

Bottle feeding is the process of feeding a baby a bottle as opposed to nursing the infant. Both breast milk and formula can be given to babies in bottles.

Breast milk can be pumped and poured into a bottle to feed the baby. Some mothers supplement their milk with formula to enhance the nutritional content of the milk. There are several types of baby formulas available for infants who can't take breast milk, or for mothers who have chosen not to breast feed.

While it's not required from a health standpoint to warm a bottle before giving it to a baby, some infants prefer their milk or formula warm. To warm the bottle, place it in a glass of warm water or run the water under warm tap water.