TWMM: How to Bottle Feed a Baby (Traditional Wilderness Midwifery and Medicine)
If there is a "wet nurse" or lactating mother willing to nurse the child, care for that woman (food, water, support), and GIVE HER THE BABY! Treat her like the Madonna and Child.
Traditional Wilderness Midwifery and Medicine
Anshin B. Kelly, Traditional Midwife and Wilderness Medicine Practitioner
Copyright ©️ Anshin B. Kelly, All Rights Reserved.
How to Bottle Feed a Baby
If there is a "wet nurse" or lactating mother willing to nurse the child, care for that woman (food, water, support), and GIVE HER THE BABY! Treat her like the Madonna and Child.
In the event that a mother can not nurse her child for whatever reason, or feed her baby with a bottle, it is a simple, but unknown skill for those who have never done it, and that is How to Bottle Feed a Baby.
What You Will Need:
The Baby
A baby bottle
A way to wash/sterilize the bottle
Milk (Pumped breast milk is the best, the second is goat's milk, it is sold in powder form in many grocery stores) or baby formula.
Clean, fresh water.
A way to heat the milk.
Stay calm, don't panic, often babies will be very, very loud and extremely persistent about their hunger, and, for good reason; as my relative once said, "If babies didn't scream we'd just ignore them, they have to scream to make sure it all happens for them." And it MUST happen for them!
STEP ONE:
Sterilize/Wash the bottle and bottle nipple thoroughly and separately. If all you have for example is alcohol, sterilize the bottle and then rinse it with fresh water.
If you have breast milk, fill the bottle with it, and heat in a microwave. If you have no microwave: Heat the milk in a clean pot over a propane stove, regular stove, or an open fire.
Follow the directions on the formula, or for the powdered goat's milk: Four-Five heaping TBSP per Eight ounces of water. Mix thoroughly.
The milk will need to be heated approximately to the level of body temperature, so you have to watch it carefully.
TEST the milk on your inner wrist (where the veins are), and if the milk temperature isn't easily detectable, it is approximately body temperature. Let it cool if need be.
Pour the milk into the bottle if you need to and cap.
STEP TWO:
Sit down in a comfortable, warm spot with the baby in your arms. Make sure their head is cradled/supported on your elbow, and their bottom/legs are resting snuggly on your lap. Breathe.
Sometimes, a baby will be rather upset to distraction, so you'll need to be comforting, and offer a clean finger inside their mouth, and they will usually automatically start sucking.
When the baby is calmer, as gently as possible switch the finger for the bottle, and start feeding.
Give the baby as much as they want.
STEP THREE:
Burp the baby: When the baby is finished, often you'll have to burp them. Pick the baby up, and if you have a clean cloth for the shoulder you will burp the baby on, drape it over that shoulder. If you don't, the baby will burp on your shirt, which might be a mess, but not the end of the universe, or your shirt.
Hold the baby upright, slightly over your shoulder, supporting their butt with the opposite arm/elbow. When you thump the baby's back: Take your flat hand and aim for the center of their back, be firm, but gentle; pull back slightly as you deliver the firm thump, instead of following through; this makes it so the burping thumps are firm but gentle.
Do this until the baby delivers some good burps and seems calm and content.