How to Simplify Bottle Feedings at Night

This post is all about how to simplify bottle feedings at night every new mom should know about.

Are you looking for a way to simplify overnight bottle feedings? Well you’re in the right place mama! Keep reading because I will be sharing the exact formula feeding tips my husband and I used with my son, including baby bottle organization and storage hacks.

Formula Feeding Tips

Before we get into tips for bottle feedings at night, let’s start with general formula feeding tips.

Formula feeding is a great option to feed your baby and there are so many different brands and types out there to choose from. In this post, I’m going to talk about my top bottle feeding tips for new moms as well as other formula feeding tips, newborn specific tips, must haves, a sample schedule and even nighttime bottle feeding hacks.

How Much Formula Does Baby Need?

There is no magic amount of formula that your baby needs because it depends on things such as age, weight and appetite. But babies under 6 months who aren’t eating solids yet generally need about 2 to 2.5oz of formula per 1lb of weight in a 24 hour period. This is broken up into bottles about every 3 to 4 hours.

Example: If your baby weighs 10lbs, that would translate to 20 to 25oz of formula a day.

Newborn formula feeding can be a little more unpredictable and newborn feeding in general should occur on demand as your baby needs it. Cluster feeding is also totally normal for babies at this stage and it often occurs at night. If you’re feeling discouraged by the constant feeding, burping and bottle washing… know that everything is a phase and your baby won’t be cluster feeding forever!

Formula Feeding Chart

Here’s a sample feeding chart:

Age	Amount
Newborn	About 2-2.5oz per lb of weight
1 Month	22-26oz
2-4 Months	25-30oz
6+ Months	24-32oz + some babies are starting to eat solid foods.
12 Months	Transition from formula to milk + eating solids.

Note: This is not intended to serve as medical advice. Please consult your baby’s pediatrician for specifics on how much formula you should be giving.

Formula to Water Ratio

Now that you know how much formula your baby needs, let’s talk about how to actually prepare the bottle!

Wash your hands with warm soapy water and make sure the bottle and parts are clean as well.
Pour the desired amount of water into the clean bottle.
Add formula powder to the water. Typically you add 1 scoop of formula for every 2oz of water.
Put the cap on the bottle and shake well until the powder is dissolved and there are no visible clumps.

Every baby is different and has preferences about the temperature of their bottle: warm, room temp or cold. To warm your baby’s bottle, use a bottle warmer or run the bottle under hot water. Never use the microwave as it can heat the bottle unevenly and cause burns.

How Long Does Formula Last?

Prepared formula used for feeding must be used within 1 hour. Any formula that was not consumed should be discarded. The combination of formula and your baby’s saliva can cause bacteria to grow.

Prepared formula not used for feeding must be put in the refrigerator within 2 hours of preparation and used within 24 hours.

Unlike pumped breast milk, you typically don’t freeze formula.

Pre-made Formula Option

Pre-made formula is a favorite feeding hack of mine and one of my favorite bottle feeding tips when you’re on the go with a newborn. The liquid is sold in small bottles and can either be poured into an empty bottle or you can screw on a nipple top to create a bottle in seconds.

This is a more expensive option compared to powdered formula but is very convenient. It’s also the type of formula that the hospital will provide you during your stay.

Open containers of pre-made formula can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

No one likes to be up in the middle of the night, especially when you’re already sleep deprived, so it’s helpful to be prepared and ready to go for when your little one wakes up looking for a bottle.

Now onto tips specifically for nighttime bottle feedings!