If we are bottle feeding an infant (gasp!!),
> do we make sure that he actively sucks and swallows for x number of
minutes
> before we deem that he is finished?  Or do we watch the baby cues?

Actually,  bottle fed babies ARE assessed on their sucking and swallowing on
the bottle. When a baby is a "poor" bottle feeder, he takes a long time to
get a small amount down, often gagging or choking along the way. Babies are
expected to actively participate on the bottle feeding and to consume the
formula in a timely manner. We look for how fast or slow the feeding went,
good sucking or poor sucking, gagging, or spitting up afterwards, and the
amount consumed.

We can say the same thing for breast and bottle feeders -- the nipple can be
in their mouth but if they aren't participating in the feeding, not much is
going down their throats. Of course, the bottle will drip and baby usually
ends up having to swallow some down.

I don't think people watch bottle fed babies for cues because with formula
there is a certain amount that is considered "normal" or "desirable" for
daily caloric consumption. The expectation is that the baby has to take a
certain amount and if baby wants less, he is often encouraged to take more.

Kathy Eng, BSW, IBCLC

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