Sure, Aunt Sally might insist that your baby needs to drain every single ounce of her bottle at every single feeding. But nowadays, most experts agree you're better off letting your little one set the speed of her sipping sessions and decide when she's full.

Whether you're offering formula or pumped milk, paced bottle-feeding can help. Here's how to do it and how your baby (and you) can benefit.

What is paced bottle-feeding?

Paced bottle-feeding is a method of bottle-feeding that purposefully slows the flow of milk or formula into the bottle nipple and your baby's mouth. That gives your baby more control over the pace of her meal — and how much she wants to eat.

Without taking deliberate steps to slow down milk flow from the bottle, it's easy for the liquid to come out very quickly, and ultimately encourage a baby to take in more milk than she needs.

Paced feeding lessens the flow of milk and allows for babies to take breaks in between sips. This more closely mimics the stop-start motion that infants use while breastfeeding, and it creates more opportunities for your baby to check in with her appetite while she drinks.

Paced feeding is pretty straightforward and easy to get the hang of. It simply involves holding your baby in a semi-upright position while you feed her, holding the bottle horizontally to slow the flow of milk and stopping throughout the feeding session for breaks.

Benefits of paced bottle-feeding

Many experts say pacing should be your go-to method for bottle-feeding whether you're offering formula or pumped milk. And indeed, there are plenty of good reasons to give your baby more say over how quickly (or slowly) she wants to sip and letting her decide when she's full. Paced bottle-feeding can:

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  • Help avoid overfeeding. Paced feeding helps your baby listen to her natural hunger and fullness cues instead of encouraging her to drink a certain number of ounces just because that's what's in the bottle.
  • Fight fussiness and reflux. When a baby sips until she's satisfied instead of stuffed, she's less likely to experience stomach pain and gas, or spit up after her meal.
  • Help prevent "nipple confusion." Babies don't really get confused about the different feeding methods, but they can get accustomed to (and establish a preference for) the breast or bottle. Paced bottle-feeding better mimics the natural rate of breastfeeding, and it may help you switch more easily between the two.
  • Reduces the risk for choking and ear infections. Feeding your baby in a semi-upright position instead of lying flat can help keep a gulp of milk from going down the wrong pipe. It'll also prevent milk from flowing into her eustachian tubes, which can lead to a middle ear infection.

How to pace bottle-feed

There are a few steps to paced bottle-feeding. But chances are it'll only take a few sessions for you and your little one to learn the ropes. Here's how to do it.

  • Hold your baby semi-upright. Prop your baby up at a 45-degree angle with her head and neck aligned, supporting her head in the crook of your arm. You can tuck a pillow under your arm for some extra support.
  • Give her mouth a little tickle for a good latch. Encourage your baby to open her mouth wide by gently tickling her lip with your finger, then put the nipple in her mouth.
  • Hold the bottle horizontally, tipping it slightly. Hold the bottle parallel to the ground. When you're ready to start feeding, tilt it upwards just slightly. This will encourage your baby to work for the milk and prevent too much liquid from flowing out at once.
  • Let your baby sip for a bit, then give her a break. Give your baby a chance to drink for 20 to 30 seconds. Then lower the bottle so it's parallel to the ground (the nipple can stay in her mouth) to give her a short break.
  • Repeat until she's satisfied, paying attention to her fullness cues. The entire feeding session will likely take between 15 and 30 minutes. You'll know your baby has had enough when she doesn't go back for more after a break or turns away from the bottle.
  • Let your baby take the lead. It won't be long before your baby starts deciding when to take drinking breaks on her own. When she does, go with the flow!

Best bottles for paced feeding

Finding the ideal bottle and nipple for your baby is often a process of trial and error — and the same is true with paced feeding. If one bottle or nipple doesn't seem like a good fit, just try something else until your little eater seems satisfied.

That said, you'll have the most success with paced feeding when you stick with slow-flow nipples made for newborns (sometimes called stage 1 nipples) or nipples that are designed for breastfeeding.

These tend to discourage a too-speedy flow of liquid and encourage your baby to work for her milk, which can help stretch out the meal and give her more time to pay attention to her hunger and fullness cues.

If you're not sure whether a nipple has a slow-enough flow, try turning a bottle upside down and seeing how quickly the milk or formula drips out. If the nipple releases roughly one drop of liquid per second, it's a good fit for paced feeding. On the other hand, if your baby seems to be gulping or sputtering while she sips, that's a sign the nipple flow is too fast.

As for bottles: Different shapes and sizes can work for paced feeding, so again, experiment to see what you both like. But do stick with smaller bottles, especially early on.

Newborns will rarely take in more than 4 ounces in a single feeding. Having a smaller bottle can serve as a good visual reminder for you that your sweet pea really does have a pea-sized appetite (relatively speaking!), so there's no need to encourage her to polish off a big bottle.

And if she does drain her bottle and clamor for more? You can always offer a refill.