When I first realised I wasn’t going to be able to breastfeed, one of my initial worries was about going out walking with my baby. I’d imagined going out for long walks and stopping to feed whenever I needed to, without having to take anything with me.
As it turned out, bottle feeding was definitely not a barrier to getting out walking, and at times it definitely had its benefits!
Blaze Trails asked its community for top tips for bottle feeding on the go, and we’ve collated them for you here...
Pack your kit
Practically, you do have to carry a bit with you, which can vary depending on how long you plan to be out for, and what the conditions are like. It also depends a lot on your baby and their feeding regime.
The most popular method from our community was to take a flask of hot water, a sterilised bottle and pre-measured formula powder. This can take a long time to cool down to a drinkable temperature, so it’s a good idea to take some cooled boiled water along too.
Temperature control
Temperature is a big factor to consider and can cause an unnecessary headache, but it doesn’t have to.
I eventually found a good rhythm, where for longer walks I’d go with one bottle made up ready for the first feed, and make up the next one at the first stop so it had cooled down enough for the second feed. It sounds more complicated than it was!
One of our favourite tips, from Gina, is about getting your baby used to having milk at different temperatures, so you don’t have to worry about how warm it is when you’re out walking.
For shorter walks where I might just need one or two feeds, I generally made up bottles, cooled them down in the fridge and took them in a cool bag with a load of ice packs, which a lot of our community do too. The NHS advice is that if you do this, bottles should be used within 4 hours, and at room temperature within 2 hours, which could easily be enough for a local walk.
Pack some ready-to-feed formula bottles
Another popular faff-free idea from our community is to use ready-to-feed formula in bottles. They’re super-convenient and depending on how fussy your little one is, you could simply pour it into a sterilised bottle and give it to baby at room temperature, or warm it up in the cafe when you stop for a well-earned cup of tea and slice of cake.
Feeding with baby in a sling/carrier
I also sometimes bottle fed on the go when my baby was facing inwards in the sling, which was both convenient and fun as we could chat away and make eye contact! When I first did this I was a little self-conscious and had to remind myself that it’s also possible to breastfeed on the go with a bit of practice - just watch your step!
You got this
There were a few responses to our Instagram post about feeling confident about bottle feeding, which is something a lot of bottle-feeding and mix-feeding parents feel anyway (wherever they are). This was certainly something on my mind when I first went out walking with my baby. In reality this was unfounded – no one really cares how you feed your baby and everyone is happy to see a baby out for a walk. Or at least, that’s how it seemed to me!
For some reason I thought I’d be the only parent bottle feeding when I founded our branch of Blaze Trails, but I was completely wrong. There were people breastfeeding, bottle feeding and mix-feeding. And some older little ones who were weaned altogether.
Enjoy the freedom
Perhaps a general perk to bottle feeding rather than walking specifically, but it does mean that you might have a chance to go for a baby-free walk and leave someone else at home feeding the baby, or send them on a Blaze Trails walk without you!
JOIN YOUR LOCAL BLAZE TRAILS WALKING GROUP
Whether you’re bottle feeding or breastfeeding, you’ll be in good company on a Blaze Trails walk. There’s no need to feel nervous or worried about holding the others up, our walks take as long as they take because when babies need feeding, you need to feed them – by bottle or boob! It’s likely that the other group members will welcome a rest too, and it’s a good time for a proper chat and a chance to catch your breath.
Find your local group here, or start your own!
Most importantly...just get out there and do it!
What are your tips for bottle feeding outdoors? Let us know!