Breastmilk is often called “liquid gold” – but there’s another ingredient that’s just as vital to your baby’s growth: love. Feeding time, whether by breast or bottle, is a precious opportunity for connection. These moments nourish your baby’s emotional development and sense of security. So, it’s no surprise that many parents wonder how not breastfeeding might affect this connection. Whether by choice or circumstance, some families incorporate bottles into their routine, but wonder: Will my baby still feel close to me? Can we bond the same way? The answer is yes.
This blog explores how to add intention and presence to your baby's feeding experience to create the most nurturing feed possible.
Feeding: Much More Than Nutrition
Feeding is one of the most intimate moments between a parent and baby. It’s a time when your baby relies on you for nourishment and comfort. These moments help build trust and emotional security, which form the foundation for a strong attachment. The quality of the feeding experience matters no less than the method of delivery, breast or bottle. The ‘ingredients’ of an intentional, responsive feeding experience include:
Create a Feeding Ritual: Feeding provides a dedicated time to slow down and focus solely on your baby and your connection.
Eye Contact: Holding your baby close during feeding allows them to gaze into your eyes and feel your love.
Physical Closeness: Skin contact during feeding supports regulation of your baby’s body temperature, heart rate, and breathing, while boosting oxytocin – the "love hormone".
Responsive Feeding: By observing your baby’s hunger and fullness cues during feeding, you are developing a way to communicate with them.
Involving Other Caregivers: Bottle-feeding allows partners, grandparents, or other caregivers to participate in feeding, expanding your baby’s circle of love and trust.
Elevating Bottle-Feeding
Bottle-feeding is sometimes viewed as a more practical or routine task, without the recognition given to breastfeeding. However, when approached with intentionality, bottle-feeding is an opportunity for connection and love.
At Emulait, we have worked hard to design a bottle which recreates the bonding opportunities that breastfeeding offers. The distinct customizable bottles were designed to center mom in the feeding experience and honor the diversity of families. The bottles are shaped to support natural positioning, which supports eye-contact and closeness. The extra-stretchy nipple has been built to work with the Responsive Flow Valve to allow babies to feed responsively. The breast-like familiarity and flow encourage your baby to transition between breast and bottle, because it feels good, real and nurturing.
Using an Emulait bottle is one way to incorporate connected, intentional feeding into your daily routine. Here are some additional tips for elevating your feeding session, whichever bottle your baby loves (and even when you are breastfeeding!):
Set the Mood
- Choose a quiet, comfortable spot to minimize distractions.
- Draw the shades, dim the lights or play soft music.
- Focus on being present (and avoid the temptation to scroll!).
Get Comfortable
- Hold your baby against your bare chest. The proximity mimics the natural act of breastfeeding and fosters emotional security.
- Switch sides as you would when breastfeeding – cradle them in your left arm for one feeding and your right for the next. This promotes balanced visual and physical stimulation.
Eye Contact
- Look into your baby’s eyes during feeding – the loving gaze releases oxytocin, which strengthens social bonds.
- Speak or sing softly to your baby. Your voice is comforting and familiar, even if they don't understand your words.
Paced Bottle-Feeding
- Paced bottle-feeding mimics the flow of breastfeeding and creates a baby-led feeding experience.
- Use an Emulait bottle, uniquely designed to support paced bottle-feeding.
- If using a conventional bottle, hold the bottle at a slight angle so the nipple is only partially filled with milk, encouraging your baby to suck actively. You will need to pause periodically to let your baby rest, burp, or signal fullness.
Read Their Lips (Literally!)
- Watch for signs of hunger (rooting, sucking on hands) or fullness (turning away, slowing down).
- Do not force your baby to finish the bottle. If they push it away or slow down, go with their flow. Babies' feeding needs vary, some days they will finish a whole bottle AND a bit more! On other days they will eat less.
Involve Other Caregivers
- Encourage other caregivers to bottle-feed. Share these tips with them so that they are on the same page as you and understand why feeding time is so precious.
Will My Baby Be Missing Out?
Many parents wonder if bottle-feeding will disadvantage their baby. It’s a valid question, but remember that bonding is about presence, and feeding is about much more than nutrition. Leading world health organizations recommend that moms sustain breastfeeding up to the age of 2, but this is not practical or possible for many families. In the absence of this, making the most of bottle-feeding is the way to go.
Common questions that parents have include:
Will my baby feel less connected to me?
Elevate the bonding experience with skin-to-skin contact, eye contact, and responsive feeding.
What if I’m using formula?
The love and focus that you pour into feeding – not the milk – creates the emotional connection.
I can’t be fully present at every feeding.
Be kind to yourself and do what you can! Committing to one or two focused feedings a day, at hours that suit you, is a good start.
Creating a Nourishing Village
Feeding time can be nourishing for both babies and their caregivers. When treated as a ritual, instead of a task, feeding time is a gift. It offers a meaningful way for all caregivers, not just mom, to be physically and emotionally present. It deepens connection and creates a sense of investment and partnership.
Families today are diverse. In some homes, mom goes back to work and dad takes on full-time parenting; and with rising living costs, grandparents are stepping in instead of nannies. Modern families may have two moms or two dads, or welcome their baby through surrogacy or adoption. Everyone is looking to give their babies the best feeding experience. Whether you are exclusively bottle-feeding or combining breast and bottle, how you feed – and the connection you create around feeding–can make all the difference.
Conclusion: Presence Over Perfection
Bottle-feeding is more than a way to get baby fed, it’s a chance to slow down, connect, and build the foundations for their life-long development. What matters most isn’t what’s in the bottle – it’s who is holding it. Whether you’re a mom, dad, partner, or caregiver, remember: every bottle is an opportunity to bond and fill their world with love.
