Following are some things you should avoid while bottle-feeding:

10. Boiling bottles to sterilize them is not really necessary. A trip through the dishwasher or a soap-and-hot-water wash is sufficient.

9. Don't change the proportion of water to formula (either because you think it's a hot day and your baby needs more water, or that extra formula will make him sleep better). You risk dehydrating or starving your baby.

8. Don't boil water to mix with powdered formula. Unless your water supply has known problems (in which case you may wish to use bottled water), water straight from the tap or filter is fine.

7. Don't leave the top on the bottle while heating in the microwave.

6. Don't microwave breastmilk (it kills the antibodies).

5. Don't forget to shake microwaved bottles well to eliminate hot spots.

4. Don't give your baby a bottle to hold in the crib. This can cause tooth decay and ear infections.

3. Be careful not to screw the nipple ring down too tightly. This cuts off the flow of milk and makes bottle-feeding frustrating for the baby.

2. Never prop up a bottle to feed your baby. If she is too young to hold a bottle, someone should be holding her. Propping a bottle to let a baby feed herself can cause choking.

1. Don't urge your baby to finish a bottle. Breastfed babies eat until they are full; bottle-fed babies should be allowed the same privilege.