Developmental progression of bottle-feeding in the first year of life

Nutritive sucking (NS), the primary nutritional intake mechanism for infants, represents the cornerstone of early feeding development. NS depends on the integration of efficiency, safety, and coordination to ensure adequate growth and development. Prior work has examined feeding skills at single timepoints. However, information on feeding proficiency and effectiveness across the course of development is limited. Further, despite the importance of nutrition as the main purpose for infant feeding, few clinical instruments exist for quantifying infant feeding physiology. Twenty-seven mother-infant dyads participated in this prospective, longitudinal study with repeated measures at three, six, and nine months. Oral feeding skills were evaluated using the Oral Feeding Skills (OFS) Scale to gather quantitative measurements of infants' feeding abilities [1]. The scale was completed while caregivers bottle-feed their infant. The initial volume of milk offered increased significantly with age. Transfer rate was significantly faster at nine months as compared to at three months. There were no significant effects of age on OFS proficiency or overall transfer volume at any timepoint. These findings provide insights into caregiver practices and infant maturation of bottle feeding. They suggest that while the mechanics of feeding (speed, volume) change with development, fundamental feeding behavior and appetite regulation remain stable. • Longitudinal oral feeding skills assessed at 3, 6, and 9 months using OFFS • Caregiver-offered volume increased significantly with infant age • Transfer rate was significantly faster at 9 months vs. 3 months • Feeding proficiency and self-regulation remained stable across all timepoints • Findings reveal caregiver adaptation and consistent infant intake regulation