Been told to give formula to newborn - teet help please

[seven201]

My little girl is 27 days and still a lot below birth weight and put on nothing at all this week. She has green poo which hv says can be a sign of not getting enough calories. Hv been today and advised giving 2 formula feeds a day. I have the tommee tipee starter kit and just gave her 2.5 oz (not long after breast feed) and she gulped it down ridiculously quickly. A lot wet down her chin/neck. Her guts have just done a few really Lou's rumbles and a little bit just came out of her nose. I used aptamil from a blue bottle. I'm guessing I should go to sainsburys this afternoon and try and find a slow flow teet (they exist right?)? Any recommendations? Do all tests fit all bottles or do I need to buy new bottles too? Her guts are still going like mad!!!

[FuzzyOwl]

You need a slow or 1 teat and it will fit the Tommee Tippee bottles - check first, because I thought the starter kit came with the right teats. It is quite normal for a baby to take a couple of days to adjust to using bottles especially if you have been EBF or using one of the ready sterile bottles and teats. And the sounds of the guts could be perfectly normal so don't be unduly alarmed at this stage.

[milkyface]

I think you can get slow flow tommee tippee teats. I think they fit all TT bottles.

What teats are you using? Number 1 teats?

My son is bottle fed and spits out a lot of milk. We have an appointment to see a speech and language therapist because of it.

Does your baby latch on well out of interest? Could there be a tongue tie? Sometimes that's a cause of not gaining weight and spitting out milk.

Might just take a bit of getting used to from being breast fed x

[FuzzyOwl]

I've just looked and the starter kit should have six slow flow and two medium flow teats so make sure you are using the slow flow ones. My DD had loads going over her chin and neck for the first few times - it is just a learning adjustment for them and your DD will quickly figure it out.

[ImGoingToTeabagYourDrumKitDale]

We used the ready made bottles with the little sterile tests for a few days to adjust, can your budget stretch for them? They are a tad expensive I know. Once DS was used to that and more milk was going in him than on him we switched to tommee tippee

[milkyface]

Just a thought my hv suggest either avent or the really cheap bottles that are like a pound because they have long thin teats (not really like a nipple I know!) but apparently they're easier than TT for teeny babies.

Might not be great if you're continuing breastfeeding though could create confusion?

You could try Nuby, they're quite good ive found.

[MaisieDotes]

The Tommee Tippee starter kits come with the slow teat- just to check it, hold it up to the light and you should see a "1" on it, in a circle, roughly opposite where the little valve is.

One tip is that the teat actually goes quite far into the baby's mouth, so their lips are almost in the open shape they're in while breastfeeding.

[ImGoingToTeabagYourDrumKitDale]

Milky our HV said that too, the old school Tesco or boots own ones sometimes are the best for little ones.

I would have done so myself but we had a box of Tommy ones.

[BertrandRussell]

Have you been given any advice about increasing your supply as well?

[seven201]

Thanks everyone! You're all great. It seems
I did use a slow teat... Hopefully she'll just adjust to it. I've not heard of the sterile ready to go bottles - I'll see if sainsburys have any. I'll also buy some other brands to see if they just suit her better. I have small nipples that don't stick out much and also sometimes use nipple shields (for painful nipples) but not sure if that means much. It must be very confusing for her all these different things! She doesn't really spit it out it's like it's just overflowing - I will put her in a bib next time as the back of her babygrow is wet! She did get checked for tongue tie and they didn't think she had it.

Thanks again

[seven201]

No not been given advice about my supply. I was thinking of going to bf support group on Thursday though. I read on here something about fenugreek? I know I should do lots of skin to skin etc and try and not use the shields too much.

[BertrandRussell]

If you can, the best possible way to increase your supply is just to go to bed with the baby and stay there all day, dozing and feeding. Take snacks, drinks, and everything else you can think of. Not ideal if you've got a toddler- but if you haven't it's certainly worth a try. Time spent gazing at baby is never wasted anyway- my mother told me it helped them grow!

[seven201]

Luckily I am toddler free! I will get my husband to find the DVD player as my friend leant me all of downton abbey (I've never seen it). Thanks for the tip

[BertrandRussell]

Oh, I can't imagine anything nicer! A comfy bed, a snuggle baby and Downton Abbey!!!!!!!

Don't forget chocolate and lots to drink.

[seven201]

[mrslebon]

Have a look for MAM bottles. They are self sterilising and slow flow.

[seven201]

Ooh self sterilising! Thank giggle the tip

[Itsaplayonwords]

We've been using Dr Brown's preemie bottles with DD2. She's only just 5lb so she's little but she's been doing fine with them. Because the bottles are specially designed for premature babies the flow is much slower. Could be worth a try?

[seven201]

Thanks I'll take a look and I'm glad they're working well for your little girl.

[Itsaplayonwords]

Oh yes, and if you want to breastfeed don't give up on it. You've done fantastically to persist to this point and I know the low weight gain can be discouraging but there is help available out there. Have a look at local groups and see what's around.

[seven201]

Thank you. We've had a lovely day today where we've barely left bed. I am now addicted to downton abbey and may have cried when a villager won the best rose at the flower competition. She had her bottle feed this morning and she's been dozing and feeding from me lots today. I think we'll go to local bf group tomorrow to ask for advice. I've ordered some fenugreek just to try it!

[JacketPoTayTo]

We didn't get on very well with the Tommy Tippee teats. Even the slow flow ones were too much for DD (3 weeks old). When the bottle was held at an angle the milk was dribbling out of the teat. We are now using Medela bottles with the Calma teats and they are much better. The milk only comes out when the baby sucks so it mimics natural feeding more closely and the baby can take breaks and stop/start when they like. It's supposed to reduce the chance of nipple confusion.

[seven201]

Soo many options! I'm We tried the avent ones (all I could get locally) last night which were better than the tommee tippee. I will have a look on Amazon now t all the suggestions. Thanks everyone!

[PotteringAlong]

Sounds like a lovely day x

[Marsaday]

Haven't had time to read all the posts, but has anyone checked baby for tongue tie?
It's worth getting someone qualified NOT a hv to check, as that could be a cause of slow weight gain

[seven201]

Marsaday, yes she has and doesn't have it.

Bit of an update. We went to the weigh clini and she's back to birth weight! On Tuesday she was 3.85 and now she's 4.02 so she's put on 170g in 2 days?!! She is due a big poo but even still it does make me wonder if the hv who visits me has scaled that under weigh a bit! We then went to the bf clinic to get advice. I'm going to collect an electric pump to borrow next week and have been advised to use it to help up my supply a bit. I have a hospital visit in a month where I won't be able to feed for 24 hrs I think so I can save the pumped milk for then which will be handy.

I'm tempted to drop the am formula feed but maybe I should wait and see what she weighs next week.

Thanks again everyone for all of your advice, top tips and advice :)