If you’re combi feeding which formula do you use

[painssobad]

I’ve been expressing for ds but don’t get much and I’m not well atm
He’s getting used to the bottle but I can’t express that much and I want to try a formula he will accept so wondered what other bf babies like/accept
Thanks x

[user1493413286]

We did sma because that’s what she was given in hospital when combi feeding but I don’t actually think it matters that much.

[MrsHathaway]

They're honestly much of a muchness from a nutritional point of view as they have to be as good as they can be IYSWIM.

That said, they can get upset if you change brands, so I'd always recommend getting the sort you can most easily get in an emergency (eg what does your corner shop or the nearest garage stock?).

We used Cow & Gate ready made (cartons, later plastic bottles) as we were mostly using ebm or later bf and the convenience was worth the money.

Whichever you do choose, do look up best practice for making up bottles safely: if you're expressing you'll be a dab hand at washing/sterilizing but you need to be au fait with using water over 70 degrees etc and how ff can be stored once prepared.

[painssobad]

I just want to give something he will accept was wondering if there’s one that tastes most like breast milk ! Would rather avoid changing lots if we can so am hoping there might be a clear ‘winner’

[Chienrouge]

Don’t think any of them taste anything like breastmilk TBH.
We used aptamil when mixed feeding but only because they stocked the mini ready made bottles at my local co-op and I’m lazy.

[MrsHathaway]

They all taste weird and nothing like bm, but you could maybe mix in some ebm to start with if you're worried about that. I doubt DS will care

How old is he?

[painssobad]

6 weeks old

The plan was to give a bottle of expressed milk once a day so I could have a break but due to feeling so ill I’m just not getting much and it would be so much easier to just use ready made formula and as it’s once a day cost wise would be ok

[PrimalLass]

Aptamil. He was given SMA in hospital but as soon as I changed he glugged it down. I didn't like the smell of SMA

[MrsHathaway]

I never had much success expressing whilst bf - all expressed was fine but mixing was a disaster.

Hope you're feeling better soon. Do look at factors like availability and ease of preparation as they'll make more difference I'm sure!

[katmarie]

We're giving a bottle of cow and gate per day, and bf the rest of his feeds. He seems very happy on the cow and gate stuff, it's the readymade bottles we use.

[chelle85]

HIPP organic is apparently the most easily accepted by breastfed babies. I know our LO refused aptamil and SMA but took HIPP straight away. It is the consistency rather than the taste I think...none of them taste like breast milk

[painssobad]

We did a taste test today 😂

Aptamil first (blue packet not pro futura): smells like slim fast, was quite thin and bubbly but I did shake the bottle. Tasted quite sweet but had a bitter aftertaste.

Cow and gate first : v similar to aptamil but didn’t smell quite as strong

Sma: seemed thicker and not as sweet

HiPP first: smelt like aptamil but not as strong. Not bubbly at all even when I had shaken the bottle first and tasted like a milder version of aptamil and didn’t have the aftertaste the others had.
I think we will try the hipp, going to do a few more days getting him used to the bottle then will give formula instead once he’s drinking ok from it

[MrsHathaway]

... See you on the pfb thread in a few years

Good luck with it. If he's hungry at the time and only six weeks old I doubt he'll be fussy.

[Chienrouge]

[arbrighton]

DS takes aptamil fine, and so we didn't bother trying any others. Slightly better on the ready made stuff. But it's been for one or two bottles a week since 5.5 mo as I haven't always had the chance to express before my single tutoring session each week.

[painssobad]

😂 I know....I just thought I needed to try them all despite the fact my taste preference would be v different to a baby !! Dh wasn’t keen he gave me that wtf look but then joined in under pressure 😂