calling experienced formula feeders!

[passmethedigestives]

I'm intending to FF for many reasons (some health related...some...wait for it....related to personal choice [shock ]! )

I'm finding it hard to find decent FF advice (although I've had a fair amount of judgement from a variety of sources!), please can an experienced mum tell me what equipment I actually need, and the step by step of what you do in making up feeds (particularly a newborn feed)

I've read the guidelines, but it doesn't sink in the way it would if a proper person told me.

I am mamless, nanless, sisterless and generally female-less in life, so no-one to ask IRL. Just need a simple no-flimflam guide to feeding a baby that will be here very soon. Thanks in advance xx

[GuildfordMum101]

My girls are in their teens now, so I may be out of date, but I didn't breastfeed either of them as I couldn't. I did try, but after a week in hospital with my first, a lovely older nurse said give up, and gave me some pre-made formula (they won't do that now!), and with my second the midwife saw my blood soaked breasts, and said the same. So, I bottle fed from week 1. All I had was 6 bottles, a bottle brush, a bottle warmer, and a steriliser. What else do you need?? I made up all bottles in a batch, usually in the evening, so you have plenty overnight. The formula will have instructions on how much to put in to each bottle. I never bothered with small bottles and large bottles, just got the large and threw away any that was undrunk. I fed at four hour intervals, not on demand, and my babies only woke once in the night. Nightly feeds, feed at 10 and they well go through, within a couple of months. I used to keep a couple of bottles in the airing cupboard overnight to keep them warm, so I didn't have to go downstairs. That's probably really bad advice, but they never got ill. Neither child has had tummy upsets, or allergies, or developement problems. It worked for me, there is no reason it shouldn't work for you. Good luck.

[BexleyRae]

DD is 18 months and I didn't breastfeed as like you OP I don't have any family and looking back I didn't really try very hard with breastfeeding.

We had the tommee tippee steriliser which came with 6 bottles and 1st teats which DD was fine with but some babies don't get on with certain brands so be prepared to change bottles and teats.

I made up a few bottles and kept them in the back of the fridge and warmed them in a jug of hot water which isn't recommended but DD survived well with this technique and it's a lifesaver for the night feeds not having to wait for a bottle to cool down

[Falconhoof1]

I believe a dishwasher sterilises bottles so if you have one that could save some kitchen space.

[cupof]

I used Philips Avent microwave steriliser but Tommee Tippee also make one. You can buy feeding kits or starter kits that come with bottles, teats, bottle brush and steriliser but they are rather expensive.
Basically you need about 6 bottles with 0m+ slow flow teats, a bottle and teat brush, bottle warmer and steriliser.
The NHS site below has advice about sterilising bottles.
www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/sterilising-bottles/

[GhirardelliSquare]

In the early days I would use the pre-made formula until you and baby get the hang of it. Once you are both into the swing of things you can switch to powder.

If I were you I would buy a perfect prep, maybe two if you have a large house so you can have one upstairs and one downstairs. We also had a microwave steriliser downstairs and an electric steriliser upstairs (kitchen miles from the bedroom in our house!)

I combination fed breast and formula btw, just had an 11lb hungry, sicky baby that fed every five minutes so needed a constant supply of sterilised bottles and formula!

[ineedwine99]

Hi OP, you need size 1 slow flow teats to start, i used the tommee tippee microwave steriliser, cheap and easy. Started with Aptamil for the first 6 months then moved to Aldi Mamia (which in my opinion was better as less bubbly)
I used the perfect prep machine but if you don't like that then what you could do is a shot of boiling water from the kettle, say 1oz, add the required number of scoops of formula and shake to mix, then top up with cool boiled water to the required amount. make sure you shake well again then swill the bottle gently to remove the bubbles/froth.
Can't help on bottles as used only Tommee Tippee, had no problems, odd bit of colic but infacol/gripewater helped with that.
For hospital i took the Aptamil starter kit, for trips out always used Aptamil ready made as easier, as she got a little older (around 4m old) i'd make a bottle at home and take it out in a coolbag then warm in hot water (she wouldn't drink it cold)

[queencrunch]

I used the philips avent microwave steriliser. I was just the one that was on offer in Mothercare at the time. I did change to the anti colic avent bottles but comfort milk solved my problems getting her wind up.

I too made up bottles in advance. She's a happy healthy 5 year old now so did no harm.

For some reason it's impossible to get advice. Which is ridiculous as not everyone can breast feed.

[lornathewizzard]

Hi OP, formula fed two dc until they were one.

We used a perfect prep machine and still consider it our Best Buy. There is some criticism of it online so have a look and see what you think.

We had the PP, 4 Dr Brown bottles, steriliser and bottle brush. Used ready made formula when out and never heated it as both took it room temp. If I knew they would have a bottle within 2hrs of being out then I would make a bottle at home and take it out.

Washing bottles endlessly was my least favourite job but if you have a dishwasher you don't need to stress about that. We sterilised right until we switched formula for cows milk at 12mo

[ShowOfHands]

If you make it up with part boiling water and part cold so that it's the right temperature to drink, there are two key things to remember:

1. Always add the formula to the hot water (above 70 degrees)
   
2. Measure the cold water out before adding it to the hot iyswim. If you just add it to the hot water without measuring, the ratios will be wrong.
   

It's best practice to make up each bottle fresh but you can make a batch, flash cool them in cold water and store in the back of the fridge if it makes life easier.

Adding the powder to hot water is the most important bit. Store properly and throw away after the recommended times. Premade can be a God send at times.

[happytobemrsg]

We also bought the perfect prep machine- it was an absolute game changer

[Northernbeachbum]

Can I ask a question (sorry op, hope you don't mind!), how do you keep the bottles sterile after they're sterilized if that makes sense. Do you just put the lid on the test and done?

[TroubledLichen]

My top tips for easy bottle feeding:

MAM anti colic bottles, they self sterilise in the microwave so you don’t need to buy a steriliser

Perfect Prep machine for at home, makes a room temperature bottle in 2 mins (just remember to clean regularly and use only the TT filters)

Ready made for on the go, just chuck a sterilised bottle and a carton in your nappy bag and off you go

Get a ready to feed pack with bottle teats included for the hospital as they won’t have anywhere to do bottles

[lornathewizzard]

@Northernbeachbum once the steriliser is done, assemble the bottle including kid and they're sterile for 24hrs I believe. 4hrs if you leave them in steriliser with lid on

[lornathewizzard]

Lid not kid obviously

[ineedwine99]

Northernbeachbum Not sure to be honest, i'd run a cycle then just get a bottle out as i needed it, the rest were left in the steriliser in the microwave

[PaddyF0dder]

We’ve formula fed our three. They are, shocking, happy and healthy.

It’s a doddle. Pick your bottles. Pick your formula.

We found the Doctor Browns bottles were great at combatting colic. We used aptamil, but really all formulas are basically the same. But you should stick with the same formula.

We got the Doctor Browns microwave steriliser. All that stuff seems to be cheapest on Amazon.

As others have suggested, the Perfect Prep machine is UTTERLY BLOODY BRILLIANT and simply the best baby thing we ever bought. Just get it. Again, much cheaper online than off the shelf.

Good luck!

[coughingbean]

With my first I used a steam steriliser.

But with my second I used Milton cold water sterilizing.its SO much easier and they use it in hospital.

Echoing what pp have said use pre made at first as they only drink tiny amounts to begin with.

[coughingbean]

I swear I had paragraphs and punctuation in that!

[PaddyF0dder]

Some other thoughts (sorry)...

The smallest size bottle that the Perfect Prep makes is 4oz. Which is generally more than a brand new newborn will take. So you’ll probably be on the premade stuff for the first few weeks.

You can wash bottles in a dishwasher. Still need to sterilise them though. There’s special wee plastic crate things for washing them in a dishwasher.

Along the way you’ll need to buy the bigger teat sizes. This can be surprisingly expensive.

[londonloves]

Another vote here for perfect prep. We used aptimel ready to feed for first three months then switched al Aldi powder at home and ready made for on the go. We put everything through dishwasher and also use tommee tippee microwave steriliser.
There are some good Facebook groups for formula feeding advice which are free of the usual guilt tripping.
Good luck and well done for being confident in your decision x

[londonloves]

Oh god yeah teats cost a bomb

[Midlandertoofarfromthesea]

I think the current nhs leaflet will advise only making up bottles fresh each time. So health professionals will be looking for a process that mimics this.
However, as someone who formula fed both my boys, I found it really easy once I got a system in place. So all the best.
I think the main thing is to remember that the formula powder isn’t sterile, so needs to put boiling (70+) water over it, in the unlikely event that it has some bugs in it.
I got a set of around 12 bottles and whatever the normal matching teats are (lots of other parents swapped brands due to wind etc., however I used the same brand for both from the start, and it worked fine).
I got some lids to fit another 4/6 bottles (I had these in a different colour), which I used just for boiling water, which I then stored in the fridge.
You can buy little pots to put in measured amounts of powder.
I got a vacuum flask for freshly boiled water, which I changed a few times throughout the day, including just before bed, and also if I was going out somewhere.
So for a feed (and I had a tray set up next to my bed at night, so I didn’t even need to get up!):

1. Take a sterilised bottle, and put in the pre-measured powder.
   
2. Poor over a small amount of water from the vacuum flask (just enough to dissolve it).
   
3. Top up with cold previously boiled water (the amount will be slightly more than the volume marker, as the powder takes extra space - make a fresh bottle, and note where it needs to be filled to as a reference).
   
4. Put the teat on, test the temperature. And the chance are, it is ready to use.
   
5. Feed baby!
   

This basically mimics the process that the perfect prep uses, but you can have it by your bed, and take it out with you!

[MarvellousMonsters]

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/making-up-infant-formula/

The water needs to be at least 70°c when the powder goes in it, this is because formula powder isn't sterile and the heat of the water is needed to kill the bacteria in it. Making up a days feeds and cooling them, or boiling water and filling bottles to add powder to later (which I've seen mums do) isn't safe.

Read up on paces feeding, and remember your baby's tummy is the size of its clenched fist, a newborn will literally only need a few mils at each feed, but will need to be fed often, but this will gradually increase over time. Don't expect to feed them a huge bottle every four hours, contrary to urban myth.
blog.medelabreastfeedingus.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/35261_NewbornStomach1.jpg

[MarvellousMonsters]

Perfect prep type machines don't heat the water properly, so aren't safe. And the advice above mine to put the powder in first and dissolve with hot water, then top up with cold is inaccurate. This would result in too much powder to the amount of water, and could make your baby sick. Always put the water in the bottle first, to the required level, while it is still hot, before adding the powdered formula.

[MarvellousMonsters]

Paced bottle feeding:
attachmentparenting.co.uk/responsive-bottle-feeding/