Want to change to formula feeding and am clueless - which is the best brand???

[gerbo]

Help - I've been exclusively bf my dd (who is nearly 9 months) and am down to 3 milk feeds a day. I'd like to try switching these to formula, as then her father can help feed her. Also as she's so easily distracted now, she seems to feed for only a short time and mess about lots (will only take milk lying on the bed in quiet room!).

I thought a bottle would at least allow me to see how much she's drinking and that she gets enough nutrition as she just isn't into breasfeeding for long periods as she used to.

I've got Avent bottles bought before she was born to use, and just bought no. 4 Avent teats. Does that sound right? (Oh - and apparently you don't have to sterilise bottles now she's older - is that true?)

But mainly - Which is the best formula to use? She's not allergic to anything I know of. I have no idea what to buy!

Looked in Boots briefly today at 'SMA Gold', and there's an organic one, 'Babynat' in our local organic shop. Any tips?! Is there a special 'stage' of milk for 9 month olds?

Thanks!!!

[NotQuiteCockney]

Don't buy second stage. Buy whatever you can get at your local garage or late night shop.

At 9 months, you could probably swap a feed for regular milk, and then slowly move across, without bothering with formula at all.

(I also wouldn't bother with a bottle, either, easier to just use a sippy cup of some description, so it's one fewer thing you have to train her off later.)

[suiledonn]

Hi gerbo, my dd stopped breastfeeding at 10 months - her choice. I think, like your little one, that she had become too interested in the world and she could look around more while drinking from a bottle and also she always held the bottle to feed herself. I hadn't a clue about formula at the time so I looked around and decided on Aptamil 3. She liked it straight away and didn't have any problems switching straight from all breast feeds to all formula feeds so it worked well for us. I use NUK bottles with the 6-18 month teat with the medium flow hole. She still finds the bigger hole with the faster flow too fast. hth

[gerbo]

Thanks for all advice!

NotQuiteCockney - do you say buy whatever I can as it doesn't matter which kind of milk they have at this stage??? Will def. try her on a Doidy sippy cup then first, which may work, although she likes to stick her hand in it now to feel the water which mayn't work too well!

Suiledonn - hope this isn't too personal a question, but how were your breasts after stopping straight to formula? Engorgement? Also did you feel sad?! I think I'm ready to get my body back now but think it may be a little sad stopping.

Really appreciate your answers...

[NotQuiteCockney]

It doesn't matter what kind of milk they have, ever. There are no comparative studies, just a lot of adverts.

But I'd avoid follow-on milk, as it has extra iron in it, which they can't absorb, and gives them constipation.

[suiledonn]

Hi again gerbo, I think dd must have been taking less and less at each of her feeds towards the end as I didn't suffer too much when she stopped so suddenly. A bit uncomfortable for a few days but then fine. Certainly no where near as bad as when she dropped her night feeds.
I had mixed feelings about stopping - in one way I was relieved it was so easy as I wondered as if it would be difficult to wean and I did feel freer to come and go knowing someone else could feed her but I also really missed the closeness of and the chance it gave us to snuggle up every few hours.
I really missed breastfeeding when dd was ill as I felt it would have been a comfort to her. She has never shown any signs of missing it though and never looked for a feed from the moment she decided to stop.

[gerbo]

That's good to hear - can I ask how you knew she wanted to stop? I'm kind of getting that message from my dd - she wriggles/comes off the breast lots/needs 10 min breaks before taking the second breast, etc. and I get the impression that (apart from the first thing in the morning feed when she often cries for it) she's just not bothered. Does that sound similar?

[Sabire]

As babies get older they don't feed for long periods, but they still take what they need.

My youngest was having very short feeds at 9 months, apart from his first and last feed of the day, but I'm sure he was getting everything he needed as he was healthy and growing well.

If you want to stop breastfeeding then do, but I wouldn't worry about her getting enough nutrients because she mucks around at the breast or has short feeds - lots of babies go through a phase of doing this and in any case short feeds don't necessariy mean they're not taking much: they're very efficient feeders by 9 months!

[gerbo]

Thanks Sabire - you've confused me a little though (god knows it's not hard)...It's the same old thing of trusting them to take enough milk as I had when she was little and we had a rocky start breastfeeding. Hmm. I just worry about her overcompensating by eating too many solids and not getting enough nutrients.....

But - I'm pretty sure the time has come to at least cut back, perhaps starting with the afternoon feed first.

Anyone else got any idea of the best milk to go for/any not to go for?

And from when is it OK to just wash bottles in hot water and Fairy liquid?

[suiledonn]

gerbo, I knew my dd wanted to stop because one day she just did and never latched on again despite plenty of offers. Also, I knew she had made her mind up because she never looked for the breast again, even when she was tired or upset. She had only drank a bottle a few times before that but when I offered her the first bottle of formula she grabbed it in both hands and drank it all down while sitting on my lap with no assistance from me whatsoever.

In terms of formula the one I would avoid is the stage two that says 'for hungrier babies' as you don't want the formula to fill her too much so she has no interest in solids.
I may be wrong here but it is my understanding that the stage three gives all the necessary nutrients without being over filling.I never used the growing up milk as I tasted it and it seems very sweet. My dd didn't suffer from constipation when we switched to formula at all.

I continued to sterilize bottles until dd was a year but as it was only a couple of months it wasn't a problem. Once she was over a year I washed them with washing up liquid and very hot water and sterilized them occasionally.