AIBU to not follow new guidelines?

[LittleSugaPlum]

Im pregnant with first baby and im almost 33 weeks.
I plan to bottle feed and have brought all the equipment already.

When i was a nursery nurse, around 5 years ago, it was common to "bulk make bottles" and store them in the fridge for upto 24hours.

When i mentioned to my midwife that i was bottlefeeding, she mentioned that the new guidelines were to make up a feed when needed and its not recommended to "bulk make feeds"

Have people honestly stopped doing this? Do people actually only make one feed at a time?

Im seriously considering bulk making, if it was fine for years, whats the difference now?

AIBU to not follow the new guidelines?

If you're set on bottle feeding, please do it in the safest way. Deliberately choosing to take a risk because its easier for you is both selfish and foolish. Formula is not sterile, and needs to be made correctly to make sure it is safe.

Basically it's a short tongue, you can google more info, makes breastfeeding more tricky but affects bottle feeding less (typically).

I would probably make a few bottles up in advance, too, if I bottle fed.

Plum tongue tie is when the skin under your tongue (that horrible stringy bit) is further forward so your tongue doesn't stick out as far and you can't wiggle it around as much out simply

Also Sugaplum as I see there are some pro breast milk comments.

As I said before I couldn't BF but I managed to express a good amount per day.

This meant not only that I got relief from my giant milk filled boobs that felt like the were going to explode but I could do it in my own home and DS got the wonderful benefit of getting breast milk in a bottle.

Expressing wasn't too bad either. I used a hand pump and did it whilst watching TV.

Good luck

Spoons I agree all bacteria are not equal but how do you know if your friends/ family haven't been messing with raw chicken or spilt anything on their clothes?

(this was just how paranoid I was when DS was small....he eats slugs and worms now so doubt it made much difference being so obsessive about him )

Bubalu did you find the breast pump easy? I really tried (only the hand held one because we were poor) and couldn't do it at all! Maybe I was doing it wrong

Disagree it affects bottle feeding less, baby tends to have same issues, its just harder to diagnose in formula fed babies as it tends to be difficulty latching which is the first alert if its not spotted immediately.

I don't think anyone should have queried your reasons not to breastfeed, you only have to justify it to yourself.

I didn't have any problems breastfeeding that weren't well worth it. :)

He has out grown it now - it was only a 'partial tongue tie' and stopped him being able to latch on.

I was born with a full tongue tie - my whole tongue was attached to the bottom of my mouth.

It wasn't ever a problem until I developed a large benign tumour underneath & they both removed the tumour & cut the tongue tie.

I still have a little tongue! Oddly enough my mum breast fed me fine as a baby even with such a severe tongue tie - go figure!

Its up to you, HV/MW won't check your fridge.
Depends on whether you want to take the tiny risk of your baby dying from illness caused by bacteria that might be in powdered formula. The powder isn't sterile, using v hot water is more likely to kill off the bacteria than using warm or cold water and reheating to feeding temp.
If the feed is then stored in the fridge there's a very remote possibility that any stray bacteria that haven't been killed by the hot water could multiply. Whenever this subject comes up people say they didn't follow the guidelines and their babies were fine, but the illness that prompted the Dept of Health advice is very serious and results in death.
Unlikely that someone would come on mumsnet and say they didn't follow the guidelines and their baby died.

DozyDuck i think it was just a tommee tippee 1. It wasn't really easy but it did the job.

I'd rather have done that then the pain of overflowing boobs!!!!

Tbh of I had another baby (never going to happen) I would probably still be over paranoid and follow guidelines to the letter.... But if you're ok with it then do it!

Bubalou I wish I could have done that! My boobs were so painful and I felt so guilty about the lack of breast milk!!!

revolting someone posted about this bacteria and posted the report. I read it and it was in Belgium and affected premature babies. The reason why the babies got ill was because of how the bottles were stored (dodgy fridge temp).

Also in hospital they mixed powder with sterilized water and just warmed up so even hcp dont follow guide lines.

DozyDuck Don't feel like that I feel the same about not being able to breast feed - it's such a horrible 'label' that you feel like you wear when you don't manage to.

Poor DS was screaming from frustration as I tried for 7 days to feed him. He lost 8oz and my nipples were bleeding as all he could do was literally chew to latch on - no teeth I know but their gums fucking hurt!

When the HV came to see him at 7 days I was hopeful she would be able to help - she weighed him - tutted that I had let him lose too much weight and then said 'let me see them' meaning my nipples after I had told her about the pain. I shyly lifted up my top and removed my nipple pad - covered in blood btw and she said 'they're fine, just carry on & ignore it'! I am not exaggerating here!

My mum turned up later that day to find me crying and trying not to scream whilst attempting to feed him. I showed her my nipples and she took DS, ran me a bath and sent DH and & dad straight out to get baby milk whilst she set about sterilising bottles.

DS took the bottle straight away. When my nipples started to heal a few days later I began expressing - it was still sore but I managed to do it. I did this until it dried up at about 4 weeks later. I didn't manage to express loads but I just tried to do what I could.

As for the health visitor Pushing the whole 'breast is best' thing to the limit!!!

If I recall correctly, the only babies who have died from the particular bacterium that has caused this change, were premature or already weakened by some other problem. As far as I am aware, no healthy, robust baby has suffered any serious or fatal ill effects from this bacterium. The new guidelines are more stringent as much to protect the formula manufacturers against possible legal action as to protect babies from what is, if I have understood things correctly, a very small risk.

I bulk-prepared bottles for my three when they were babies, with no ill effects at all.

Disclaimer - I know the plural of anecdote isn't data, but this is how the vast majority of people who formula fed, prepared their formula back then, and there weren't loads and loads of babies getting ill.

Really bubalou?? my HV was fab and spotted it right away but the useless midwives put 'feeding fine' on my notes even though i said I didn't think he was getting any milk

I used to make bottles for the day. Used boiling water, cooled rapidly, put in fridge. Used cartons for out and about and night feeds.

I did a bit of all things whilst FFing dd. In the end I found it far easier to boil water, put it straight into a thermos and make a bottle from the thermos when needed. I had a jug of water cold in the fridge and sat the bottle in that to cool it down. Seemed to be quicker and more effective than trying to heat them hen batch made.

You'll find your own way with it and whatever works best for you. Good luck.

I find it very sad that you would form your opinions of breast feeding from a few posters on an internet forum. It's given you a very skewed view because people post for support and advice when they have a problem...you very rarely hear the success stories.

I'm not at all anti formula btw...dd1 was mix fed. I'm surprised you wouldnt rathergive it a try and decide for yourself.

I made bottles in bulk, but this was 17 years ago, clearly guidelines have changed. Absolutely no problems though.
And btw the op asked a specific question about bottle feeding as she's obviously
made her decision.
I don't think this is the place to try and guilt her into breastfeeding.

I did bulk bottles for Dd 7 years ago, no ill effect for her.
I did have a little plastic thing that could store powder in for when we went out and about, I'd carry the bottle with boiled water already measured in it and add the pre measured powder when she needed a bottle, shake and feed, but then we don't warm bottles up much over here. Room temp is about it.
This is what I had for the powder

control Some of the reasons i wont entertain breastfeeding is from what i ve read on here, but also because i wouldnt be able to feed in public as i mentioned in a previous comment.

Plus my DH works from home so he ll be able to help with feeding, night feeds etc, so i dont feel that its all on me, become resentful of him "getting away with the feeds" and hes able to share everything for our daughter to help him feel included and bond with her.