To ask which formula brand you would recommend for a newborn?

[MissMattyJenkins]

I'm posting in AIBU for traffic as I'm running out of time before the baby arrives and I want to buy some for the house. I couldn't find any recent threads on this when I searched.

A couple of pharmacist friends have suggested Aptamil (with the proviso that they think the brands should all be much the same). I've noticed since then that aptamil is more expensive than SMA or cow and gate!

Anecdotally I've heard a few people saying aptamil is easier on the baby's digestive system when browsing older threads on mumsnet but not consistently.

What do people think?

I used aptimil with DC1 and cow and gate with DC2. No notable difference other than c&g is cheaper

I also think it's worth getting a few cartons of ready made milk in even if not planning to use straight away.

We used aptimal occasionally. I did mainly breastfeed but if I was going to be out/ away I didn't faff around expressing but just had dh or whoever give aptimal. In the end we didn't use any the first 3 months, and then only occasionally as I said, but I was glad we bought 4 ready made and a bottle in cupboard so I knew it was there. My thought was yes dh could get some but it would be a pain, he would have only needed the first few weeks had I been rushed back into hospital, or taken ill, or suddenly away unexpectedly so it would have been another pressure for him having to take a screaming baby to the shops as hungry. Also there's not any 24hr places near us so had I been unavailable to breastfeed at midnight, dh would have no way to get milk for baby until morning.

Those ready made cartons last ages so even if you buy and don't use at all as baby drink, you can just add to baby porridge once older, or give to a friend, even bin it's only about £3 worth for 4 cartons

I also used SMA with my DS. Had no problems whatsoever

Sma with all 3 of mine. No problems at all. Used that brand as thats what the hospital had the first time round so just continued to use the same with next two children.

I'm just reading what earslaps is saying about making sure to sterilise properly. I'm just wondering if all of you make up one bottle at a time as per advice or if some people still make up 2 or 3 bottles before cooling them rapidly and before putting them in the fridge?

I still make a few and pop them in the fridge. I even microwave them for a few seconds and give them a good shake but I expect I'll get told off in a min ...

I chose aptamil because it was the only one stocked in the hospital that they also had in my local shop. I did try to bf but couldn't. Birth complications meant dd needed top up feeds with formula from day 1 I was prepared for that and I'm glad I was.

I might try bf this time round but I'd still be prepared. Hospital provides bottles and formula but I'm still going to put a couple of ready made ones in my hospital bag.

With dd I ended up giving her one feed a day of comfort formula too until she was 6 months so she did ok on aptamil but had a bit of something else as well. They don't sell aptamil comfort where I live so I was prescribed a local comfort formula with a natural fibre in it and that turned out fine.

Dd is 13 months. We did move to follow on milk at 6 months because it's cheaper here. At the moment I'm trying to get her on normal milk but she doesn't like it or water so she's having half and half. I appreciate there is a lot of expensive marketing behind it but dd does seem to like it and she's absolutely thrived on drinking it.

My 2 had Aptimil, DD started on Cow and Gate but she was a bit colicky and my SIL suggested I switch to Aptimil and Dr B bottles and that sorted her right out.
If you can afford it buy ready made cartons for the first few weeks and research sterilising etc because the mw probably won't be able to advise you at all.

I would make up a few bottles at a time but i,m pretty sure thats not the guidelines anymore!

I know it's against the guidelines but we always made 4 bottles at a time, cooled rapidly and stored at back if fridge. Made sure to use within 24 hours. DD1 is now a thriving 14 month old so I'd say it was fine to do but I understand why it's not really recommended.

Thanks confused how many would you make? How many hours would you keep them in the fridge for? How many seconds do you microwave for? (I know it will depend on quantity!)

Another vote for Hipp organic here. I also agree with PPs that it is harder to find and the pre-made liquid cartons are nowhere near as convenient as the bottles C&G and Aptimil do.

SMA left DS hungry, Aptimil made him constipated, and C&G gives him slightly too runny poo (it's not too bad, so C&G is our close 2nd choice). His tummy seemed most comfortable with Hipp and it satisfied him, so that was our choice.

As you can see, my DS reacted differently to other PPs DCs so I agree that it is worth trying a different one if your first choice doesn't quite suit your baby.

Congratulations, and good luck.

It's a personal thing but aptamil
SMA seems to have blocked up all the babies I know who use it and they've then switched
Cow and gate prob fine but less available in stock at my local shops and I want consistency
Its more expensive but it's my babies milk so I go with it, it's not forever

I did the same as slightly at first. No problem.

Considering tomee tipee perfect prep this time but I use Dr Brown's bottles and im not sure they are compatible.

Formula has more iron than breastmilk. Breastmilk has more bioavailable iron than formula.

They're all the same, OP, nutritionally there is nothing to choose between them. I wouldn't personally have formula in the house (your choice, of course) - breastfeeding can be tricky in the early days but giving formula usually just makes life harder - and with other dc, I wouldn't want to be making bottles, sterilising things, adding to washing up. I have four and just can't imagine the faff of bottle feeding.

Please don't make bottles in advance
You don't do that with all your food
If you're u sure get a perfect prep machine saves time and way cheaper than ready mix

How about a Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep machine? If they had made them when DS was a baby I would definitely have had one. For hospital I found the pre-mixed cow and gate bottles brilliant, you used to be able to buy a pack of them which would be perfect.

mrsnec when did you give the comfort formula feed? Was your baby colicky at a particular time?

Hopping I'll definitely get some ready made bottles and cartons, so many of you have recommended them.

2boys and RAYkowalski I'm certain its against guidelines but I can see myself deviating from them in this instance. Is the back of the fridge coldest ray?

The World Health Organisation has sensible guidelines on making, storing and heating formula milk.

Sorry, can't figure out how to hyperlink on my phone.

www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/PIF_Bottle_en.pdf&ved=0CBsQFjAAahUKEwju7ris5-TIAhXEXBQKHXsxCcQ&usg=AFQjCNFMYjYWia9jNdV5o7gfGkelYs_Chg

My DD is 6 days old and seems to be getting on well with Aptamil and Cow & Gate (which I believe as others have said are almost identical) in hospital I used some premade stuff and they had some pre-sterilised bottles available. Now we are home I am using Cow & Gate powder and she is doing well on that.

I was like you OP - wanted to give BF a go and did so in hospital but was finding it too stressful. With my first baby I made myself mentally ill trying to breastfeed him for weeks and failing. This time I have no guilt, I have a very happy little baby and feel proud to have tried again but no shame in using formula so just wanted to say sounds like you have a good open attitude about it all which is fantastic. And also I just want to say my midwives were amazing so supportive of me BF and using formula I got no pressure off them.

My son had constipation issues and SMA made it worse. He moved on to Cow & Gate comfort and that did him so much good.

With regards to making bottles I use a perfect prep machine.

Good luck OP

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/PIF_Bottle_en.pdf&ved=0CBsQFjAAahUKEwju7ris5-TIAhXEXBQKHXsxCcQ&usg=AFQjCNFMYjYWia9jNdV5o7gfGkelYs_Chg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/PIF_Bottle_en.pdf&ved=0CBsQFjAAahUKEwju7ris5-TIAhXEXBQKHXsxCcQ&usg=AFQjCNFMYjYWia9jNdV5o7gfGkelYs_Chg

Hopefully this will work!

That's what I was told, and fridge door is warmest.

I used cow & gate and loved it. I tried them all (bought mini cartons) that one went down best with least coming. Job done.

It's all a bit of a blur with the comfort formula. Yes dd was colicky. We did the second feed of the day with something called frisolac. I was also giving dd infacol, baby tea and switched to Dr Brown's bottles at around the same time and the colic got better but I've no idea which one of those things cured her ot if she just grew out of it!

I did stick with Dr Brown's bottles though. And with making up bottles I just do 2 or 3 at a time.

Thanks for that link ladyrosy.

Ladydeirdre I'm not sure about the perfectprep machine, as I tend not to like too many extra gadgets (I accept a steriliser is essential!). I hate clutter! I know lots of people think the perfectprep machine is excellent.