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?

mumhum, more important that the not keeping formula at room temperature is the advice to sterilise the powder. You must make formula using water which is over 70 degrees. It's fine to then give them at room temp or even cold but the important step in all of it is sterilising the powder.

Congratulations OP and all the very best with finding a feeding method and combination which works for you. The WHO advice on making up feeds is very good. I think most people I know end up making a few in advance and flash cooling and storing in the back of the fridge.

op

They could only better it by making a portable one!

It's worth getting one if you spot one on sale, even if you end up not using it the resale value is excellent.

Hope the rest of your pregnancy is happy and healthy :)

I have never made formula with water over 70 degrees, I was told as long as water and bottle are sterile it is fine to mix at room temp. I doubt the water left to cool for 30 mins (Aptamil box instructions) would be 70 anyway.

The only flaw in your plan is that the powder is not sterile so would make no difference if the water and bottle are sterile as the powder itself is the problem.

If you don't have/can't afford a perfect prep machine, you can make up bottles safely in a similar way - 3 oz freshly boiled water plus 6 scoops of powder, top on and shake well, then add 3oz of cold (can be pre boiled) water that you have measured out in another clean bottle. The formula is sterilised and the milk is ready to drink. Only takes a couple of minutes.

Pixie, no flaw in my plans, 2 healthy DC's to show for it!

We began with Aptamil but that gave DD constipation so moved to HIPP and never looked back.

at quiettiger's DH using her perfect prep machine for the orphan lambs!

I'm finding it very reassuring to see how many of you have made bottles up in advance with no problems (although I can see that panickingalot has reservations).

nannyR is there any difficulty getting the 6 scoops of formula to mix well with 3oz water before you add the 3oz cold water? Do you work with babies as a nanny?

Thanks Alisvolat I am only a few days from Due date so not long to go!

felicia did you then switch to FF when the midwife made up those feeds for your twins or did you do a combination? It sounds like you had two hungry thriving boys either way!

Yes, I work as a nanny, I've made bottles up like this for years. The powder mixes fine with the boiling water.

I've tried all 3 brands and noticed no difference. It was such a relief to see DS so nourished and satisfied after a few days of little boob milk! I sterilised 4 bottles each time, powder in, boiling water, mix, put in fridge and then use bottle warmer when he needed a feed. Though for the first 5 months followed the instructions and made up a bottle as and when needed, so had to try and cool a boiling bottle with baby screaming! Was so much better when I was told I could pre make them all.. and DS was happier! He is now a thriving 18 month old.

Yes to not changing to follow on milk. I kept up with the basic HIPP until my DD was 1 and she was fine.

I swore by my perfect prep machine. They'd are always on sale somewhere so if you can afford it they do make life easy. I wasn't keen on the idea of making up bottles and storing them but I had to do that when my DD went to nursery at 9 months. No harm came to her.

I think the main thing to remember with ff is always scald the milk powder to sterilise it as that's where the germs are.

Follow the manufacturers guidelines on how to make a bottle. None of this preparing in advance and microwaving crap. If you decide not to breastfeed the least you can do is make the bottles properly. without breast milk to encourage and grow a healthy immune system little babies are at risk of bugs.

Actually the WHO says its fine to make bottles.in advance. But thanks for the smug and factually.incoincorrect post anyway.

BIG, BIG, BIG, fan of the perfect prep machine! My DH hates junk and clutter in the kitchen but he loves the prep machine (I persuaded him it was a good investment and when I reminded him that we have a coffee machine behind it that hasn't been used in three years, he relented!)

I found it a hassle either making up bottles and storing in the fridge to reheat at 11pm, 1am, 3am, 5am and so forth! (admittedly, told not to do this but my HV is old school and works on the understanding "it didn't do 'us' any harm!"). Both mine 'had this system' and neither ill from it or scalded. My DC2 moved to the prep machine at 6 weeks of age.

She is 8 months old and it is so easy to use my 3 year old actually makes her bottles (I shake them and supervise due to hot water being administered) but it takes less than 2 minutes to make a 6oz bottle. And at the un-Godly hours, it is a time saver.

I use aptamil first too. Midwives actually recommended it in hospital when my DC1 needed formula as i wasn't able to provide milk for him and his sugar levels dropped. They are all strictly regulated and yes C&G is much the same as aptamil but if you look and compare the nutritional info carefully, there are tiny differences. SMA (I got this on advice of my mother. Why, I have no idea considering she said SMA disagreed with me and I was put on Oyster milk or something like that!) disagreed with my DC1 so I moved onto Aptamil after breastfeeding was proving difficult at one month of age.

I too decided with DC2 that breastfeeding was to be done in hospital (easier) and this time would stop when I felt like it. It hasn't done her any harm. She's a healthy 8 month old gaining weight along her centile, only a few colds to speak of, no temp spikes or tummy bugs to speak of and no allergies either.

oh and MUST use boiling water to make up bottles as the pwder is not sterile. There is a misconception that cooled boiled water is just as best but people are misguided about this. The hot water kills potential bacteria whereas cooled boiled water won't. (hence why Prep machine uses a hot shot).

Mine were all good on SMA. Babies are all different though.

My eldest is 20 now. Back in those days we were advised that feeds could be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored in the fridge so that was what I did for all three. I suspect by the time DD3 was born (she is now 13) the advice might have moved on, but I continued with what I was used to.

Three healthy children to show for it.

I kind of do wish the perfect prep machine had been around then though.

In the US patents are not advised to sterilise bottles after every use, hot soapy water is fine. So having to sterilise the powder by using hot water is a bit OTT in my opinion and not as advised by manufacturers or health profs anyway.

tedcrilly,xenadog & 8reasons thanks for the reassurance and advice re making up bottles :)

Thanks Gloria one of the pps linked that WHO advice for me, it was reassuring :)

I see that downstairs and 8reasons both liked Aptamil. I'm still undecided re which one to pick as there are so many different opinions on this thread

Oh, a vote for SMA! And further feed-making reassurance, thanks Topsey.

Mumhum I didn't realise that about different advice being given out in the U.S. I wonder what the advice is on washing bottles in a dishwasher. I wonder if it's a no-no. Probably less thorough than using a bottle brush I suppose.

I made bottles up in advance for my now 20 and 12 year olds, I didn't with the 4 year old as advice had changed and I wouldn't risk it.

The same way as I weaned later with the younger ones, advice changes for a reason

mum it says on the tins of formula to use hot water

If I couldnt breastfeed, then I would recommend the hipp organic formula

both my dd's had sma gold. my ds cant have that so is on aptimal

and i make my bottles up in advance and always have

mumhum The World Health Organisation and the manufacturers both recommend using water over 70 degrees as the powder is not sterile.

I was impressed with the Cow & Gate powder can instructions being very specific about this, as quite a few people think it is only the water that needs to be heated at some point.

Great that your kids are healthy, but I will go with scientific evidence over anecdotal evidence.