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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed when people describe making up bottles as "faffing around"

140 replies

shuffle · 21/01/2009 02:54

It takes 5 mins! You have to follow similar process when expressing (never referred to as faffing around).

OP posts:
JollyPirate · 21/01/2009 18:14

I bottlefed and found making bottles a bore - to me it would have been so much easier if I had succeeded in breastfeeding - much less er faffing around (sorry) with bottles.

nappyaddict · 21/01/2009 18:16

I would say expressing and making up formula is about the same amount of faff. With formula you have to fill with boiling water and then cool under the cold water tap til it is cool enough to drink. That always pissed me off. Least you can sit watching tv or read a book whilst you express!

thisisyesterday · 21/01/2009 18:17

it is faffing when compared to breastfeeding which takes, erm, no time at all!
much nicer to have a content baby, than one screaming blue murder for 5 minutes hwile it waits for a bottle.
that's why it seems so long I think, the baby crying makes everything seem to take forever.

Lotster · 21/01/2009 18:52

Hmm, having experienced both, would say B/F'ing has it's own faff, with the keeping you nips clean and putting in fresh pads in between feeds, and the expressing was a nightmare...

thisisyesterday · 21/01/2009 18:53

keeping your nipples clean? sorry but don't get it. i have never done anything special to my nipples! stopped using pads when i stopped leaking and have not needed to express either.

so, doesn't have to be a faff.

2manychips · 21/01/2009 19:01

Peparation and sterilisation-definately faffing to me.

piscesmoon · 21/01/2009 19:05

I would call it faffing about. In addition, getting the mix right and the temperature right would have been a huge worry-not to mention the sterilisation.

Lotster · 21/01/2009 19:09

Thisisyesterday,

I had really sore nips and at some time thrush too. My son refused to feed through Lansinoh so I had to clean it off before every feed, and re-apply afterwards. Then put in a fresh pad. When I had thrush I had a spray to use in between feeds too.

Obviously my experience, but lots of people have it. Just as different people can find bottles a quick task or a chore I suppose!

And the expressing took about 25 mins for about 1-2 ounces. Flow of a mouse obv... absolute chore.

DandGsmummy · 21/01/2009 19:15

I dont get the question, is it more faffing around than getting a tit out?

thisisyesterday · 21/01/2009 19:18

ahh yeh but thrush and stuff is a whole different kettle of fish no? I am talking just straightforwards breastfeeding vs bottle-feeding faff-wise.

of course there is more to it if you have thrush or something, but it doesn't last forever!
I've done both, btw, bottle feeding and breast. and i have suffered from thrush far too many times, grrr.
still think bf is far, far, far from faffy.

hazeyjane · 21/01/2009 19:19

Well for first 3 months with dd1 I bfed (well attempted to), expressed and formula fe, and I think it was the faffiest time of my life. So in comparison ffeeding was fairly unfaffy, once I had a system.

ladymariner · 21/01/2009 19:20

Definately a faff but it was dh's job so heyho, crack on.....

Lotster · 21/01/2009 19:32

I like the cut of your jib Ladymariner.

Lazycow · 21/01/2009 19:50

Well personally I don't understand how you can feed on demand with formula and it not be a faff. It is bad enough with bf IMHO.

One of my friends who ff her dd who was the only one of my ffing antenatal friends who genuinely fed on demand (i.e, without any real counting of amounts fed etc and with absolutely no milk feeding routine for the 7-8 months or so) used ready made cartons and always prepared/cleaned 8-9 bottles a day and still had to make up the odd on on the fly sometimes in the early months, Her dd would sometimes take 1/2 oz and then want a full bottle an hour or so later usually too late to use the earlier bottle do a new one would be needed

She often had 3-4 bottles and an several small cartons of formula with her for a half day out. It was expensive but as I say she was genuinely feeding on demand and she found using powder and boiled water too much of a faff.

Because she used the small formula cartons it was manageable as you just pour the carton in a ready prepared bottle without boiling water etc and you are ready to go,

If you are using powder or know exactly how many bottles you will need each day then I imagine is is less of a problem if you are quite organised - unlike me who really hated the sterilising and washing for the odd bottle of ebm I gave.

ladymariner · 21/01/2009 19:55

Why thankyou, Lotster, I sense a kindred spirit!!!

WinkyWinkola · 21/01/2009 19:55

For some it's a faff, for some it's not.

I can imagine bfing also being a bit of faff too for some. It's not always as straightforward as it's made out to be.

But I guess if bfing is straightforward for you, then it might seem a faff to start dealing with bottles etc.

hullygully · 21/01/2009 20:00

This just an excuse for bf v ff. Can't disguise it by saying it's about "faff."

puffling · 21/01/2009 20:01

DD munched my nips like a croc. The pain was 12 out of 10. There was lansinoh everywhere and pads to peel off and always one nork hanging out cos it was too painful to put back under my clothes. Siti never improved despite 'breastmates'and everyone helping out.
After that making bottles up was a joy.

WinkyWinkola · 21/01/2009 20:07

"Munched my nips like a croc" ??!?!? OMG. You poor woman!

ChristmasPenguin · 21/01/2009 20:30

Sorry but YABU. It's a pain in the arse.

fledtoscotland · 21/01/2009 20:34

sorry it is faffing compared to BFing when all you have to do is unclip your bra. am NOT saying BF is better than FF, all am saying is that it is less time consuming and the milk is ready to go. your boobs do not need to be sterilised.

jasper · 22/01/2009 00:05

I never sterilised bottles - used the dishwasher.

Fledto Scotland I AM saying BF is better!

But to me BF was a monumental faff - but it was worth the faff

NormaJeanBaker · 22/01/2009 00:47

Quite frankly sometimes it's a faff just getting up in the morning. BF, FF we choose our faffs and that's it. Anyone here with a life totally free from FAFF - one way or another?

MauriceDancer · 22/01/2009 00:51

i never get to choose my faffs, i'd much rather be bfing then bottlefeeding. and the OP was pissed off about ffing even being described as a faff.

NormaJeanBaker · 22/01/2009 00:57

Me too but ff was a life saver for me - well a sanity saver anyway. So have got so used to the faff it isn't one anymore. Ironing. That's a faff. Which is why I'm orf to bed in my crinkly old pjs.