Bottlefeeding - EBM and formula, have I got this right?

[BettyButterknife]

DS2 is 5 days old and I'm hoping to bottle-feed using formula and EBM, which seems to be working ok at the moment (I'm aware my supply won't tolerate this for long but it's best case scenario for us).

I'll probably end up pumping from both sides 4 times a day - anyone got any tips or experience doing this? I suppose I just want to keep it going if I can, but avoid engorgement/risk of mastitis etc.

I've been sterilising everything - bottles, pump etc - and using ready-made cartons of formula. My question is about how long bottles stay sterile for - if I sterilise the bottle and make it up when it comes out of the steriliser, I can then pour in the formula as and when throughout the day. Is that right?

And the ready-made formula says to use each feed within 2 hours, and that unused but open cartons will last for 24 hours in the fridge. That's all straightforward. And am I right in thinking EBM has to be refrigerated and used within 24 hours too?

Oh, it's all so confusing!

As far as expressing goes I would say you need to be doing it more often than 4 times a day in order to keep your supply up and once during the night as this helps with supply too.
I used to use a hot flannel on my breasts before expressing to help with let down/flow. Also looking at baby or holding the babies babygro/vest helps with let down too ( I used to sniff my DS's- weird I know but it worked!)
You need to use EBM within 24 hours in fridge. Or just pop it in the freezer to be used later.

Here is a good link...www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/pdfs/BFNExpressing&Storing.pdf

Breastfeeding network advise that you can store EBM for 3 or 8 days depending on the temerature of the fridge.

Betty - expressing four times a day won't be enough to build up a supply, and may not be sufficient for you to avoid mastitis.

You're gonna need to express at least 8 times in 24 hrs, inc at night, then you can wind down from there gradually if you continue to plan to move to formula.

Formula should not hang around - the empty bottle can hang around after sterilisation and as long as it is somewhere clean, it's not going to be unusable for ages and ages...it's the milk that becomes unusable. Not sure what you mean by 'sterilise the bottle and make it up when it comes out of the steriliser'.

EBM stays usable for ages in the fridge - days in fact. You can check out guidance here:

www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk.

Hope this helps, but would be best to get your midwife's input.

BettyButterknife - if you are going to be exclusively pumping then have a look at this forum for advice.

Also some links here.

With sterilising have a look at this and see if it answers your questions.

If you move onto powdered formula then you need to know that it's not sterile and needs to be made with water which is 70 degrees C - see here.

BettyButterknife, I have expressed and bottlefed twice now for 6 months each. The first time was exclusively, the 2nd time my DD would latch on but was dropping weight dramatically every time I EBF so I expressed and also gave some formula about 1-2 times a week (when desperate, as I now had a 3-yr-old).

You need to express about 6 times a day, including once after midnight if you can manage it. Best way to achieve this is to have a cycle of change/feed the baby and put them down, then express straight after and time left until the next feed is yours. I was much less stressed about my milk supply with DD than I was with DS because I had already been 'forced' to give some formula in the first few days after lack of support caused me to be unable to express enough. If I had no milk in the fridge I just used formula and then expressed when she was settled. I found the first express of the day often had nearly twice as much, which meant the second express I made enough to complete the 2nd feed and also the 3rd, if that makes sense? Then later on in the day at some point I would stop being ahead of myself.

If you find you are feeling trapped in, you can always use a hand pump and express while you are out (in a nursing room) which is what I did with DS, or make your 'allowed' 6 hour stint without expressing during the day and get up in the night to express instead.

Good luck, and it is totally possible to maintain supply by expressing alone - that forum that tabouleh linked to (a great source of support for me) shows this.

Oh and one last very good tip - 'the fridge trick' - look it up. It saved my sanity with DD!

I think most of your questions have been answered, except the one in para 3.

I've never used formula (just so you know I'm no expert!) but I did use bottles for EBM.

As tiktok says, if you take the bottle out of the steriliser and put the top on, it will be fine for hours. It's formula which is tricky to keep sterile. So if you're thinking of being out and about, I would put the empty bottle in your bag, with your carton of formula. That's only sterile because it's been pasteurised in the carton. As soon as you open it, it's not sterile any more. So the best bet would be to get out your sterile bottle and your carton when you want to feed, to open the carton and pour it in, then warm, then feed

Betty - I think 4 x a day is not nearly enough, probably need 6-7 times in 24 hour period eg:

7am 10am 1pm 4pm 7pm 10.30pm 3am

Thanks for your advice, everyone :)

I use EBM a couple of times a week, i sterilise a bottle and keep it in the fridge and keep adding to it for up to 5 days then use it, HV said this was OK and DD has never had any problems.
EBM keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for 2 months. If defrosted it needs to be used straight away.