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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Probably a stupid question - novice with the bottle

10 replies

butternut234 · 23/01/2011 08:31

Hi

I'm just about to start trying to get my 6 month old to take a bottle of expressed milk so I can go out sometimes.

(disclaimer - I know, I know, should have tried much earlier and there's no guarantee he'll accept a bottle now, but if he does...)

How does it work?? If he wakes up and is crying and hungry, I can get a boob into him within 10 seconds and he's happy.

With a bottle, how does one get it out the fridge, warm it up, check it's not too hot, give to baby, esp when on own (ie my husband) and when baby crying and probably being held.

Thanks!

OP posts:
tiktok · 23/01/2011 09:33

One option would be to not bother trying with a bottle - when you go out, your baby can have a cup, and he is old enough for solids, so he won't go hungry.

Saves a lot of hassle involved in teaching him to take a bottle :)

Original poster
butternut234 · 23/01/2011 10:01

Ooo thank you - should I just try one of those sippy cups?

Do I heat up the milk before it goes in the cup, or when it's in the cup?

Sorry, know I sound like a complete dunce but have just been all about the boob and he's never even sucked a dummy so this is all new territory for me!

Thanks!

OP posts:
tiktok · 23/01/2011 10:21

Any cup, but it's easier to manage a spouted cup or a Doidy cup, or even an egg cup (obviously he won't manage to hold it himself yet - as he gets older a cup with handles and a spout should be manageable).

He doesn't need it heated up - if he is only having an occasional drink and his main milk is breastmilk then ordinary cows milk is fine at this age. He can have it straight from the fridge.

You only need to give formula if this is his main milk. Then you should make it up with boiled water that has cooled to no more than 70 deg C.

Or if you want to use formula, use the cartons of ready-to-feed - no need to heat.

tiktok · 23/01/2011 10:22

Doh - no less than 70 deg C, I meant.

TheSkiingGardener · 23/01/2011 10:30

We found that the milk storage bags could be warmed very quickly by dunking them in a bowl of hot water. It takes a little while to heat it in a bottle and it's a faff. You can microwave but we never did. He may take it cold though so you could try it. We use the 360 cups as DS hates the spouts but loves the 360 ones (Tesco sell them), just try a few different ones until you find one he likes.

TheSkiingGardener · 23/01/2011 10:33

As for the juggling act required, that's just practise! Wink

Original poster
butternut234 · 23/01/2011 10:47

Ahhh... can't give cow's milk, he has intolerance to cow's milk protein so not allowed to try it for a few more months and even though only via my milk first not directly to him. Would be my expressed milk - does that need to be heated to 70 degrees too (or the bowl of water heated to that temp)?

Thanks TheSkiingGardener I will look for milk storage bags too.

OP posts:
Original poster
butternut234 · 23/01/2011 10:48

then not though sorry

OP posts:
tiktok · 23/01/2011 10:54

No need to heat your ebm, butternut :)

The 70 deg C thing is because powdered formula may have specific bacteria in it (salmonella and enterobakter sakersakii) which are reduced when mixed with water that is no cooler than this.

There is no fear of either in your breastmilk :) :)

Original poster
butternut234 · 23/01/2011 12:17

ooo that sounds scary - glad I don't have to worry about that! Thanks tiktok that is good to know re: not needing to heat!

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