How to bottle feed a newborn

[pettyprudence]

Help! After 8 days of EBF I am giving in and starting to formula feed my baby (awaiting first feed shortly!). I feel absolutely gutted as I had wild dreams of EBF for the first year but I am exhausted and my nipples are retreating in horror at another feed. We've had help etc.... but he has such a strong latch that I just cant take it (he's bruised his own arm twice when suckling!). Whats doubly gutting is that he is absolutely thriving on BF, just I'm not and now I feel hugely selfish. Anyway, guilt aside I need to know how to bottle feed!

Can someone please provide me with a list of what needs to be done and when? Will he need water between or after feeds? I have tried googling but cant find a straight forward simple list.

He'll need 5-6 feeds a day, probably starting on about 3floz. I did used to make up a couple of small bottles of cooled, boiled water to offer between feeds if I felt the kids wanted it, and especially in warmer weather. Don't feel guilty, btw you tried your hardest, and he needs you to not be exhausted and poorly. I won't give advice on making up the bottles, as it's changed a lot since my lot were babies. I did love my microwave steriliser though.

Oh poor you, I felt the same and had the same ebf hopes. I was told by my lovely HV no water until DD was about 8 weeks. There's guide to amounts on the formula tin for different ages. Get a microwave sterilser, they are ace. I bought 8 bottles so we always had plenty ready to use.

Also, wosh someone had told me this - you don't need to wait 30 mins for the water to cool after boiling. I give it between 5 and ten mins after kettles boiled. Hot enough to sterilse the powder (which is NOT sterile) but not boiling so as to destoy some of the nutrients apparently.

How to make up bottles

I prefer this one to the NHS advice for parents one. Very clear step by step guide on page 3.

The key things to remember are add the powder to HOT water, if you store your feeds in the fridge make sure you use them within 24 hours and wash everything thoroughly after feeds to get rid of milk residue before sterilising.

I personally wouldn't offer cooled/boiled water unless it was very hot and he'll probably go 3 hours between formula feeds.

Good luck and don't beat yourself up over not BFing. The important thing is that you're BOTH happy and healthy.

If you're gutted, don't give in. You could always express to keep up your supply while you heal and bfing gets so much easier as the baby gets bigger. Or use nipple shields. Or mix feed.

Are you stopping cold turkey? Personally I'd express for a bit at least to avoid engorgement and mastitis.

Stop if it's what you want to do - but if you are really gutted and don't want to FF for preference, it honestly will get easier - your nipples will toughen up soon and latching on won't hurt so much, and eventually won't hurt at all - mine were just as you described when DS was that age and I would wince in pain as he latched on (which can be normal - it's not always true that pain=bad latch). But honestly, another week or so and it was so much better and by the time he was 3 weeks old it didn't hurt at all. Loads of lansinoh and air-time for your nipples are key and people need to be looking after you - stay in bed if you have to and get other people to do nappies, cook meals, bring you food/drinks etc so all you have to do is sleep and feed until it improves. Certainly don't worry about housework or getting yourself up and dressed for now.

(This isn't meant to be pressure to continue so please don't think it is - it's just I understand exactly where you are now, and now my DS is 5 months and BF is so effortless I just wanted to reassure you it DOES get better!)

I have ffed 3 dds, dd3 now 7 weeks old, I have never offered water at this age. I do lurve my microwave steriliser, had normal one with dd1 and dd2 and this one is so much more convenient. Get in a few cartons of whatever formula you use, incase of feeding emergency, if you'd rather use them if going out or spilt bottle!! All formula is basically the same so go for whichever one most of the local shops stock.

I also found muslin cloths a really big help, with spit up, dribbles etc. I ff on demand, I bought a second cheap kettle to use for the bottles. Most people I know use Infacol before feeds and swear by it but I never bothered. Hope all goes well.