From Breast to Bottle

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I have breastfed my DS for 15 weeks and have just started to give him formula during the day to get him used to it when i go back to work. The making up and warming of the bottles seems such a pain. When he is hungry he is HUNGRY and needs it there and then, but waiting for a bottle to warm up takes forever, are bottle warmers any good? How long do the bottles take to warm that way?

give it room temp. ds went from breast to mixed to fully formula and was fine with it at room temperature

There's no law that says you have to warm a feed. You can fill the bottles with boiled water, let them cool to room temp and then add the formula before the feed. That's what I did when ds had bottles.

bte a bottle warmer is probably slower than doing it in hot water. microwave is quickest way

Agree with starlover that bottle warmers aren't very good. They are mainly good if you don't want to boil a kettle to warm up night feeds. Microwave is quick, but meant to be less nutritious if you microwave the milk. Try and get him to take it room temperature. Makes life easier!

I have tried it at room temperature he is not so keen takes it a lot better if warm. I thought you should not warm bottles in the microwave for "hot spots" is there a way to do it in the microwave without getting these?

Just make sure you give the bottle a good shake to avoid hotspots.

I have been making up the feeds in the morning for the day, is it easier to make them as and when he wants them? Thought the milk had to cool after placing the boiled water in. (sorry i am a novice)

All you have to do to make them up as you go along is tip in the formula and shake. Not a big deal. Are you planning to breastfeed at all when you go to work?

Probably not, going to try to get him on to formula now, as he is still waking twice a night if not more for feeds, in a stressfull job and will need as much sleep as possible.

Does anyone know how long to put the bottles in the microwave for?

depends how much yuo have... i put 4oz in for 15 seconds in my crappy microwave!

Thank you thats should be quick enough for him.

The other thing is to leave the bottle a good minute or two before testing it. The risk is that the bottle can carry on heating up after you take it out of the microwave.

I microwave too. The theory on microwaves is that the microwaves vibrate the molecules which converts the vibration energy into heat.

Often, microwaves only vibrate certain areas of the target fluid.

Therefore, shake bottle well (therefore distributing vibrating particles) and leave for just a little longer time than it took to microwave (think of physics and energy - if you push a swing once, it will not swing as far the next go)

Advice on not using microwaves is based on the fact that there probably is someone alive stupid enough to burn their baby's mouth using it to warm bottles. There is probably only just the one person too. FWIW, the microwave saved my sanity when warming bottles - I took it 10 seconds at a time to start with - it is of course power and fluid ounce dependant as someone has already said. Just practice

Thank you all

Help!!!
I am mum to a 15 week baby boy. He is breast fed but was taking one bottle during the night up until 2 weeks ago when he simply refused. I have to return to work soon and my childminder and I are tearing our hair out as the baby refuses to take breast or formula milk from a bottle, training bottle or cup. Even when he is very hungry he wont feed until I offer him the breast. I don't want to stop breast totally - any ideas???

Hi, as I have mentioned previously on this subject I always recommend the Playtex nurser system to my mums (I am a breastfeeding counsellor) which has a really soft teat. some mums don't like the look of it because its latex but it really does the job and allows the baby to move from breast to bottle and back again.
Get hold of one and get the childminder to give it to him - they have a help line 01954 719899 and are really helpful - one lady I know got sent three different teats for the baby to try!!

We went through a phase when our breast fed little one needed to be topped up with a bottle due to poor weight gain and she suddenly started to fuss during bottle feeds. She had previously taken bottles when her mum went out (teen mum - I am nan and we all live together). What would happen is she would take an ounce then pull her head back, fuss, scratch her head and cry. Then she started doing the same with breast. We spent money on new teats and those Dr Brown bottles, went to docs had full check up etc but it just gradually seemed to resolve itself. Now she is breastfed on demand, but at around 7pm and 10.30pm I give her formula and she takes the bottle fine. And bonus ... sleeps better! I dont know if its just a case of perseverence for a while. Not easy I know!