Bottle Feeding from day ONE

[dewberry1]

Its only a quickie......

Has anyone bottlefed from day one and what ormula milk did you use.....??

Bad experience last time breast feeding so not even going there!!

Hi bubblepop if your reading this xx

They haven't 'banned' it, mogwai - they're just asking formula feeding mothers to bring their own stuff. Perfectly reasonable. They can bring ready-to-feed formula and pre-sterilised single use bottles if they want to, but bottles will stay sufficiently clean if brought in from home having been sterilised and then kept clean while the mum is actually in labour. As I say, all maternity units will continue to stock formula and bottles for the reasons I outlined.

I agree it's reasonable to ask the mums to bring their own stuff, I just think that practically speaking, sterilising bottles would have been the last thing we would have been doing while I was in labour (I was in hospital for 41 hours before baby was actually born, so we are talking about using bottles sterilised two days ago and sitting in a hospital bag during a very hot summer).

I have no idea where you get those single use bottles from?? I saw them in hospital but have never seen them in the shops.

Is this a cost-cutting exercise do you think? If so, well, I work in the NHS, the Central Cheshire trust must be in real trouble. If it's designed to get more mothers to breastfeed, I think it's a bit off.

Cow and Gate for me and will be doing again this time round. No problems at all (and it seems to be the cheaper of the lot and more varity through the stages too). The ready made cartons are good to use too in emergencies or when it isn't practical/possible to get to a warmer etc.

I bottle feed and used Cow and Gate from day 1. Both times i'm sorry to tell you i was in more pain with my boobs that i was giving Birth, i think about day 4-5 i just cried and cried.
Cabbage leaves didn't work but soaking in the bath with warm flannels on them gave temporary releif.

Mogwai, hospitals have some tiny formula bottles that get attached to some tiny teats that come sterilised and sealed in plastic packages. We used some of those when DH was hospitalised at 5m, but I would recommend others to take their own as, obviously, they don't stock all brands or versions of formula. DS is allergic to milk products but can tolerate casein, so the only formula that was good for him was Aptamil, unfortunately the hospital didn't have it.

You can get pre sterilised disposable bottles form some supermarkets and mothercare.

hing I was advised is to stick to whichever one you start with (unless illness arises) as you shouldn't swap and change.

Pre-sterilised bottles are widely available, but obviously if a mother is formula feeding from day one, and arrives at the hospital without the necessary stuff, no one is going to prevent her from using the hospital's own, though they will prob ask your partner to bring in your chosen brand and other equipment the next day.

It will save the hospital money and storage space - just as mothers are now asked to bring in their own breast pads, maternity pads and sometimes nappies and clothing for the baby (all of which used to be provided by the hospital). Maternity units really should stock the full range of brands of formula if they are giving mothers a free choice. My local hospital has just 2 types - Cow&Gate and SMA and both the same formulation (whey-dominant). Yet there are at least 6 brands, each in 2 formulations, available in local shops. Seems to me better to leave it up to the mother to choose for herself, rather than inevitably limiting her options.

I don't think it will make more than a small difference to breastfeeding rates, though it does prevent the hospital looking as if they are recommending a particular brand, or indeed recommending formula, so it has that going for it.

I have never understood why mothers are told not to chop and change brands - what difference would it make?

Bottlefed Dd1 from day 3 after unsuccesfull breastfeeding, used Farleys with no problem.

Breastfed Dd2 for 7 weeks and then changed to HIPP Organic which she settled on straight away.

Both these formulas where fine with my Dd's but HIPP is more expensive.

I have read this with interest, as I am trying to work out which formula is less constipating. Its for my granddaughter. You may have read my thread. When my kids were little Ostermilk and Osterfeed were available and my son had Osterfeed. This was discontinued, taken over by Farleys I think ... there was some bad press about it being contaminated about the time I had my daughter, so she had Cow and gate premium. This is what my granddaughter has as a top up or when her mum is away. She is a bit colicky and now has a constipation problem. Has anyone found a particular formula less constipating than Cow and Gate Premium?

Mostly breastfed mine but when I need to supplement I used Aptamil which is apparently closest to breastmilk however I then changed to SMA hungry baby as so I agree with Tiktok nothing to stop mums changing and trying different brands - If you dont want to take in a steribottle you could try the bottles that have sterilised liners ............sorry cant help with the constipation thread though..