Quick question from a feeding newbie!

[scarletforya]

I'm combination feeding at the moment due to sore nipples.

My sister prepared bottles for baby earlier and put them in the fridge. At about 8.30 this evening we took out a bottle but didn't open it, it has been untouched but has been out of the fridge nearly 2.5 hours now....

I presume I will have to chuck it?

Chuck it I think the maximum is 2hrs and less if it's warm

Well the guidelines say to make the bottles fresh each time.

Did she make them with hot water?

Sorry about your nipples. Do you have cream?

It will be fine.

Just warm it up. We use the microwave. Aporox 20 secs should be fine. Mix it before feeding to ensure no hot spots. I try not to shake it.

She made them with cooled boiled water I think....? Used a steriliser for the bottles...

Yes I have the Lanisoh cream which is great. Baby fed from right breast at teatime and really relieved it, it was very engorged. Even though it was sore it was progress, get latch is good once she is on but getting her on is difficult.

I'm going to try to get her on to n the left breast when she next wants to feed as it is really hard. I tried the breast pump but couldn't get a drop. (tried for about 15 mins on the highest setting) but it did bring the nipple out at least. Although baby is sleeping and not interested at the moment, I tried to get her on just there when the nipple was a good shape but shes having none of it.

No then. I wouldn't use it, and I'm afraid I wouldn't use any of the others in the fridge made that way.

I also wouldn't bother sterilising the bottles either but that is probably another thread.

Great that you got a good feed.

They are expensive, but for infrequent bottle feeding have you considered the cartons?

Oh doh !!

Now I remember it's pre made formula from plastic bottles which she sterilised. But still something tells me not to use it, it's been out for three hours and shes only 5 days old....

Second Starlight about throwing the bottles away. Guidance on how to make up bottles safely is here and it's especially important as your baby is a newborn (they are more vulnerable to the bacteria that may be present in the powder if it's not made up correctly).

You might find starting off on the lowest setting better (more suction doesn't equal more milk but rather more 'OUCH') and working up from there very gradually until you find an uncomfortable setting then dropping down to the one below. You may even find you get more milk on a low setting than the highest that is comfortable - just experiment and see what works for you.

This may help increase what you can pump too.

Just so you know pumping yield does NOT equal what baby gets. It just tells you how much you were able to pump out at that particular point in time, some women can have so much milk it's coming out of their ears practically and yet not be able to pump a drop so please don't worry about lack of milk in the pump bottle.

If you are finding latching on difficult due to engorgement then something called 'reverse pressure softening' can be very helpful - more details here with some good pictures of how to do it (you don't have to read the whole article!).

Thank you very much truthsweet