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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

SUPPORT thread for Formula Feeders

177 replies

riab · 13/11/2006 10:34

Hi everyone, I'd like to start a thread for people who are forumla feeding or who plan to Formula feed.
Whatever your reasons are for choosing to formula feed they won't be questioned here. This isn't a thread for long drawn out debates it is a place where you can ask advice from other parents on topics like;
whats the best sterilisation method
different brands of formula
weaning of bottles
etc

riab
x

OP posts:
xmasstocking · 14/11/2006 15:07

How many of you wish that you could buy those handy little bottles that they provide in hospitals?? We did! I know they aren't much use as lo's get older as they are too small but how handy were they in the beginning?? DS was in hospital for a week when he was 7 weeks old so me and DH kept pinching bottles and teats whilst we were there (v naughty!) to use in v dire emergencies!!

Another question - if you sterilise the bottles and then pour ready-made formula from the cartons in, can these then be refrigerated for 24 hours like normal formula? The reason I ask is that we went a bit overboard on buying the cartons for emergencies (and we haven't used any of them!) and have loads left and this might be a good way of using them up.

mummaj · 14/11/2006 15:08

I had exactly the same thoughts I was completely neurotic for the first few months..wash hands, what if tap has germs on or light switch OH MY GOD! Thanks goodness for milton hand rub and wipes! It verges on OCD sometimes, but they have to get their immune system working sometime!

MW also referenced the individually wrapped sterile bottles...that still doesn't count out the scissors does it!

mummaj · 14/11/2006 15:10

xmasstocking you CAN!... And I did due to my neuroticness!

pollypeachum · 14/11/2006 15:11

none of my friends who BF sterilise their nipples before feeding!

mummaj · 14/11/2006 15:12

The site that supplies the hospitals can also be used to make private purchases I did this for at least 6 months! Was superb for taking DD out!

www.sterifeed.com

Got the teats from there individually wrapped and sterile too!

mummaj · 14/11/2006 15:17

xmasstocking - Yes you can leave carton milk in a bottle for up to 24 hours if refrigerated.

Gingeme · 14/11/2006 15:18

Good afternoon ladies. Ive just read through the thread and found some very good points made. I currently have a ds who is 2 and a half and breast fed him for 4 weeks but he didnt seem very contented so I switched with a very very guilty feeling to formula and he thrived on it.Turned out I had appendicitis and my body wasnt producing enough milk because of the infection. Anyway Ive got a ds of 3 weeks too who I am currently bf and he has dropped quite alot of weight which my mw is quite concerned about so Im considering putting him on formula. Can anyone recomend a formula to start him off with please? And can anyone ease my guilty mind about doing this? My Mums gonna be the worst to tell bad enough I bought him a dummy last week which Ive never tried before and she nearly jumped down the phone at me Why do Mums do that?

mummaj · 14/11/2006 15:23

Aptamil was recommended to me by MW - we started DD on SMA but it make her throw up frequently, after changing to Aptamil she stopped being sick altogether! MW also gave me a chart that shows the benefits of the formulas with ticks and Aptamil was by far the best...although obviusly it wont suit all babies.

If you check the packaging of the formulas available Aptamil is the only one alowed to use 'the closets to breastmilk' on it's packaging...all the others say 'now even closer'.

But as I say all babies are different and it is which suits them and their body best!

mummaj · 14/11/2006 15:25

Gingeme Don't feel guilty about this, the descision you are taking is because you want the BEST for your baby and nothing else!

Gingeme · 14/11/2006 15:26

Ill try not to but he is losing weight and if its worrying the mw then it must be bad. Does it come in ready made so I could try it first instead of buying a great big tin and him not liking it?

hunkermunker · 14/11/2006 15:28

OK, I've avoided posting so far, but that's just not true about Aptamil.

mummaj · 14/11/2006 15:29

I must say my mum was the same, but she soon changed her mind when it meant that she could look after DD more often.

She just wanted what was best for me and DD as she believed it would be less hard work to BF with sterelising etc...but at the end of the day it's your descision and don't feel pressurised either way.

I tried to Bf for 6 weeks with pumping, mastitis, dinky DD, and MW saying she needed formula in the end just all became too much but it was ver upsetting. Now I feel strongly that a mother should make her own choices (so long as she has all the facts) and everyone should be supportive of that.

You have my support!

xmasstocking · 14/11/2006 15:29

Mummaj - I wish I had know about that website earlier - then we wouldn't have had to nick them from the NHS! Still have a couple left now which I take out for short trips like swimming etc that would do as a top-up in emergencies. My SIL said her uncle had tried to find those bottles everywhere and failed so I always assumed that it was xclusive to hospitals. Have to say the sterile teats are pretty rubbish though as they collapse v easily.

Ginger - I would probably recommend Aptimil aswell - although DS is on C&G as we weren't given the option of Aptimil in the hospital and didn't like to change his formula once ff was established. Have heard lots of bad things about SMA aswell.

Has anyone else tried the Mothercare microwaveable bottles? We have a couple and they are also very good for emergencies - they are sterilised in 90 seconds (although it takes a couple more minutes to cool down) and then can be filled with ready made stuff. V useful as our steriliser takes 30 minutes which is forever if you have a starving baby and no food prepared!

mummaj · 14/11/2006 15:30

Hunkermunker - How do you mean? I apologise if I have it wrong, that is just the information I was provided with.

Obviously it is still down to personal preference, like I said.

xmasstocking · 14/11/2006 15:31

Ginge - also meant to say that ime all people of our mother's generation have something against dummies - don't know what it is but both my mum and MIL were horrified when we used one. Maybe something they were told when they had babies??

hunkermunker · 14/11/2006 15:34

It's a clever marketing ploy by Milupa - they have targeted health professionals (advertising infant formula is still allowed in professional journals, although banned elsewhere) with claims such as closest to breastmilk - and lots of HPs have fallen for it.

However, it means that they can make it more expensive and people still buy and recommend it because their midwife/health visitor has read the advertising and believed it (however subconsciously) - their advertising also targets middle class women who want to breastfeed but can't for whatever reason.

I'm really sorry to crash this thread like this - but please note I'm not doing it to be unpleasant.

mummaj · 14/11/2006 15:35

xmasstocking & Ginge - my mum also had a dummy phobia but it was her that gave me an article saying that there was a link between dummies and reduced rates of cot death? Can't remember the full content now but there you go.

Gingeme · 14/11/2006 15:37

Microwave bottles sound good to try lo out to see if he likes it. Ive got a steriliser but no bottles or anything.
Thankyou mummaj
My older ds had Cow&Gate and seemed happy on that. If I make the switch Ill try Aptimil. Is it expensive?

mummaj · 14/11/2006 15:38

Thanks Hunkermunker, point taken so maybe not THE best but from personal experience I'm still happy to reccomend it. We live & learn ay! I'll see if I can find that chart anwhere and I'll post a link for the rest of you if your interested...provided I can find it of course!

VeniVidiVickiQV · 14/11/2006 15:39

I think it is one of the most expensive, if not THE most. Pretty much equal to HIPP Organic IIRC Gingeme

mummaj · 14/11/2006 15:40

Gingeme - It was cheapest from Tesco at 49p a carton (200ml) and most expensive from Sainsburys at 51p

xmasstocking · 14/11/2006 15:41

I wonder if ff babies perhaps need dummies more becaue they obv don't get the comfort sucking that bf babies do - although my DS only uses a dummy now for going to sleep and even then it is not all the time.

Hunker - thanxs for that - I must have subconciously have been told that Aptimil is the 'best' because I have always wished that DS is on it but I couldn't tell you why I think that!

Gingeme · 14/11/2006 15:42

Right thanks vvv. Suppose the next thing is do I just go cold turkey with the breast feeding or do it feed by feed?

mummaj · 14/11/2006 15:46

Ginge - why not just offer a bottle after breast? Possibly less disruption fo DS?

Gingeme · 14/11/2006 15:51

Hadn't thought of that. Ill get a couple of bottles to begin with and a small tin/jar of formula and make a couple of bottles up and see how he goes with that. Ill see what the mw says on Fri too.