SUPPORT thread for Formula Feeders

[riab]

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

Ok so what MW said to me was after breast, offer a bottle and if they drain it offer another ounce and remember to add that ounce to the next feed you make.

If you are just trying to 'top up' it may be best if you buy a couple of cartons as I think all of the brands sell ready mix, just means if you little one doesn't take to it you wont be left with lots of unused formula?

Plus you can just open the carton and put it into the sterile bottle without boiling, cooling etc just so you can get into the swing of things?

Just suggestions...DS may prefer boob!

Thankyou for your help. My ds is awake now so Ill bid you farewell for now. Ill pop back and let you know how it goes. Thanks again ladies

I'd wean feed by feed if I were you. Not for your lo's sake, but more for your own comfort. Your boobs will go sore & overful if you just do it in one go.
Oh & on some of the earlier comments:
Formula is not prepared in a sterile environment, but breastmilk is.
I was told the recommendations regarding storing milk for 24h have changed, because there have been a few cases of gastro-intestinal ilness in babies on the continent following incorrect storage of pre-prepared formula & to avoid this happening here they changed it to preparing every feed from fresh. Milk (any milk) is after all a lovely breeding ground for bacteria & they must have thought te better be safe than sorry. Also as I said formula is not made in a sterile environment & so there is a small chance that the powder could have been contaminated & if left for 24h that something could multiply, while it wont have a chance with freshly prepared milk.
Oooh I do hope I have explained this without sounding like a scaremongerer .

Here's the BBC article about Dummies girls, it says using a dummy can reduce the risk of cot death by 90%...ARTICLE

In the beginning we made up bottles to store in the fridge but now ds is having less I make them up as needed. Just boil the kettle, pour the water into the sterilised bottles and leave them. Then add the powder when needed. Tbh, I think I'd do it the latter way next time around if I ff again.

Also, just been to see the hv about ds's refusal to drink milk & she thought he may be one of the those babies who just give up and don't want it anymore. She then suggested Ovaltine as a bedtime drink - has anyone else tried this or is it a whaaat moment??

OVALTINE! I have never heard that! I'm more of a Horlicks girl myself! Definately a 'whaaaat!' moment, I thought we were supposed to be strict on sugar (and gluten up till 6months) Does Ovaline contain gluten...am I being dumbass?

How old is your LO again?

Pudding - def a WHAAAT moment - how old is your lo?? Ovaltine??? How bizarre!!

I did change to just having the water in bottles and then adding the powder when required but it coincided with DS's illness and as he was constantly being sick, we were blaming everything (me changing to this method coincided with the onset of his illness) so, call me superstitious, but I am so reluctant to change anything even though he had his operation and is now fine - very irrational I know!! Plus, being a control freak, I don't trust DH to add the correct amount of formula so prefer to have the bottles ready done and all he has to do is heat them up!

Ds is 9mo, I was a bit taken aback by it myself!

Xmas, I think, as is the general theme of this thread, whatever works for you. And yes, dh's do need a little more help

Just remembered something else I used while ff - those steri-bottles, the ones which you use once and throw away. I found these excellent if I needed an 'emergency' feed while out shopping, also handy to keep one in the change bag along with a spare carton of ready made formula.

I look back now and think - why didn't I use cartons for night feeds, never thought of it!

Right, last time I'll mention this, promise!

I think I've figured out ds's problem - there's something wrong with this box we're currently using. Tried him again tonight, wasn't having any of it even tho he wanted to, so got a fresh bottle & used a carton and he wolfed it down! So I think that formula box is going into the bin.

And that's my final word on this particular problem...

I have had a good day - I decided to space out DS's feeds to 4-hourly and he has finished all 4 of his bottles today without any fussing or messing about - yippee!! He even cried with hunger before his afternoon and evening one so at least I knew he was hungry - maybe I should do 9oz bottles tomorrow just to get him to 4 hours.

What a lovely thread. I did post on the other one but felt brow beaten. Have exclusively FF with DD and she is happy, contented never been ill and has a very storng bond with her doting dad as he did all the night feeds!!. Well it was only one.

Well done x-mas! I also spaced out the feeds to 4 hourly and this made a big difference.

I find it difficult to have 4 hourly feeds though if im stuck in the house all day though. Like today because of bad weather etc. My DS likes to be out and about! I find he doesnt sleep as long.

Is he moving yet Mrsmoocow? Sorry, I don't know how old your little one is but I found once ds could crawl he was a bit happier on days when we had to stay in. Of course, that doesn't really help if he's not crawling

Krimbo, will she take any water? Whenever ds goes through a night-waking phase I just give him a bit of water and that's enough to get him back off. It usually stops after a night or two as well.

No he's not moving yet only 13wks. Its not often we have a whole day in the house as i have a 2.5yr old as well! I have found that my DS often wakes in the night too- much more than my daughter did. I usually give him his dummy or if its early in the morning and has had a feed in the the night i bring him into our bed. Not ideal but i dont want him waking our daughter!

Hello!

I have a question- about MAM bottles, mine leak sometimes, and have tried not scewing up the tops tightly, or waiting till the bottles were cold from the steriliser etc. Do you have any tips??

Also, my LO is 19 weeks and he has 3-5 bottles a day of 7oz. Is this ok?
x

Hey Krimbo have you thought of weaning yet? I know its not very PC before 6 mths but i started weaning my daughter at 17 weeks.

At night, I would give it to him in a bottle just to save time & mess! Plus, if you give it to her in a bottle, she may be fooled into having some before realising it's not milk ifyswim