Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Infant feeding

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

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

anyone else not bother giving bottles to breastfed babies?

56 replies

tassisssss · 21/09/2008 19:58

My third is 15 weeks and for the 3rd time I've not bothered expressing or giving formula.

Far too much hassle. The thought of finding and attempting to build my breastpump is too much for me.

I mentioned this to 2 lots of friends on Thursday/Friday and was made to feel odd. Was out on Friday night without dd2 and of course hadn't left dh a bottle. Friends seemed v surprised. I was 5 mins away and not drinking so could nip home if she needed me. She didn't.

Anyone else with me?

OP posts:

Pidge · 21/09/2008 20:52

I didn't bother with my dd2. And have never bought any formula. I did express though - and gave the milk to my local hospital milk bank.

Planning the same this time for #3 due in a week's time. The only pumping I'll be doing will be for the neonatal milk bank. And no bottles, gosh what a hassle, why do it if you don't need to.

boogeek · 21/09/2008 20:52

I tried once with DD1, for a night out when she was about 8 months. Never bothered with Dd2. Too idle by far.

welliemum · 21/09/2008 20:58

Me too. dd2 never had a bottle. But then I'm the world's worst expresser!

Twiga · 21/09/2008 20:58

Pidge, don't suppose you could tell me a bit about expressing for the neo-nates. My local hospital excepts donated milk and dh is working as part of the team looking after neo-nates so was seriously thinking about it as an option this time round (sorry for hijack).

PortAndLemon · 21/09/2008 20:59

I intended to express like mad this time (never got the hang of it first time) but haven't even expressed once and DD is nearly 6 months. Mind you, I've only been out for an evening properly without her once, too. I reckon once she's over six months she can (if I go out and she gets hungry and can't be settled) have solids or the occasional cup of formula without turning green and her legs dropping off (although DH is working away from home a lot at the moment so evenings out aren't likely to be happening much for a while).

chipmonkey · 22/09/2008 01:28

ds3 was so bad at taking a bottle that I have given ds4 a bottle every other day since he was 4 weeks old. Even though I know it was not lack of practice on ds3's part, just plain stubbornness but at least if ds4 refuses, then it won't be my fault!

wastingmyeducation · 22/09/2008 09:10

I worked so hard not to express top-ups when DS was slow gaining weight that it's a point of pride for me that I've done this all by myself and I've no intention of him having a bottle in the future. He wouldn't have a dummy, so I'm sure he wouldn't have a bottle anyway.

Wisknit · 22/09/2008 12:24

Ds1 one had 1 bottle a week of EBM from 7 weeks to 14 weeks cos of an evening course I started before getting pg but DS2 Has never had a bottle. Too much faff. Like you I'm never far and have a mobile so could nip back withtin minutes.
Did make carsharing impossible though.

chipmonkey · 22/09/2008 15:13

My ds3 regularly got a bottle of EBM when he was very tiny, he was also prem. But he still refused them later on. I suspect my MIL had something to do with it as she is very forceful when giving bottles to small babies!

morethanasong · 22/09/2008 16:16

My dd had the odd bottle of ebm in her first few months, but it really wasn't worth the hassle so I stopped bothering with it and just bf her. She didn't like the bottle, dh didn't like giving it to her and I didn't like the expressing! The only other time I expressed was in preparation for leaving her for a day when she was 10 months old. She drank it from a cup though, not a bottle.

If I have another baby I don't think I'll bother with bottles at all, unless I really have to.

claireybee · 22/09/2008 16:29

DS has had a couple of bottles of ebm, I was going to a show (arranged before I was even pregnant with him) and was going to miss the bedtime and first night feed so gave him a bottle for a few days beforehand to make sure he would take it ok. Haven't bothered since though. Can't express much anyway and it makes me sore.

Snarf02 · 22/09/2008 20:38

mine have only had breastmilk, tried with a bottle of expressed milk once with my first but she refused and never tried again and with second could not be bothered to even try, i really hate expressing and get quite sore from it the odd time i have had to do it when one of them has missed or dropped a feed.

hoppybird · 23/09/2008 10:40

My ds was prem and in SCBU for 3 weeks, during which time I expressed for his feeds by NG tube. Expressing took ages, then there was the washing and sterilising bottles and equipment - it put me right off. and apart from a couple of EBM bottle feeds at home, he didn't have bottles.

dd didn't have a single bottle, even though I bought myself a pump etc. In the end, I just couldn't do with the hassle. Also, we didn't have any convenient babysitters around to be able to leave her with anyway, so there was little point in giving bottles.

Pidge · 23/09/2008 10:51

Twiga - sorry, only just seen your message. Expressing for the milk bank was pretty easy - I used to sterilise my pump overnight in our dishwasher, then first thing in the morning, after giving dd2 a feed on one side I would express about 3oz from the other and then let her finish off whatever else was there. She was always a fairly chubby baby, and obviously thriving, so definitely not deprived!

Then I would freeze what I'd expressed in little bottles given to me by the milk bank and every few weeks the lady from the milk bank would come round with her cool box and collect my stash!

It was a lovely thing to do. Try here for more info.

hoppybird · 23/09/2008 11:33

I'm pretty much in awe of women who are able to express with ease - and donating milk is such a wonderful thing to do. I know my ds benefitted from someone's donated milk a couple of times in SCBU when my meagre supply had run low.

RedHead81 · 23/09/2008 11:38

they wont collect my milk - i live too far away from any milk banks, i did express off a bit in the beginning, but ds2 has never had any from a bottle and is 20weeks now - we're going for the 6mth mark before solids too! and def 2yrs+ of bfing!

TinkerBellesMum · 23/09/2008 11:55

RedHead81 get in touch with the milk bank because they deliver in your area so they must also have some sort of collection. There aren't a lot of banks in the country but they supply all the hospitals.

I've never given a bottle, but I have done top ups, though not through choice. This baby will not be having top ups when we get home and I'm hoping that as I'm tandeming my milk will come in quicker so s/he may not need so much in hospital (I'm gearing myself up for another prem in case you're wondering why I'm talking like that).

RedHead81 · 23/09/2008 13:48

I rang the one closest to me and she said that they have no way of collecting it from me, but would i consider donating to cancer patients. She did say to ring the birmingham one though, but i haven't done so yet.

TinkerBellesMum · 23/09/2008 15:26

Yikes, not exactly local to you! I'm surprised if they're saying there's no way to donate because obviously they're having to take milk to all the hospitals so they must be able to collect it to - that was my understanding anyway.

RedOnHerHead · 23/09/2008 16:25

Yes, I thought that too - I'm RedHead81 btw - just decided to name change - didn't like the '81' bit!
But they said (oxford) that they have no way of collecting outside of oxford! I've tried ringing Birmingham since my last post but they are never at the desk!

TinkerBellesMum · 23/09/2008 16:35

BWH never are - it's the hospital I've had/having my babies in. It's a good hospital though, it jsut gets busy. Just think if you donate to them you could be donating to my baby (I'm preparing myself for another prem)!

RedOnHerHead · 23/09/2008 16:48

how many weeks are you? and why do you think you will have another prem?

TinkerBellesMum · 23/09/2008 16:52

I'm 21 weeks. I've had two natural preterm labours - 20 weeks and 31 weeks. Because there wasn't a reason (eg I wasn't artificially started off for PreE) my body doesn't know it has to go to term. They're so serious about it they've told me each BH has to be checked out (I'm reading that as strong and regular, not the odd squeeze when I'm rushing around!)

RedOnHerHead · 23/09/2008 17:22

oh god! In that case, stick yer feet up and take it as easy as possible. Well, If i can donate to Birmingham I will, but lets hope you will go to term and then you won't need any.

TinkerBellesMum · 23/09/2008 17:27

I'm aiming for 31 weeks, a healthy baby/pregnancy will do well at that stage and then being thankful for each day I get after it. Tink was never given any bank milk, I think it's cause she was doing so well.

Flip

1 2 3