Sorry - this has probably been asked thousands of times already :( Ref FFing

[Pinkcaz]

Hello All

I'm really sorry if this has been covered so many times you have been bored to tears!

I am planning to bottle feed - I have looked into a lot of info and have been on the seesaw of guilt ( and will still probably go back and forth until my little bundle arrives ) however at the moment I plan to follow the bottle feeding plan however I wondered if anyone could give advice of types / brands which they have found best for formula feeding from the start please?

Thanks in advance

x x x

Pinkcaz, have you asked your midwife about this?

Lots of discussions on this (just as you guessed ) but because there is no good evidence-based, independent info about differences between brands, you're relying on anecdotes, really.

There definitely is no best formula, from the start or at any other time, and other threads have been discussing the recent ruling that outlaws any claims from manufacturers to this effect.

What's making it hard for you to decide to breastfeed - don't answer that if you think it's too nosey But there may be some answers for you if you share.

Hi,

Dont feel guilty about your decisions. They are your decisions and as long as you have been informed of all options then you have nothing to feel guilty about. Some people may try to help you change your mind but do whats best for you and your baby.

As for formulas, I used SMA gold to start with, my DS liked this and we have stuck with this brand. I have been told that most formulas are basically the same so its your decision. I would however find out if your mat unit supplies formula and what kind they have in stock as you may have to take your own formula in to start feeding. It really can be trial and error as my DN has been on SMA, Cow and Gate and aptimil before settling on HIPP formula.

I use the Dr Browns bottles as DS has reflux and had colic and these really helped with both, used Philips avent bottles to start and changed when he was 8 weeks old. A big big difference.

I also chose to FF from the start. I researched myself and made an informed decision. Some people tried to make me feel guilty but TBH a happy mummy with a happy FF baby is just as good as anything else.

Good luck

Here is my twopenn'orth, or whatever that old expression is, and completely without predjudice.

I bottle fed my baby from a week old. The reason why is a whole other story. He had Heinz-Farley's Nuture until he was 6 months old, when I started sometimes giving him Hipp because I wanted to use the "cup-a-soup" sachets they do for travelling. I have had no problems with either brand. He is now 10 months old and has Nurture Follow on milk.

Several of the mums I know using SMA Gold have had constipated babies.

Bear in mind that these anecdotes are just about me, my baby and our friends.

It might be worth bearing in mind also that your baby may not take a bottle. One of my friends was adamant and open that she was not going to bf. When it came to it, her baby would not take a bottle until he was over 6 months old, and then only MAM teats.

I thought that the advice was to choose a formula that is stocked in 24 hour supermarkets near you, so that when you accidentally run out, it's not a problem to get more.

I used Aptimel because it was available in the hosp and I read somewhere it was a bit better for their tums. Plus it is the most expensive and has a cool scientific-looking packaging which I found reassuring.

Lucy - you are an advertiser's dream!

Pinkcaz - try not to feel so guilty - motherhood brings a lot more of it!! After your baby is 1 year old, the whole breast/bottle thing is finished with anyway.

With DD we used Aptimil as i was sucked in to the advertising crapola about it being 'the best'

I changed after a while to Cow and Gate because it was cheaper and we were skint and DD didnt even notice !

We have used SMA gold with both boys. No constipation with either of them.

Thanks so much everyone for all your advice I really really appriciate it

I'll be honest I obviously want the best for my little one but at the same time I have seen the horror stories that happened to my SIL and trouble my Sister also had and how much pressure they put on themselves and have also seen the glorious bonding that BF'ing brings and I don't want to miss out on that.

I also have always had problems with my boobs (extremely tender and sore half the time and both my mum and my sister suffered with Mastitus (sorry spelt wrong!) and just the thought that that may happen brings me out in sweats about it all which is a completely selfish thing on my side I know.

I am going to be a single mum and this also means that I will have to be going back to work earlier than I would have liked so again where I can I would like to try to ease some of the pressures that I have seen even the most together and supported people I know go through - but again I know this task is completely impossible lol

Sorry went on a little longer than I meant to!

Thank you so much again - I have copied and pasted all the wonderful advice you have all so kindly given to my very full baby notes file

x x x x

lol - you sound like me - baby notes and it sounds like you're reading anything and everything you can get your hands on. I did the same and did kind of assume I would have some problem bf along the way, and apart from a blocked duct which DIDN'T turn into anything more, and supply problems when i had to go into hospital (unrelated to birth/feeding) when DS was still small, have had no problems at all. I had sensitive nipples and yet haven't had a problem with soreness (until recently, but DS is 2 and I am pg!).
AS for the going back to work thing - how old will your LO be? Even if you are going back at 3 months, you could feed exclusively for 6 weeks and then worry about bottles - that'll be loads of time.
Anyway, if you've made your mind up, tell me to butt out but if there's any chance you want to bf and just needed to hear that it won't necessarily be a problem just thought I'd provide that!

Hi Pinkcaz - don't forget there is another option - you could decide to mix-feed.
That way you can have a go at bf-ing if you decide you want to, but not feel the pressure to do it all the time.
I ended up doing this as dd was quite young when I went back to work and I couldn't express enough. I bf'd morning and evening and days she was at home and she had Hipp organic formula the 3 days she was at nursery.
Nothing is impossible and remember, you don't have to make your decision until lo is here

Again, another person just explaining their situation - I have had mastitis 5 or 6 times now over 2 babies and it was fine. Not particularly fun but if you recognise the symptoms and treat it it is over fairly quickly. There are ways to reduce your risk too.

I have also gone back to work at 6 months both times and carried on breastfeeding.

I am sorry that your SIL had problems, but doesnt mean you would too.

ANYWAY

I am in no way trying to change your mind / persuade you otherwise just offering my experience if knowing the other side of things would help you make your decision.

Good luck with your baby - and everyone is right, there is always something to feel guilty about lol

Well, as SPB said, tell me to butt out too if you are settled on FF. But if you want to, you can give BF a go and if it isn't for you, then you can stop - nothing lost.

Even if you just set yourself the goal of trying one feed straight after birth so s/he gets the colostrum - you don't need to put any pressure on yourself to do anything at all. If at the time you can't/don't want to do it, thats ok. But I'd say don't decide for certain til your baby is here and you have seen how you feel then.

Best thing you can do now is what you are doing - looking into the options and getting yourself mentally prepared and well informed for what comes next. Good luck

Yes I will definately try and keep an open mind and like I said earlier I will definately keep going back and forth no doubt hehe

I went bottle shopping and just incase I went either way i decided on the MAM bottles which can be used with or without BFing - so at least now I can dither and it won't affect the shopping They are in pretty pink and purple so lets hope the scan guy was right about a little girl lol!

x

Pinkcaz,

the glorious bonding with your baby will depend on a million factors, whether you bf or ff won't be one of them. Your ff baby will love having a cuddle while happily sucking his bottle.

I'm a great bf advocate, but as others here have said, do what will make you happy -that is probably the best way to bond with your lo

hope you're well
x

If you do end up FFing, then, as others have said, there is no 'best' formula - I used Aptamil with both my DC based on a random decision in the middle of the night with DS when BFing was clearly not going to work out. A friend who works with newborns says that is what most hospitals/midwives use. It worked fine for us, I switched brands occasionally for convenience when travelling (Aptamil don't do 'stick packs'). We used Avent bottles and didn't have any problems.

I would recommend a powder dispenser (something like this although this one looks over-engineered compared to the ones we had) to avoid losing count of scoops of powder when sleep deprived