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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

If you didn't breastfeed...

49 replies

Greyhorses · 26/03/2016 06:35

What did you take to hospital for the birth/first few days?
Do I just take powder and bottles or are ready made kits easier?
Did the midwives really try and push you to bf or did they just accept you were using forumala?

Please this is not a debate about bf vs ff. i know the pros and cons of everything but I would love to hear the experiences of mums who didn't breastfeed from day 1

OP posts:

CityMole · 26/03/2016 17:03

It seems to vary from hospital to hospital. At my hospital if you know you are FFing then you are supposed to bring your own. The hospital's supply is there for mothers who have intended to bf but it hasn't worked out, or for FF-ers who have forgotten or underestimated how much they'd need.

I'm sure they won't let your baby starve but if you know in advance that you're going to be FF-ing then it would make sense to ask your hospital what their policy is. Nobody should make you feel bad about your choice- it's every woman's prerogative and any pushy chat needs to be shut down politely and firmly. IME the pushy midwifes are not trying to push long term BFing n new mothers, but desperate to try and get some women to consider doing it just once or twice for the colostrum, like WellErr said, and I can understand their motives for doing so and frustration at those who won't even consider it. That said, it is your right not to even want to do that first feed or two, so just be firm and assertive if anyone tries to badger you.

Original poster

Greyhorses · 26/03/2016 20:33

To be honest I don't like the idea of expressing at all selfish and wrong perhaps but I have some issues that I won't want to discuss with every random person who asks and I don't want to have to repeat myself constantly either!
I also have other reasons as to why I don't want to bf long term, none of which I feel the need to justify but I want to make things as smooth as possible for the first few days if I can!

OP posts:

Tubbyinthehottub · 26/03/2016 22:46

It's not selfish and wrong at all. If you don't want to do it just don't, that's fine.

MissusWrex · 27/03/2016 16:11

I bf but I actually complained about the treatment of the poor mum opposite me. We were in a large teaching hospital.

Her English wasn't very good but even I could quite clearly understand she didn't want to breastfeed.

We were all on ward after section and the midwives and staff (who were lovely to me ) were breathtakingly rude and horrible to her. One even refused to help her make up a feed saying she was busy.

She was in tears a lot of the time.

milkyman · 27/03/2016 16:58

How many pre made bottles should i take if staying 2 nights for a cesection? Will try to breastfeed but just in case?

SerenityReynolds · 27/03/2016 17:02

You should probably check with your midwife what the hospital policy is. Some (not unreasonably) expect you to provide your own if you will be ff from the start. We had some issues with bf and our local one did provide formula and disposable bottles for top ups.

AlleyCatandRastaMouse · 27/03/2016 17:04

Where I was tgey gave out the pre made bottles for free and quite a few mums bought a crate of them to get started at home. I BF in hospital but FF shortly after on my first 2 and bought a tray of premade to get me started. They were very handy.

Tatie3 · 27/03/2016 18:39

I would advise you to check with your hospital as some won't give you any formula (my local hospital doesn't provide any).

Shantotto · 27/03/2016 18:54

When we I was readmitted to hospital unwell and with a badly jauncid very sleepy 3 day old DS who had barely done a wee and no dirty nappies I had to send me DP out late at night to find a corner shop to buy formula. You'd think in that circumstance the hospital would provide as I was desperately trying to breastfeed too so had bought nothing.

Do ring and check.

Original poster

Greyhorses · 27/03/2016 19:10

Thank you to all of you. I will definatley be buying some and won't just turn up empty handed

Now to research which brand...

OP posts:

Bastardshittits · 27/03/2016 19:15

I think aptamil is supposed to be the closest to breastmilk. Mine were fed on SMA gold though.

WellErrr · 27/03/2016 19:17

None of them are close to breastmilk, they are all much of a muchness.
Not saying that to be arsey, before anyone starts - it's just fact.

Many breastfeeding mothers move onto Aptamil, not because it's anything like breastmilk, but mainly because of the amount of breastfeeding in their adverts.

SpeakNoWords · 27/03/2016 19:28

Check your maternity notes and ask your midwife, as it seems that it varies widely. On my maternity notes there is a sticker on the front which makes it clear if you intend to formula feed what you need to bring (ready made formula, for the hospital I'll be going to).

Also, please can people stop repeating this myth about Aptamil being somehow "closer" to breastmilk. Formulas all have to have the same ingredients by law. Any variation is minor as a result. None of the formulas are any closer to breastmilk than any other. It's a meaningless phrase anyway - skimmed cows milk is closer to breastmilk than water, but that doesn't give you any clue as to whether it's appropriate to give to a baby.

VashtaNerada · 27/03/2016 19:30

SMA starter pack is great! I'd get one for hospital, one for home. And get a range of small cartons / big cartons / powder for home too so you've got plenty of options in those stressful first few weeks. And check you know how to make a bottle and use the steriliser while you're still pg so you're not reading the instructions at 3am with a screaming baby on your shoulder!
You should be ready to confidently defend your decision to FF just in case you get hassle, but hopefully you won't. Good luck!

bonzo77 · 27/03/2016 20:37

what wellErr and speakno said. Formula is tightly regulated. The only significant difference is the packaging and the price. I made my choice based on price and convenience of packaging.

pettyprudence · 27/03/2016 21:04

I bf but I would totally take in those ready made bottles and I would have one of those easy-prep machines at home, but I am immensely lazy In all seriousness though, I wouldn't want to be arsing around prepping bottles when in hospital and it would be a short term expense.

Thurlow · 27/03/2016 21:09

Ready made bottles for the first week or so - it's worth the extra cost just to take the hassle out of feeding while you're still a bit shellshocked and, potentially but hopefully not, moving a lot slower if you've had a cs or a tear. It's the sterilising that is a faff at hospital, so it's worth not bothering with that for a few days.

Then cartons for another few weeks, as again they are easier, but once you're at home you will find it much easier to sterilise bottles.

Then move on to making up powder at home. Have you looked at a Perfect Prep machine? I'm definitely getting one next time, if they work as advertised (and reviews seem to suggest it does) then it will be worth its weight in gold.

bonzo77 · 27/03/2016 21:13

Love my perfect prep machine. Smallest feed it makes is 4oz though.

JammyC · 27/03/2016 21:16

I would ask your mw what they have on offer at your local hospital or birthing unit. I was planning to bf but it didn't happen for us and my DD's blood sugar levels dropped so significantly that they took her onto neonatal and tube fed her for 12 hours. I couldn't express so she had formula. After that every time she wanted feeding I buzzed and someone bought me a little ready made bottle with a teat. No need for bottles and sterilising, they were ready to use and perfectly sized for her small tum. I had the choice of Aptamil, SMA or Cow & Gate. I do think it varies from hospital to hospital so worth asking. But they won't let your baby go hungry so something will be there on offer I'm sure. I didn't get any comments about bottle feeding at all. Go with your gut and you'll be fine.

Tangoandcreditcards · 27/03/2016 21:37

I FF 2 from birth.

First one I got the little starter kits and used them for maybe a week. I didn't take one to hosp though as my MW actually told me not to (only 2 years ago). (After I had DS they checked which brand I intended to use and gave me one of the small bottles with disposable teats - I was only in 4h after birth so didn't need more than that).

With my second I ended up having a HB but (different hosp) they told me I had to pack formula if I was FF as the hosp wouldn't supply it.

I've had a double mastectomy, so no-one could put me under pressure to BF. I did find they asked me how I was intending to feed and why formula a lot (considering my mastectomy was on the first page of my notes), pretty much every HCP I saw in the course of both pregnancies/deliveries. But appreciate they are only doing their job, so tried not to get defensive.

It's more expensive, but strongly recommend ready-made milk for first 2-3 weeks (you can keep big bottles in the fridge and just warm feeds a little in hot water as needed). After that, the Tommee Tippee perfect prep machine is a godsend. Well worth the initial outlay (and a bit of wastage as the smallest feed is 4oz).

Oswin · 28/03/2016 05:23

For choosing a brand my advice is to go to your nearest late night shop and see which ones they stock. The ones near me only really stock one brand. It's good to make sure you can go the nearest shop in an emergency.

HarlotBronte · 28/03/2016 10:32

OP didn't ask whether you understood her reasons for not giving colostrum wellerr. If you want to discuss your failure to understand, perhaps start another thread for it instead of hijacking this one.

You're going to want ready made OP, they aren't likely to be very keen on knackered new mums using boiling water any more than they have to. There also isn't always a lot of prep space on postnatal wards. Be aware though that they do need to provide food for a hospital inpatient, which for a newborn who is not being exclusively breastfed will be formula. There are good reasons why you might want to take your own, but if you don't they won't dare withhold it. I have heard of hospitals who say they don't, but realistically if you don't have any and can't or won't get it, the shit would hit the fan and then some if they were to refuse to feed an inpatient simply on the grounds of their age.

MadisonAvenue · 28/03/2016 10:40

The hospital had a supply of ready to use bottles of all brands. I remember the midwife asking if I was going to be bottle or breastfeeding and there was no judging, just a question of which brand I intended using and a bottle of it was brought into the delivery room ready for my son once he was born. They give us a supply to take home too so that we weren't going in and having to immediately get on with sterilising and making up bottles.

SpeakNoWords · 28/03/2016 12:58

It is worth repeating to check with your specific hospital. The hospital that I'll be going to does ask that you provide your own formula and that it be ready made not powdered. I'm sure they wouldn't refuse to give you formula if you hadn't brought some, and couldn't get any, but if you know you plan to formula feed then it's not difficult to be prepared and bring your own.

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