Formula recommendations if breast feeding doesn't work out..

[phoebe2016]

Hi. Not sure if i have posted this in the right place but here goes.

I am planning on breast feeding and really keen to do all i can to make it work. Just curious though, if all else fails and i end up having to formula feed, what brands are the best to go for?

Don't worry about the brands; formula milk is very tightly regulated in the UK so they all have to contain a certain 'formula' of ingredients. All the added extras that companies will tout as bringing the formula 'closer to breastmilk' is little more than clever marketing.
Cow and gate, and Aptimil for example are made by the same company. I'd buy whatever is cheapest personally
Hope the breastfeeding works out for you!

Whichever your closest local late night shop stocks in case of emergencies.

However, if you're keen to make breastfeeding work it might be better not to have a formula option sorted. Breastfeeding can be bloody hard, especially at the beginning and an easy alternative at hand and ready to go might make it easier to give up.

Hi Phoebe. All formulas have to comply to certain standards that are tightly regulated so no one is really better than the other. Some are marketed as being "closer to BM" and charge a premium but really, there is no difference. If bfing doesn't work out for you and you've decided to switch, I'd just buy the one that is in my local shop, but I wouldn't buy it before then as research shows that if you have formula in the house you are more likely to give up bfing.

If you do want to try Bfing, I'd go to your local Bfing Support Group while you are still pg. put the Bfing Helpline numbers into your phone and have a read of What to expect in the early weeks and if you want a book to read try The Womanly Art of Bfing.

When are you due?

Sorry, x-posted there

Have you found the MN Infant Feeding Talk too?

Agree with whatever your local shop stocks

Bf didn't work out for us formula top ups diminished already poor supply until we stopped at 8 weeks. We are on aptamil I tried to move him onto cow and gate and strangely he began puking every feed we were both covered in it and the washing was ridiculous after a few days we moved back and it stopped. A friend of mine had same issues. I literally went through the ingredients on both bottles and compared and there is s tiny differences between them in some of the levels of ingredients present but it was seemingly enough to make a difference here. Shame as cow and gate is cheaper

Thanks for your replies ladies. I will google local bf groups and make contact. I am due 21st June Jilted, so a while to go yet but just trying to get prepared.

This will be my 3rd DC but 12yrs between these last 2. I tried bf with my first but found mws unhelpful and i was in so much pain and lo was getting very upset too and i just gave up in the end. It put me off so much that with DC2 I didn't even try, i went straight to formula.

I am older now and calmer and really want to give it my best shot. I think being well informed and getting support from other experienced breast freeding mothers will be key.

It's good to know that all the formulas are nutritionally much the same though, just in case!

Thanks for the links as well Jilted :)

You sound very much like my DCousin, same ages and similar experiences. The third time was totally different and she managed to bf for over 12 months.

Sounds like you are being very sensible

We use Aptimil. However I use the little bottles of Cow and Gate which are ready to use without a problem so I think I'll be switching to that as it's cheaper.

I had a box of ready mix cow and gate, the type with the sterilised teats. I got this as it had the longest use by date. These were in case I couldn't face doing a feed. Breastfed dd1 for 17 months and managed to get through tongue tied dd2. The occasional ready-mixed feed kept me going when it was really tough and I couldn't express.

Jilted, i will be really happy if i can manage to bf as long as your cousin. I'm certainly going to give it my best shot. Apart from the fact that breast milk is best for baby, it's also free! Lol, and that is very appealing. My DH wants to help with feeding too, so i have ordered a breast pump so that he can give baby bottles as well.

Well done Squeezed, you did really well too. My youngest has a tongue tie but as his speach is fine the Consultant decided to just leave it. He has never had any issues, just can do a full sticking his tongue out! Bless

Thanks Peach, ive been googling the ready made Cow & Gate bottles and they are wuite reasonable. Think i will get some as an emergency back up plan!

*quite

I found pumping a complete faff, doesn't mean it won't work for you though. Instead my DH helped by doing baths, taking them out for walks etc. That way instead of creating more work for me by pumping, it freed me up to do other busy think sleep [smle]

It's really personal choice. Though some babies don't take a certain formula so you have to try a different one.
We used SMA here.

Apparently all the formulas are pretty much the same. We started on one and my DS seemed to be very sicky, we changed to a different one and he was much better. So my top is whichever one is cheapest, available in your local shop and then that agrees with your baby. Good luck with the breastfeeding!

FYI: Aldi have just started selling their own Mamia brand baby formula and it's MUCH cheaper than all the others - £6.99 instead of around £11. I've just started DS on it and all seems good (he was on Aptimil). Just need to make sure you give it a really good shake especially if you use a PP.

I agree with what a pp said - if I'd had formula on hand I would not have been able to push through those first few weeks of breastfeeding. I'd have given up within the first week, I think, but after 6 weeks it was easy, and I continued until he was 10.5 months. Good luck :)

I would go for Hipp organic

Thank you ladies :) I'm going to try and find a BF support group in the area too, hopefully there will be some nice experienced ladies in the group that can pass their BF knowledge and tips on to me.

I'd recommend la leche if you have a group close to you. Their coffee mornings are lovely and we often have pregnant ladies come along to ours. They also have a 24/7 helpline if you find yourself struggling once baby's here

Just to say (although it's a bit controversial as can muck up your supply) that mixed feeding is an option.

With DS1 I was in such pain I gave him formula (feeling I'd failed him at 3 days!) to give myself a break. I was then able to breastfeed until about 6 months with the occasional bottle. Not recommended but worked for us!

Also nipple shields (again some midwives disapprove although one recommended) helped in the early days.

No such problems with DS2! Good luck x

We mix feed 6wo DS with HIPP. Did the same with DD and she mix fed until a year, and continued to BF until she was 2.5.

As everyone's said they're all much of a muchness.