Sterilising bottles - help!!

[Ireallydowonder]

Can someone with a modicum of intelligence please help me!

I am currently formula feeding my nearly 8 week old after a massive struggle trying to breastfeed, mastitis, baby wouldn’t latch on properly, was dangerously underweight etc, basically told to give up by a not very sympathetic midwife.

Anyhoo, I have been formula feeding for just over a week now, and sad as I am that I didn’t get to breastfeed for very long, she has gained weight, is much happier etc. So a result there.

However, the last few days she has been really quite sick after feeding, sometimes during feeding... not sure if I am feeding her too much etc but going by her demand.

I am currently using the tommee tippee steriliser box I got with my now defunct breast pump for the bottles, scrubbing them out before putting them in, microwaving them for 4 mins with 100ml of water.

It has suddenly occurred to me that I might not be sterilising the bottles properly, and that might be contributing to making her sick, god forbid. Got a docs appointment early next week anyway as an extra check up due to her lack of weight gain,so will obviously mention it then, but in the mean time, can someone wiser advise on the best method of sterilising bottles, without having to resort to a steriliser that costs £££ (google tells me I must rush out and get an all singing all dancing one immediately if I am to do it properly).

Sorry if I sound a bit clueless, I am currently extremely sleep deprived. Thanks.

Was she sick when you were breast feeding?

It could be reflux but given the info about snotty it could also be cmp allergy. I would definitely see. Gp

It does sound like it could be reflux, especially with the snotty nose and the sneezing (sometimes the milk comes back up the nose). You could try anti reflux milk, I am using it for my 6 week old who also wasn't gaining weight while breastfeeding so had to switch to formula. He wasn't really sick at all with Breast milk but within a couple of days on formula he was regularly bringing milk back up, and getting very agitated. With the anti reflux milk he doesn't bring anything more than a dribble of milk back up and is settled and happy

wheresthel1ght she was a bit, but very rarely. Ugh.

Thanks fluffbear and pleased to hear your dd is on the mend and thriving!

6oz bottle? Mine is 15 weeks and is on that and still is very sick (a very sicky refluxy baby) that seems a lot for such a young baby- and my baby is a 75percentile baby and went on 6 a few weeks ago.

Have you thought about reducing the amount and feeding more often?

She rarely takes all of it, but if she finishes it then she gets very upset. I guess I should probably rethink it. I am aiming to feed every sort of three to four hours...

Oh golly, I am making her sick because she is overeating aren’t I? I am rubbish at this!

Possibly (but there is no magic trick to it so don’t beat yourself up- they don’t come with a guide) but my DD was on about 4-5oz every 3 hours at that stage (only once in the night though) and like I said she was a bigger baby so that gives you an idea to possibly try from tomorrow to give her less in the morning and then if you have to for a little bit , give her the dummy just to give her something to suck on for a minute or two and then she will hopefully forget about the bottle, then in 3hrs do the same again.

Good plan. Just also getting worried that she is getting over reliant on the dummy...

I know what you mean, but we had to do it with our LO because she would just feed all day and be sick all day (she was gaining weight and following the chart and not crying for milk all day so the amount I gave her was correct) but she just needed a minute or two on the dummy for about 2 weeks (and not every feed, just occasionally) and now we only have to use the dummy for sleep.

I totally understand your concerns re dummy overuse though, just keep an eye on it. ( I would love to take away the dummy full stop now but it’s like she can’t sleep without it now no matter what I try!)

Don't forget it is little and often at this stage. Their tummies are tiny and little babies tummies can't stretch so what they can't hold they throw up.

I breastfed but at a similar age DC guzzled and guzzled and then more often than not threw it up. Greedy child! I suppose they just can't regulate till older.

DC also had a cold. I got her some nasal saline spray to clear the nostrils. Who knows if it helped but it made me feel like I was doing something!

Try not to beat yourself up with bottlefeeding. You had a good go with breastfeeding, it can be tough.

Also don't panic too much about weight gain. Obviously she needs to be gaining but it can be slow and steady rather than loads all at once.

Oh and the dummy? DC was in love with it until about 6 months and then just rejected it. Sucks her thumb now though so that's a battle for another year.

Whatever gets you through the early stages....

Hi OP- it sounds like she's eating a bit too much during her feeds.

DD is 12 weeks and only on 6 oz per feed, five times a day- she's also a very sticky baby, but we've noticed she possets much less if she drinks a little less and gives us a big burp after a feed.

I asked the doctor about offering her more milk after she possets, thinking she wasn't getting enough calories if she was being sick straight after. She said no, if you think about if you've ever had a big meal and ate so much you felt a bit ill the last thing you want is a more food! DD has been putting on weight well despite her exorcist puking so that is reassuring.

Hope everything goes well when you get her weighed!

Infacol I was told can make reflux worse so we stopped using it. My daughter had reflux we tried to keep her upright after the feeds and tilted the cot but it continued so we started on medication. I turns out she had a cows milk allergy - her nappies were runny green and mucus and she was so so windy. She was a different child after we got all that sorted. Best thing would be to speak to gp for advice. There are anti reflux milks you could try but best see what gp thinks I found the gp a bit better than my health visitor

@irrationalfamily

my DD has her dummy to get to sleep and has all of her fingers in the mouth for the rest of the day so I have no chance

Don't worry about the dummy. You can cross that bridge later down the line!

6oz sounds like a lot for a little baby. My 4mo is on 6oz bottles and she's 15lb. But this is all a massive learning curve. I wonder if she's eating for comfort and taking more than her tummy can actually hold. I was always told the stomach is about the size of their clenched fist. 6oz is lot to fit in! Maybe try giving smaller bottles but more regularly if needed and using the dummy in between (and obviously cudldles etc) in case it's just comfort she needs.

Its so hard when you've not been able to bf because you've also got that guilt to deal with.

In your shoes I would ring the HV team to discuss your concerns and tell them how things are with the eating and vomiting.

Thanks all. I think the general consensus is that a) I am not poisoning her with the bottles b) I am feeding her too much (!) c) I should speak to the hv/doctor and d) dummies are not the evil things people make them out to be!

So basically I will look at adjusting her feeds, speak to the doc/hv and see if that helps.

Thanks guys, much appreciated. Sorry I sound so clueless, as you can probably guess this is my pfb and I am trying to do my best, with all the conflicting advice that google offers, and I am going to be honest, the advice I’ve been offered re formula feeding has been very minimal, and has come with a distinct air of disapproval, which I find quite unfair.

good luck op, hope things improve!

Stitch eldest had a dummy until he was 4! I never thought I'd be one of those mothers

In some ways I was glad that my mother wasn't with us any more because her judgy pants would have been so high!

Anyway, sorry to derail. Hope you get it sorted OP.

Don’t worry irrational I tried to hide the fact that she had a dummy from my mother for the first week she had one (she was a mere three weeks and ironically, the dummy had come free in a pack of avent bottles that mum had got us when I was expressing) When I finally revealed it in all its glory I thought she was actually going to faint and spew her judgy pants up through her mouth.

And just when it couldn’t get any worse, I revealed the formula feeding. Icing. Cake. Poor mum! (Ps sorry your mum is no longer with you).