Formula from birth

[FormulaFeeds2]

Please can I have some firsthand advice from those that have fed their babies formula from birth?

DC1 was breastfed and for numerous reasons I have decided to formula feed DC2 this time.

The sort of things I’m unsure of are

1. Hospitals? Do I bring my own bottle and formula, is there a preference to the formula I should start newborn on?
2. Were midwives funny with the whole ‘breast is best’ speech
3. Any tips or tricks worth knowing

Thank you!!

Yes you need to bring your own formula. They all seem to be be the same, I'd recommend using one that has the ready-made newborn bottles with the teat, so no faffing around his hospital sterilising stuff. Aptimil do them, and Cow and Gate.

Midwives weren't funny with me, they never said anything bad about formula feeding, but breastfeeding feeding was ALWAYS mentioned and encouraged and my choice was (sensitively) questioned, so maybe be prepared for that and what you might say if you think you might feel "put on the spot".

It's fine to make up bottles in advance and store them in the fridge. I usually made up 12hrs worth in the microwave, then sterilised all bottles at once and made up the next 12hrs worth. It feels like loads of bottles at first, but you quickly get into a routine. If/when it feels hard, use the ready made stuff at night - sometimes you can't being yourself to come downstairs through the night!

It's also fine to warm bottles in the microwave, if you swirls them well so there's no hot spots. I feel like this a very obvious and common sense, but I know there is advice out there that says don't do it.

Good luck with your baby, congratulations!

I took in one of those starter packs with the milk and teats already assembled plus some ready made as the hospital provided disposable bottles. I stayed using ready made bottles until I felt well enough to get into the making up bottles routine and then I made up the day's worth all at once and stored them. Thermos flask of water to warm them up when out and about was great.

Midwives didn't say anything, but as it was my second baby, I was pretty confident to say, no, I've already decided. They helped with bringing bottles to me at night and stuff as I'd had an epidural.

DS was in NICU and was tube fed formula from birth. Not one person, midwife, nurse, doctor, consultant was concerned about the fact I planned to formula feed once feeding was established.

Their view was fed is best and were just most concerned about him learning to feed properly in any way. They had lots of advice about how to do it properly, which bottles were best etc and were nothing but supportive.

Please don’t stress.

Ok great thank you! All really useful! I’ll definitely look into the ready made formulas with the teats attached too.
Are there any recommendations for the best bottles to buy? I heard babies can be really fussy with bottles?!

When mine were little Avent bottles were all the rather buy we got on much better with tommee tippee bottles. And loved the plastic containers that held three portions of formula powder.

Tbh midwives are so overworked they'll just beer glad your baby is fed and you're happy in what you're doing.

And re which to choose I would like around in shops and see which is easiest to get hold of. My eldest ended up in Hipp Organic Erich was a pain as much harder to get than Cow and Gate/Aptamil (which are made by the same company).

It sounds shallow but we loved the packs of C&G/Aptamil as they had the little scraper thing in the corner to level the scoop, so simple but useful

Best of luck

@FormulaFeeds2

Ok great thank you! All really useful! I’ll definitely look into the ready made formulas with the teats attached too. Are there any recommendations for the best bottles to buy? I heard babies can be really fussy with bottles?!

With the bottles I found nuk first choice to be best - I tried nanobebe and the cheap ones from sainsburys as the midwives recommended them. Feel like I've spent a fortune on different bottles 😂 baby is 9 weeks old now and seems to have settled on Nuk. I found the teats were very similar to what the cow and gate ready made bottles had with them in the hospital. All babies are different I think it's a lot of trial and error.

All babies are different, and it can be trial and error but sometimes they get on great with the first bottle they have! We got the Avent bottles and the normal teat was a bit tricky for my son, who I think may have a slight tongue-tie, but he got on great with the 'natural' teats. They were a bit softer. They also had an anti-colic bit you could have in or out, so very flexible.