Feeding, formula, HELP!

[Strawberry06]

Just had my baby on Wednesday and planned to breastfeed but he was jaundiced so we had to introduce formula top ups while in hospital. We've been using the aptamil 70ml bottles with teat attached.

We're now home and my milk is in so I am breastfeeding but it's not enough so having to carry on with formula but hopefully not indefinitely.

My friend is giving us a cold water steriliser as we've bought big bottles of aptamil but obviously the bottles we pour into need sterilising. I just wondered about teats? The hospital said teats are one use only?

Otherwise it's very costly to keep buying the mini bottles with teat attached!

Any suggestions?

You need to buy proper baby bottles that aren't one-use aptamil ones.

Like, Mam, Tommee Tippee, etc

I'd buy some proper bottles that you can sterilise. We used mam. Sterilise in microwave so no extra equipment needed

You need to buy normal bottles and have a read up on how to steralise and prepare formula. You're welcome to keep using the ready made stuff, or buy the powdered version but you'll need to stop using the one time use bottles and refilling them.

Yes we are going to get bottles today and tests today. Can the teats go into cold steriliser as the hospital said theirs were one use only?

We don't have a microwave...

Yes you can use Milton cold water sterilising!

@FriendlyNeighbourhoodAccountant we haven't been reusing the bottles the instant stuff comes in. We do plan to get bottles today but my question was around the teats for them as the hospital said theirs were one time use only so either we need to keep buying teats for our bottles or keep buying the instant stuff that comes with teats for one time use only, both bloody exspensive!

When you buy bottles, buy teats, and they are used the same way as bottles, sterilized and re-used. I think the hospital were referring to the instant bottles/teats, which are used only once.

The ones on normal bottles can be steralised with their bottles and reused over and over again. The ready made mini bottles you're currently using are the one time use version.

@KnittedCardi no they were individually wrapped teats for bottles that got sterilised. I wish I'd asked why they couldn't be steralised/reused!

Do you want to BF? Why do you think your supply isn't enough?

@CocoPlum I do yes. I don't know, I fed him solidly for an hour last night between both breasts but he was still crying out for the formula. I think I just need to keep at it.

Ok, but just bin those then. The ones you buy in shops in packets, are re-usable.

There's nothing wrong with combi feeding but if you're wanting to breastfeed solely it might be worth you speaking to your HV or infant feeding nurse. The theory is your body will keep up with the demand of your baby so the more you use formula the less you'll produce. Could you pump in between breastfeeding to build up the supply?

I'd really recommend getting a microwave! We didn't have one til DS was born! Will be useful for weaning as well.

I was in the same situation as you and used those disposable teats while I was in hospital. I then used mam bottles which you can sterilise in the microwave. Teats which come with bottles are not one use.

Before long though, your baby will put on weight (if that's the issue) and you'll be able to exclusively breastfeed I'm sure.

I agree with PP about proper bottles and teats.

If you want to BF the only way to increase supply is to let baby feed (and cluster feed) from you. It’s utterly relentless but unless there are medical reasons, baby is losing weight or a HCP has advised you to top up with formula I doubt it’s necessary.

Oh yes meant to add that I was expressing, so I ended up topping up with more expressed milk than formula and eventually phased out the formula. Then eventually phased out the expressed milk. Keep asking HV and midwives for advice. It was a very confusing time but we got there!

This. If you're in hospital, ask for the feeding team. If you're home, find your nearest BF support group. Your milk is just coming in and it is normal for your baby to be doing this. Are they pooing/weeing lots? How much weight did they lose?

Hi OP, yes don’t worry about the hospital saying their teats are one use only. They are not designed to be used more than once (and as you say are outrageously expensive). Pick up a couple of MAM bottles with a size 1 teat and you can use these as many times as you need either with powder formula or the ready made stuff. I would also get a steriliser bag which you can also buy in the supermarket. You just chuck whatever you need in, zip it up with a bit of water and microwave for a couple of minutes.

@CocoPlum we just got home yesterday. The midwife is coming today so I'll ask. He only lost 3% of his birth weight. We've only introduced formula cause he was badly jaundiced, needed phototherapy for 48 hours. He still is so I'm thinking there's still a need for it to flush it out unless I just keep him on my boob?

Problem is he's sooooo sleepy during the day and not interested in feeding at all!

Plenty wet and dirty nappies yes

Get some proper bottles and teats (most bottle sets come with some teats), then you can purchase extra if required. The teats are usually next to the bottle sets in most shops. These can be sterilised and re-used. You can cold water sterilise with the Milton tablets, use a microwave, some people's dishwashers have a sterilise function on them nowadays, use a steam steriliser. The really small ready mixed bottles come with single use teats. The bigger 200ml ones don't.

You can then either buy the powder formula or the ready mixed. What ever is easiest for you. One of my friends used ready mixed bottles for the first few weeks purely because she was adjusting to life as a new mum and she was worried about making bottles up. She then transitioned to powder when she felt a bit more confident.

Speak to the infant feeding team or your local area might have a Breast feeding group that can also give extended support after the first couple of weeks. They are really good for advice and can help you build up to exclusive breast feeding. Please be kind to yourself. You are doing great.

If you want to breastfeed you need to feed him as often as possible. It will be at least every hour at first, possibly every 30 mins round the clock. The feeding sends a message to your brain to produce milk. The more you feed the more milk is produced. If you are advised to do small top ups for the jaundice you will need to pump when the baby has them to stop your milk drying up.

I recommend you call a helpline like the National Breastfeeding Helpline.

We had to strip my daughter down to a nappy every 3h until she was about 3 weeks old to get her to feed as she was so sleepy. She got more alert around 3 weeks and we were then able to feed responsively.

We just washed bottles & teats with washing up liquid in sink & then had a big Tupperware tub on the side with Milton tablet in & all clean bottles went into that. We changed water every day. We did have one for microwave but the old fashioned tub was way easier.

The one time use bottles are disposable and small for newborn feeding

Buy mam bottles (my fab brand - I'm a mn so use different ones a lot depending what parents buy) but mam my fav

All of bottle lid and tear goes into steriliser. Cold water is fine. Usually takes 30m but can be left in tank for 24hrs then change water and add new tablet