Formula brands

[mischiefmanaged01]

I’ve been chatting with the midwife today and she has advised to grab a pack of the pre-prepared formula bottles just in case.

From my reading my understanding is there is very little difference between the formulas for a newborn and so to just roll with what’s cheapest and readily available near by (we are thinking cow and gate). My intention is to breastfeed but obviously just want to be prepared for all eventualities as DH is a little bit rabbit caught in headlights at the moment so don’t want to throw something else at him post birth 😊 any opinions/research to suggest to the contrary?

I’d definitely say just whatever is most readily available in your area. It’s aptamil in my area but I don’t think there is any difference between brands.

I didn’t take any to the hospital (they say they have them if required), but a ready made bottle came in very handy at home on night 3! It was 3am, no wet nappy for 7 hours, DS was starving, and I’d spent hours trying to get him to latch properly and just COULDN’T! I was so relieved when he guzzled the ready made formula!

I’ve never forgiven the health visitor who sat in my home and told me that SMA was no good and that I needed aptamil. Absolute crock of shite and incredibly damaging to me as a new mum with PND who was already feeling wretched for not being able to breastfeed.

I’ve since learnt that much of the difference is purely marketing. The content of formulas has to be much the same as it’s the source of nutrition for infants, none are “better” than others. But in the south you do seem to be considered a negligent mother if you don’t use aptamil.

Sorry for the rant, touched a nerve! Def go based on price & availability in your area.

I used HIPP with DS as other brands made him constipated. He was very happy on it!

There is very little difference between brands but there is a difference, Aptamil does not stay down with mine, it’s carnage 🤮

First choice go for the one easiest to get hold of and work back from there, we live in the middle of nowhere so everything is a pain to get hold of... her chosen brand happens to be particularly difficult to obtain locally so I stock pile 😎

Personally I researched the formula brands and spoke to friends HIPP came out best and I have used that consistently since DS was born. It's great very little wind (if any) no problem with going to the loo the midwives and HV's have all thought he was BF. Highly recommend it. Good luck with your pregnancy

Aptamil is exactly the same as cow and gate. Check the ingredients and manufacturers address.

I used the cow and gate pre mix bottles for occasional bottles from 3 months, as I could never express much.

Most of the brands do a starter pack of premade bottles that also have sterile teats you can attach to them. As you've probably guessed, they are far more expensive than the powder (and more expensive than regular premade bottles) but I felt they were the best to have for 'just in case' as I didn't need have my own bottle (or be sure it was sterilised if you have one).

If you end up needing more than the 4 feeds that come in the pack, it obviously makes sense to switch to using regular pre-made bottles or powders. Fortunately breastfeeding worked out for me and I didn't need them so passed them onto another friend who was due a couple of months after me.

You're right. Most brands suit most babies. And the only way you can find out if a brand doesn't suit your baby is to give it to them. Formula is very well regulated and there is minimal difference in the ingredients. So availability and price are the best ways to distinguish.

If your planning on breast feeding do not take any formula in with you.

If your hospital is a 'baby friendly' hospital with the Baby Friendly initiative then they shouldn't be advocating taking in formula 'just in case'

Sorry this just makes me so sad to read.

If you have a 24hr supermarket near you just make note whats in there started pack wise.

That is really poor advice from your midwife. And against the Baby friendly Initiative.

I used cow and gate for my daughter and will use the same again for #2. I was tempted to try the Aldi one but I know that cow and gate is sold everywhere so gives peace of mind for if I ever get caught short and am not near an Aldi.
My friend has recommended Medela nipple Sheilds which I’ve purchases in advance to try if I have any trouble breastfeeding as I would really like to try and achieve this for the first few weeks. May be worth thinking about?

In the end I couldn't bf, the hospital had pre-made bottles of SMA and Cow and Gate in the fridge and a few different teats to try.

All stage 1 milks have to have the same ingredients. Some of the different brands use exactly the same factories for their formula. If you are going to buy formula buy Aldi or Lidl as they are the same without the ridiculous markup in price due to marketing.

Your midwife has given you very poor advice, she should not be recommending you buy formula ‘just incase’. This is what undermines a woman’s belief that she can successfully breastfeed. If for any reason your baby needed supplementation in hospital it would be supplied. Supermarkets are always open if you really felt you needed formula once baby is here.

Grab a few of the pre mixed bottles from the main brands (aptamil, cow and gate, sma etc) and then it’s trail and error.
We started with aptamil - no rhyme or reason it was just the one that we saw in the supermarket! He was fine with that and have now moved into their hungry baby milk
Have also tried him on cow and gate - just to see if he would take a different brand - and he took it fine.

Your midwife has given you very poor advice, she should not be recommending you buy formula ‘just incase’. This is what undermines a woman’s belief that she can successfully breastfeed. If for any reason your baby needed supplementation in hospital it would be supplied

I’m sorry but that’s just so not true!

The hospitals/midwifes seem to be on the agenda of pushing breastfeeding at all cost

Yes, we all know the old adage “breast is best” but it’s every woman’s on choice to feed however she wants

Breastfeeding is hard for a lot of women, it doesn’t just magically happen and sometimes when your exhausted, in pain, emotionally wrecked and have no clue what’s up nor down you just can’t sit there trying to get a screaming baby to take the breast. Sometimes you just have to do what’s best in that situation and that means using formula

I think the midwife was quite right to suggest having some formula in as a back up

There is way way way to much pressure to breastfeed, to stick it out, to keep going on the promise that it “gets better” but sometimes it doesn’t get better. Sometimes the best option is to feed your baby with formula so you can enjoy the experience.

Thanks for the advice.

In all honesty we do want to breastfeed but will roll with ‘fed is best’. We’ve had a tough pregnancy so I know DH will support me to try and make it work but there are possibly some medical reasons (still under investigation for a plethora of lung conditions) that may mean we have no option. So I think midwife was just being realistic 😊 and trying to ensure DH is under minimal stress if for some reason I am not up to BF baby. Probably should’ve mentioned this to prevent any ill feeling towards midwife’s advice. She was honestly just trying to make DH’s stress levels decrease as he’s a bit of a worrier and pretty useless at practical decisions 😂

I wanted to breastfeed too. I really wanted to and thought it would be really natural and that it would just take a bit of practice and we would be away.
The reality of the first few days post birth is something that you won’t have ever experienced before.
Try breastfeeding- it is a lovely thing to do and if it works for you then that will be great but just don’t put loads of pressure on yourself to do it.
You will get the pressure to do it put on you from a lot of other people and that can be really overwhelming especially when your all out of sorts in those first few days.
But honestly, it really doesn’t matter how you choose to feed the baby, just get them fed and that’s all you need to concern yourself with,
Hope it all goes well xxxx

I hate this nonsense the mere existence of formula will demolish all breastfeeding forever. It's infantalising nonsense and isn't backed up by an evidence. If a mother has formula to hand and is breastfeeding, and all seems fine, then so what. If a mother is experiencing a problem that means the baby is unable to feed right at that moment, it is cruel and potentially dangerous not to give the baby formula instead. If te baby needs to be fed, that's non-negotiable. Not feeding the baby is not an option. Not having formula to hand will not solve any BF problem. If, like in my case, a baby absolutely will not latch and is hysterical from hunger, then damn right my baby is getting formula and I can't in any way see how someone going to the shop to get formula is in any way preferable for my baby than taking some out of the cupboard in the kitchen.

There is no evidence whatsoever for BFHI improving breastfeeding rates in any meaningful way.

I think it's FANTASTIC that your midwife has suggested this.

I struggled breastfeeding both of mine (and continued until 6 and 4 months respectively with some mixed feeding happening).

On night 3 with my first when she was starving because she wants really getting anything from me and getting jaundiced DH had to drive around in the middle of the night trying to find a supermarket that was open. The whole experience was traumatising.

With our second we needed formula on the 2nd night after no wet nappies and lots of screaming.

Breastfeeding quite simply put can be incredibly difficult for some people. I am pregnant with my 3rd and plan to breastfeed. I also plan to have some backup formula. There is nothing more terrifying than thinking you are starving your baby and worrying about what might happen. Having a backup takes that fear away and eleviates the pressure. It gives you time to focus and the reassurance that you have a safety net.

I wish more midwives did this. Breastfeeding is pushed so hard that you feel that you'd be a bad parent to have a backup plan, when really it's just common sense.

I don't see the issue at all with having formula in case it's needed. If a mum wants to breastfeed then that's her choice and hopefully it works out for her. However if for any reason it doesn't she has formula she can use ready to go. Which is surely better than a very hungry baby?
(It was different for me as I knew I wouldn't be breastfeeding anyway. I knew I wouldn't even be trying it). But I think it's a good idea.

I'm definitely taking formula in case. I had huge trouble breastfeeding immediately after my EMCS and had to beg formula off the midwives in the middle of the night.

www.firststepsnutrition.org/pdfs/Infant_formula_an_overview_December2017.pdf

I found this guide really helpful as I didnt really want to be feeding taurine if I couldn't breast feed.

Mine was sick everytime she had Aptamil so we swapped to Hipp once we got home from hospital.

Hipp is so fab. I'm taking two starter kits to hospital with me!