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Original poster

Formulas/boob&bottle experince

13 replies

icklebutterfly · 09/12/2019 12:23

Hi All,

I am going to be first time mummy so would just like to know some opinions or advice on this subject. Once baby is here I would like do bottle & boob, so that baby is still getting all the boob goodness and bonding, but bottle so there is less pressure on me (is that selfish?) Firstly, what formula would you recommend? I've read lots of threads about Aptamil being the best and they have the biggest verity. Secondly, how did you find combined feeding or what is your opinion on it? I have read about nipple confusion, but then this can happen with a dummy and boob. Also, opinions on dummies?

Thank you

OP posts:

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dementedpixie · 09/12/2019 13:15

Aptamil is not the best. No formula is the 'best'. Aptamil is the most expensive and by the sounds of it has a great marketing department!

Boymummy3 · 09/12/2019 13:18

I've never breast fed as it just isn't for me but I've always used cow & Gate formula but what I will say is if your going to buy formula don't over buy as some babies don't take to certain brands etc I've always been lucky in the fact my previous 2 took to c&g easily but I know of alot who have had to swap formula pretty much straight away.. I've also always give my babies dummies again this is personal preference some take to them some don't.. I get little angel ones from asda. Sorry can't help with the combined feeding side of it.

ISmellBabies · 09/12/2019 13:20

All the formulas are pretty much the same unless your baby has a specific sensitivity or allergy. Aldi's own brand is about 6.99 a tub and the usual branded ones are about 12 quid in tesco. Buy whatever is easiest for you to get hold of.

OhWellThatsJustGreat · 09/12/2019 13:25

First of all, how you feed your baby is not selfish, it's best for baby to be fed, however you do it. And what is best for you is best for baby.
I don't know a lot about nipple confusion but I do combi feed, he has all bottle as we didn't get on with breast feeding (he has been a chewer and a twister from day one, I couldn't cope). So I express 4 times a day now at an hour a time, started at 8 and over the past 5 months reduced sessions and time.
For formula I give him aptamil because it's the only formula he won't reject. He literally spat cow and gate all over dh. He has one of the big bottles once a week, although this is increasing, as my milk has been starting to dry up over the last couple of weeks (I think this is due to me manually expressing and that I'm down from 8 hours to 4 now)

Tbh, I would try breast feeding if you want to do it, see how you get along with it, have formula and bottles in the house as a back up, there's nothing wrong with saying "I need someone else to take baby and feed" and them giving baby a bottle of formula.

Lastly, congratulations and enjoy being a mummy!!!

Weathergirl1 · 09/12/2019 13:27

@icklebutterfly Can't help with the formula as we haven't had to use it yet, but we're mix feeding bottles and breast (few latch issues still so I'm pumping) and no issues with 'confusion' between me and the bottle. We have also started using a dummy and again hasn't caused any issues. Look up 'paced feeding' as that's supposed to help them not prefer the bottle (traditional bottle feeding technique means they get the milk easily without working for it like they have to do at the breast.

I know some people are very against dummies. I was open to it as I had them as a baby, and the thing that swung it for us was the rage monster we were presented with at each nappy change - so ragey he made himself vomit! In hospital we were encouraged to let him suck my little finger for comfort when they did heel pricks blood tests, so I reasoned that this was not any different to a dummy 🤷

Whatelsecouldibecalled · 09/12/2019 13:54

Some people suggest to solely breast feed for the first 6 weeks to help establish your supply. Your body will make more if baby is feeding. Would you consider expressing to bottle feed? Might help with your supply? However you could find yourself Attached to a pump for hours on end? I think all formulas are very similar in Male up due to regulation unless baby is on a special kind. I have friends who have used aptimil cow and gate and sma all fine. Maybe try with one and if it doesn’t suit switch to another? Good luck

Bert2e · 09/12/2019 14:00

Have a Google for first steps nutrition, they are an impartial organisation who can give you details about different formulas.

Alderaan · 09/12/2019 15:35

Following this thread because I'm hoping to combi feed too.

I think we'll go with the Aldi formula because of the price and thr fact we're in there every couple of days anyway.

Original poster

icklebutterfly · 10/12/2019 18:51

Thank you everyone, your comments have been very helpful! Any other advice or tips would be very much appreciated! Also, for combination feeding, what about bottles? I’ve been told Tommie Tippee but not sure if that’s just because they’re popular?

OP posts:

SnuggyBuggy · 10/12/2019 18:58

If you want to do both then a slow feed bottle is better as it's not as different from the boob as a faster flow one. As for dummies for all the opinions people have it seems like some babies take to them and some won't entertain them. Anecdotally I know several of people whose babies had dummies and still BF over a year.

Hp7425 · 10/12/2019 19:05

I don't have any experience with combination feeding but regarding formula the panorama programme on it is eye opening (can't remember what it was called). Basically it's all the same. We use Sainsburys own which is £7 a tub and like mam bottles which I believe are good for replicating breast too and handy to sterilise in microwave

ISmellBabies · 10/12/2019 19:25

You can get tiny ready made bottles of the major brands to make the first few days easier or to keep for emergencies. They say don't swap brands every 5 minutes but we gave whatever and never had a problem. I think it's just in case one brand gives them tummy ache so if you're swapping every time you go into a different supermarket you might not be able to work out which one didn't agree with them, but we were fine doing it, they had breastmilk as well so it's a bit of a mix anyway. Mam bottles are expensive and a faff. Too mamy bits to put together and it's easy to not do the lid up quite straight in which case it spills everywhere. I think any bottles are fine tbh. None of them are like nipples. The adverts are full of bs if they say that imo. Just get whatever type, they'll be fine.

Weathergirl1 · 10/12/2019 19:29

Our breastfeeding support told us that the expensive 'replicates a breast' bottles are just marketing twaddle and that old style standard width tests are actually better for it as they reach to the back of the mouth the activate the right suckling reflex - these are the type you will find in hospital that fit on the bottles that come with the hospital grade pumping kits (they're also cheap to buy on bottles in Boots and Wilko's!).

We have a few of the Mam ones too and I'd second that they're really handy how you can self sterilise them in a microwave 👍

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