Taking formula to hospital? Little bottles with teats?

[eatsleeprepeat123]

I had my first baby in lockdown and intended to breastfeed but it didn't work out and the hospital provided formula for me as I didn't take any so never had to worry.

This time I am going to formula feed from birth and therefore will take my own formula in of course.

I've seen the little bottles with teats you can get (e.g. from cow and gate or Aptamil) that are like 70ml and come in a pack of 6 - which sound really useful to not have to take bottles/stepsister/etc! But they state they are single use - and if baby only has 10ml/20ml for the first day or so per feed (my first had tiny amounts like this). Do I just throw the rest of the bottle away each time?

I guess my question is if you took/used these tiny bottles did you just throw the formula that was left after each feed away? And how
Many bottles did you take with you? I'm thinking of taking 1 box into the hospital, and then popping another 1 or 2 boxes in the car so my husband can pop out and get them if needed? Or am I massively underestimating how much I will need?!

I didn't plan to but needed to use formula in hospital and yes you do have to throw the bottles away even if they don't drink it all. However they are so much easier in the first few days and we used them again with our second. I feel like my baby took pretty small amounts but a box is only 6 and you need about that many in 24 hours so I think you probably do need maybe 3 boxes and then you'll probably know if you are being discharged or likely to stay longer.

Yip I took these! I assumed the hospital wouldn’t offer any help at all since I wasn’t breastfeeding but there was actually a trolley coming round all the time and they asked if you needed any milk. They are single use and there’s a time limit on them for when they should be thrown out after opening, can’t remember the exact time limit. I think I took two boxes in the end and had another in the car but he was such a sleepy baby and really wouldn’t take anything! I think he must of had about 10ml the entire 24 hours we were in. As soon as we got home and he got a warm bottle he was gulping it down and loved it. I’m now due #2 and I’m actually dreading these little bottles again because I just feel like all babies must hate them because he did 🤦🏼‍♀️ I’m wondering if I could take a flask and try to heat them a tiny bit or something

You can get sterilised mini bottles so on the ward the hospital provided them for me to split the mini cow and gate bottles. Baby only drank 5ml every 4 hours so I was throwing money away.

Yes the hospital packs are what you need to take into hospital. I don’t know about other trusts but mine don’t bring anything round you need to take those packs as there’s nowhere for you to wash, sterilise or prepare bottles.

Thanks all. Think I'll get a couple more packs of the little ones to leave in the car and hubby can always pop out and get them if we need more after the first pack that I'll take in my bag!

We can always use them when we get home if they're not needed in the hospital.

@eatsleeprepeat123 totally new to this, just wondered, do these pre made bottles have to be warmed like when a fresh formula bottle is made up?

Also, does it work to maybe decant a little of the formula into a proper baby bottle, so that you don't have to throw away the rest? Or is it spoiled as soon as it opens?

@Sunshine2243 yes you can decant into a sterilised bottle so as not to waste. I used to put the readymade bottle in some hot water for a minute just to warm slightly and test it on my hand before giving to baby.

@Sunshine2243 yes you could put it in bottles and then put the rest in the fridge until ready to use. My thinking was the hospital may not have a fridge available to store it in once opened. Plus taking bottles is more to pack of course!

You can heat it up, or you can give it at room temperature. My older boy always had it at room temperature we never heated!