Page 3 | Exclusively Bottle Feeding

Hjudge56 · 2023-04-30T07:51:50+00:00

Hi All, I’m 27 weeks pregnant with my first baby, a little girl! I will be exclusively bottle feeding my baby and wanted to hear from any fellow mumma’s who have done the same previously/planning to do the same. Do you have any recommendations/tips/experience/reassurance haha? Thanks!

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Hoppinggreen · 30/04/2023 16:25

Emmamoo89 · 30/04/2023 15:39

@Redebs I'm just sick of formula feeding mams always making out breastfeeding mams say this and that. It's always tit for tat. 🙄 just do what you got to do. Each to their own.

I’m sick of the same people always popping up on these threads pushing something OP hasn’t asked about

KnittedCardi · 30/04/2023 16:34

Well, DH and DD1 both bottle fed DD2 so we were all equally bonded. Perfect.

Two x bottle fed here due to inability to breast feed. I found it really easy, no faff, and that was before perfect prep machines. Just six bottles made up and popped in the fridge, they last 24 hours, but are used up within that time anyway. I also had a little bottle warmer, but only used it when really young, served at room temp after that. Fed at interval, not on demand! Shock, horror. Counter top steriliser. Different formula for each child, and I think I changed DD2's because she didn't get in with the one DD1 had used.

JoyApple · 30/04/2023 16:38

Thank you for this fantastic thread! I have also decided to exclusively breastfeed.

I wanted to ask what are your plans or what did people do to stop the milk from coming and drying the milk out from the breast? I was like a cow last time round with far too much milk and ended up with multiple mastitis, so want to try and avoid that this time.

@KnittedCardi Love your approach! What time intervals did you use for feeds? Also did you take them out of the fridge and feed straight away or after a bit?

JoyApple · 30/04/2023 16:39

Sorry above should say exclusively bottlefeed! 😎

Sleepingbeauty2510 · 30/04/2023 16:43

My tips-
*Cold water steriliser is so easy. I got a second hand one for 99p from eBay 😂

Glass bottles last longer and easier to clean
Try different formulas if one isn't working. Took us weeks of an upset tummy before we tried a different brand because we were told they are all the same - they aren't.
Ready made bottles are so convenient when out and about if you can afford them.
Prep machine is brilliant. Also heard good things about nuby rapid cool. Good luck and enjoy it :) one of my favourite memories is seeing dad give a bottle to our baby in hospital. Same for grandparents etc, great for bonding.

Abacusporttaco · 30/04/2023 16:46

Emmamoo89 · 30/04/2023 12:27

No one acts it. Its only cause breastfeeding releases a higher level of oxytocin. Not saying bottle feeding doesn't. It does just not near as high as breastfeeding. I've bottle fed and breastfed my son. Bottled of expressed milk. Ime I prefer breastfeeding as its more close and cuddly. The smiles are amazing when I catch his eye when he's suckling and he tries not to smile back. But always does in the end. It's adorable.

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Not your thread, Moo. You always rock up on bottle feeding threads but try to keep the breastfeeding pushing to a minimum this time, yeah?

Abacusporttaco · 30/04/2023 16:52

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Original poster

Hjudge56 · 30/04/2023 16:55

@Abacusporttaco very well said!

OP posts:

elliejjtiny · 30/04/2023 16:57

I bottlefed my 4th from birth. The ready made bottles of formula are brilliant in the beginning. In my hospital you had to do all the sterilizing etc yourself as soon as your catheter is out which I found really hard after a c-section. Ds would only drink his milk at body temperature so I used to put the bottle down my top to warm it up when we were out and I didn't have access to a kettle. I know one of the advantages of bottle feeding is that anyone can feed them but it's ok if you want to do most or all of the feeds. I used to feel quite uncomfortable when someone else (other than dh or my older dc) fed him although I'm not sure why. Midwife said a lot of mums feel like that though and it's normal.

Redebs · 30/04/2023 17:01

TheBirdintheCave · 30/04/2023 15:37

@Redlarge I thought the order didn't matter as long as the cooled water was pre boiled (we always used cooled boiled water and not tap) and the top up water (which was always the majority) was boiling hot 🤔

To be honest I could be wrong in how I'm remembering we did it as it was a year and a half ago now 😂 Thankfully, whether I did it wrong or not, son is still alive! 😅

The water has to be very hot and recently boiled in order to kill the bacteria in the formula powder

Redebs · 30/04/2023 17:03

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Actually I waited until the second piece of misinformation about breastfeeding before commenting.

Parker231 · 30/04/2023 17:09

OP - get a perfect prep machine - make sure you clean it properly/replace filters - will make life much easier.

SouthLondonMum22 · 30/04/2023 17:18

Redebs · 30/04/2023 17:03

Actually I waited until the second piece of misinformation about breastfeeding before commenting.

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Except it isn't misinformation that those who formula feed bond with their babies just as much as those who breastfeed.

rattlinbog · 30/04/2023 17:22

@Redebs what is your evidence for the bonding comment?

Emmamoo89 · 30/04/2023 17:25

@Abacusporttaco I wasn't going to comment until someone brought up breastfeeding and making the comment that breastfeeding mams all think that they bond better than bottlefeeding. I don't think that at all. It doesn't need to be said. Maybe the shit between bottle fed and breastfed would stop. As long as babas are fed. Watered and happy that's all that matters.

Emmamoo89 · 30/04/2023 17:26

Formula*

Questionquestionqu · 30/04/2023 17:30

I find a cold water steriliser the easiest. Replace the water each day, bottles can stay in it til needed etc.

Questionquestionqu · 30/04/2023 17:32

Emmamoo89 · 30/04/2023 17:25

@Abacusporttaco I wasn't going to comment until someone brought up breastfeeding and making the comment that breastfeeding mams all think that they bond better than bottlefeeding. I don't think that at all. It doesn't need to be said. Maybe the shit between bottle fed and breastfed would stop. As long as babas are fed. Watered and happy that's all that matters.

No, the op said I don't know why people act as though only breastfeeding is a bonding experience

ie, you can ALSO bond with your FF baby . It's you that came and made it an argument.

Questionquestionqu · 30/04/2023 17:32

Pp, not op

Musicaltheatremum · 30/04/2023 17:34

Enjoy it and don't let people make you feel guilty for not breast feeding. I was bottle fed and am now 60 and no health issues..... well I'm fat but that's my lifestyle now's fault not my mum's bottle feeding 🤣. I fed my daughter a bottle at night from 6 weeks and breast the rest until a year and my son decided formula tasted better than I did at an early age. Just do what's right for you and congratulations on your baby. I also loved how my husband could be involved in the feeding

SouthLondonMum22 · 30/04/2023 17:37

Questionquestionqu · 30/04/2023 17:32

No, the op said I don't know why people act as though only breastfeeding is a bonding experience

ie, you can ALSO bond with your FF baby . It's you that came and made it an argument.

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Exactly.

Not to mention the additional comment about how amazing the smiles are like it doesn't happen with bottle feeding. My baby does that all of the time. 😂

Emmamoo89 · 30/04/2023 17:49

Just like to add. I was just saying in my experience how I feel. I feel more bonded with my baba with breastfeeding than bottlefeeding. Wasn't saying you bond more with breastfeeding.

Emmamoo89 · 30/04/2023 17:51

@Questionquestionqu do they. I've never seen anyone saying that you can bond multiple ways. Not just with feeding.

KnittedCardi · 30/04/2023 17:53

JoyApple · 30/04/2023 16:38

Thank you for this fantastic thread! I have also decided to exclusively breastfeed.

I wanted to ask what are your plans or what did people do to stop the milk from coming and drying the milk out from the breast? I was like a cow last time round with far too much milk and ended up with multiple mastitis, so want to try and avoid that this time.

@KnittedCardi Love your approach! What time intervals did you use for feeds? Also did you take them out of the fridge and feed straight away or after a bit?

During the day it was every three hours, unless they are asleep. Then you leave them. Never wake a sleeping child 😂

Overnight it was 10pm, 3am, 7am. Dropped the 3am pretty quickly. I did have very sleepy DC's though 😊

I warmed the bottles when they were tiny, but when a bit older took them out an hour before feed times to come to room temp. Another benefit of fixed feed times.

Emmamoo89 · 30/04/2023 17:54

SouthLondonMum22 · 30/04/2023 17:37

Exactly.

Not to mention the additional comment about how amazing the smiles are like it doesn't happen with bottle feeding. My baby does that all of the time. 😂

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You all seem to make out I'm saying that with bottlefeeding it doesn't happen. Where did I say that. Oh wait its ff mams assuming things. Just stating my experience. I never got the cute eye contact and smiles when I bottlefed him just with breastfeeding but that's my baby.