bottle feeding

[Louison]

Hi there !

I'm expecting my first baby for july and I'm looking for some informations about infant milk. I've checked on NHS site but there is almost nothing about that (wonder why o_O). I was wondering if the maternity provides infant milk and bottles for the time you're there or should I organize myself ? Sorry if the question sounds a wee bit weird for you but I'm french and I know it's different here... (like dealing to get an epidural lol )
I was also wondering how many bottles a baby take a day or if it's "on demand" ? I didn't get a chance to ask my midwife yet. And do you have any brands you would recomend ? I dont have a scooby about UK milk brands to be honest.

Thanks in advance ! :)

[Indith]

Does the hospital provide bottles?

It depends on the hospital so check with them. Some do, others don't. More and more hospitals are stopping. It is up to the parent to feed teh child be it with their own milk or with formula. You can buy "starter packs" of pre sterilised throw away bottles to make things easier.

How many bottles?

Guidelines for how much a baby should take are on the packs so next time you are in the supermarket take a little look. Feeding should still be on demand even for a bottle fed baby so just like a breastfeeding mum it will take you a little while to get to know your baby's feeding cues. In the first weeks this is where ready made milk will be great so you can have it ready fast! Remember each feed must be made fresh with water at 70C to kill bugs in the powder so get to know early signs of being hungry to avoid screaming baby!

Brands

Buy what is easily available in your local shop. All milks must contain the same mix of nutrients so they are all pretty much the same.

[barleysugar]

You'll need to get your own milk AFAIK, I have noticed you ca buy the teeny little individual bottles in multipacks at Boots now, they have the teat all ready and sterile. They work out so expensive, though but seem ideal for the early days when they only drink drops at a time.

For long term feeding you'll prob need about six bottles for a whole day.

Pick a brand that you like the packaging and you can recycle in your area. We can't recycle the SMA tins so they seemed a waste to me, so got Cow and Gate!

[Louison]

Thanks a lot Indith ! I didn't even know that ready made milk exists. I'm just scared about waking up every hour during the night but it's normal I guess...

[JustCallMeFish]

Check with your mw if your hospital provides it. Some do, some don't.

If you're taking milk in, take bottles of ready made milk with the teats. So no sterilising etc.

But tbh, even if you don't plan to bf, a new baby will suck on a boob for comfort rather than a feed. They get very, very little milk in the first few hours. You may well be back at home before baby has a proper feed.

Our dc3 was three days old before taking 2oz of milk. I offered him bf in hospital, which he was happy to stick to the whole time I was in hospital.

And as for a brand of milk, there is no right or wrong. All milks affect babies in different ways. I used Farleys on our dc1 as it was the only one that didn't give terrible wind.

Dc2 and 3 had/have hipp combiotic. It's organic, they digest it easily and thankfully they've never suffered from bad wind. Also a little cheaper.

[JustCallMeFish]

And ff babies do not sleep better than bf babies-if that's what you're thinking?

It's a myth.

You'll be up every 1-3 hours with a newborn whatever you feed him/her.

[Louison]

So Justcallmefish I take it the baby take your boob first ? I'm just worried that if he takes my boob first he's not gonna want the bottle later on...

I know it's probably a myth but all my friends who have bottle feeded their babies say they're all sleeping better. I was just hopping ! :p

barleysugar what do you mean by SMA tins ? We don't recycle eather on my island. (im on Harris)

[JustCallMeFish]

It's a very personal choice.
Dc1 was ebf for 5 months
Dc2 was ebf for two weeks
Dc3 was only offered boob for about 24 hours or so then was offered bottles.

Dc3 took bottle with no problem.

Maybe just see how you feel after baby is born?

[JustCallMeFish]

And it definitely is a myth. All my babies have woke every two hours for a feed for the first couple of weeks.

[Indith]

How a baby sleeps has got a lot more to do with his character than how he is fed. Plenty of bf babies sleep well too :)

I don't want to turn it ins't a breast vs bottle thread but if that is your main worry then why not give bf a go?

Going from breast to bottle isn't always easy but people always get there. If you were switching at a few days then I doubt very much you'd have any problems with it.

[Louison]

So crossed fingers I'll be able to sleep 2 hours in a row :)

Just to answer, I really don't want breastfeed. I don't even feel cumfy looking at a woman doing it. When I get pregnant, I felt like I was loosing some of my freedom. It's not that I'm a big partyier or some stuff like this but I like to enjoy my life and honestly, I can't wait to see my friends a wee bit, going out on a sat night sometimes... Don't get me wrong I'm not selfish but I don't feel cumfy at all with the idea to have my boobs sucked by a baby :/
On top of that I'm quite away often and I don't know if you can switch between breast / bottle that easy ?

[barleysugar]

I'm sorry, SMA comes in tins, Cow and Gate comes in cardboard.

Do you think you'd like to try breast feeding first? I can highly recommend it!

I didn't mention it at first because you didn't ask for breast feeding advice.

If you'd like to try breast feeding first, then we can help with that too. And don't worry that baby won't take a bottle. All of mine have had bottles alongside breast feeding without any bother. You do have to be careful about how and when you introduce a bottle though.

You'll prob get more sleep in the early days if you breast feed to be honest, as it makes you sleepy!

[barleysugar]

Crossed post, sorry.

I know a few women who felt the same as you when pregnant but grew to like it when the bay was born - hormones do change you!

[Indith]

That's ok, it is fine to have those feelings :)

I' consider giving it a go, even if you only intend to feed for the first couple of days. There is so, so much goodness in the colostrum you produce in the first 3 days before your "proper" milk comes in that even if you just give the baby that colostrum then you are giving him a wonderful gift.

It doesn't mean you have to carry on, it just gives you more of a choice and the chance to see how you feel after the baby is born. You can always stop and give bottles instead. Changing back from bottle to breast should you have any regrets is far, far more difficult.

Sleep will come, really it will and while you are waiting for sleep to happen you will be fine. Honestly. We all go through it and survive!

[Indith]

And on that note, it is high time I went to bed myself because my 11 month old doesn't really believe in sleep so I need to get it while I can!

[Louison]

Yeah I know it could change you ! :)
But how it works if you fancy a glass of wine or if you want to go out for a night ? I know it sounds selfish but I'm not only a "mum" I'm a young girl too and I think it's important to keep a social life. I know breastfeed
is the best for your baby but for me it sounds like loosing freedom :/ Probably because I'm young and its my first I don't know... So if you have any advices about that yeah why not to try. I'm not against at all.

[Louison]

Indith thanks and have a good night then :)
think im gonna give a try maybe. As you say, I'll be able to change my mind if I'm not happy with breastfeed !

[Indith]

morning! glad you are thinking of giving it a go.

you can drink and feed. alcohol goes through the milk at around 1 unit an hour just like blood. the amount is tiny though so you can have a glass no worries, just don't get totally drunk unless you know you don't need to feed. if she is sleeping all night after a few months then the world is your oyster!

many mums express milk to give in a bottle for a little break. or when the baby is small you take them with you out for meals and they snooze by the table. they are very portable when little. even if bottle feeding you will probably not want to leave your little baby for a few months.