Back up newborn formula

[Sleepyhoglet]

I'm planning to breastfeed but am very aware that it is painful and challenging. So as to remove as much stress and worry I plan to have some formula as a back up but don't want to go overboard with bottles etc in case it isn't needed. Would a couple of bottles and teats, one tin if formula and Milton or microwave steriliser be ok to keep us going a week or so if she doesn't take to breast?

[CultureSucksDownWords]

It's not certain to be painful and challenging at all. Lots of people find it straightforward enough and not painful bar the initial few days (or even at all).

Are you somewhere where there aren't any supermarkets or local shops? Apart from when shut on a Sat to Sun night and a Sun to Mon night, all 24 hour supermarkets will stock formula.

If you want to have something in, you can get so called "starter" packs that contain 6 or so ready made bottles with disposable teats. These can sit in a cupboard until/if you need them. You also don't need to buy a steriliser - Milton fluid or tablets are much cheaper and very straightforward.

[Tvseemstobemyhobby]

For both of mine I went to Boots and bought the box of SMA ready to use 6 X 100ml bottles (they are little bottles with ready to go sterilised teats. Use them once and bin). Didn't need them with either of my boob monsters but they were my insurance to take the pressure off.

Good luck and I hope you find the feeding method that works best for you.

[ilovepowerhoop]

I would get some cartons or some of those pre-made bottles with sterilised teats rather than a tin. Once a tin is opened it only lasts 4 weeks and the cartons/bottles have a long shelf life

[FatalCabbage]

Don't get a tin if you aren't intending full-time ff. A few cartons of whatever you can easily get more of at 2am will be enough to tide you over should you need help.

In general, ff top-ups make bfing harder (because bfing needs demand and ff reduces demand).

I ceremonially threw away my "just in case" ff cartons when they went out of date. I begrudged the couple of quid not a bit!

Don't expect or accept "painful and challenging". It's a natural skill you both have to develop, like baby will later learn to walk and talk, naturally but not necessarily immediately. Work out how to get support before you need it.

[CultureSucksDownWords]

FatalCabbage, that's an excellent way of describing the process of breastfeeding. Midwives should describe it like that to new mums I think.

[FatalCabbage]

Thanks! I'm on my third nursling so I've had plenty of time to think about it.

There are other parallels re artificial aids and expert help. Also no blame.

[Slh122]

I didn't get any in and I'm really glad I didn't as some nights were particularly challenging and I know I would have been tempted to use it.

[theborrower]

As someone who was discharged from hospital with a baby that couldn't latch, despite being in hospital for 4 days, along with a baby cup and syringes and some formula that a kind midwife slipped us (we were discharged in the evening and had absolutely nothing in the house as I'd planned to BF too), I would at the very least get some sterilising fluid in case the worst happens. And a carton or two to tide you over. You might not even need it, and you won't have wasted money, but if you find yourself in the same situation at least you can get through the night.

Hope it goes smoothly for you though!

[Zara8]

Yes, have a starter pack of 6 ready made bottles with teats in the house. I will be having that in stock this time for DC2 . "Quickly nipping to the 24 hour supermarket" isn't as easy or as stressfree as it sounds when it's 3am and your non-latching baby is howling.... for example.

BUT equally important if you plan on breastfeeding - get your support structures in place as fatalcabbage says. Find your local bf support groups, go along to a meeting or two BEFORE baby is born. You think you will feel like a numpty but it's actually a great idea. At least you'll definitely know where it is, the time it's on and might even remember a name or two!

I have also bought a starter pack of bottles BUT I have not bought a tub of formula, for the reasons others say, it expires quickly. I'll get some pre-made cartons.

I recommend to all my friends to at least have the ready-made bottles in. You can easily give them to a friend or chuck out when you (hopefully) don't need them.

[Zara8]

Y y to a bit of sterilising fluid/tabs too, as theborrower says. I already have a microwave steriliser from last time but some Milton fluid/tabs are handy. Handy to have the in cupboard in any event long after the newborn period!

[Writerwannabe83]

This is a difficult one.

It was always my intention to breast feed but we still had a tub of formula powder in the cupboard. This was because there was a risk I may need to be re-hospitalised after the birth and so needed to make sure DS could be fed.

A few days after being at home I was at breaking point one night, I couldn't get DS to attach and he wouldn't stop screaming. I kept trying but I was getting upset and stressed as was DS so At 4am, in desperation, I told my DH to go and make up some formula. By the time he had boiled the kettle, let it cool, made up the bottle and bought it up to me about 25 minutes had passed and in that time calmed myself down and got DS attached. The same thing happened a few nights later but again, by the time DH appeared with the bottle I had managed to start feeding.

I am glad we didn't have any of the pre-made carton because they would have been available to me quickly so I know I would have given them and then would have regretted it afterwards. It's only because the powdered milk took so bloody long that I ultimately didn't give any.

That's not to say it's a bad thing if formula is given but I do worry that if I had given it and saw how easy it was and how effective it was then I would have started to do it regularly as opposed to just 'one offs'. I think that option would have made me give up as opposed to persevering.

However, the knowledge that the formula powder was in the cupboard gave me a sense of comfort. When I look back on those two nights where I asked my DH to make up a bottle, I honestly don't know what I would have done if we didn't have any powder in the house - I imagine I would have felt like my DS was going to starve and put even more pressure on myself and end up in absolute floods of tears....well even more so than I already was. I think the fact that I knew I had the powder and that DH was making up a bottle gave me that security to allow myself to calm down which led to me calming DS down and then I was able to attach him.

So, to sum it all up, my recommendation would be to have some as back up but get the powdered form in the hope it will work for you like it did for me

DS is now 16 weeks and has not had formula since we came home. Yes it's annoying we have an opened tin of formula that has never been used, but the cost of it was well worth it in the long run, just for the security it provided me with.

[McBear]

It's definitely a good idea to be prepared but agree with pp that a full tin is a bad idea. I struggled with feeding and on my first night away from hospital, DDs DF had to rush to Tesco and buy bottles, breast pump and steriliser. This happened to be on half price but if they weren't I don't know what I'd have done.

Preparation is key.

[AnythingNotEverything]

Writer I remember your threads - really glad bf has worked out for you

OP I second the advice to find out what support is available for you before you have the baby. Find your breastfeeding cafe, devour the advice on the feeding boards here, read about newborn poo (NCT website has a great visual chart), read a book (The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding helped me).

Good luck with your baby.

[Minibagel]

writer thats an interesting point about the time delay in making a bottle of fresh formula for baby. I hadn't thought about that.

[Minibagel]

Also as much of a waste a whole tin of formula is, anyone who really wants to breastfeed won't begrudge the £10 or so it costs as a security blanket. At my lowest point I would have paid all the money in my bank account to resolve my bf difficulties!