Formula Feeding Question

[Impish]

I've nursed my other four children.

 

However, with RSD and another health issue having cropped up, I've been told I *cannot* nurse again. I need to be on meds that aren't safe for nursing.

 

Setting aside the emotional issues I have with not being able to nurse, I'm trying desperately to focus on the practical...primarily being I have no flipping clue as to how formula feeding works.

 

How many bottles do we need? What's a 'normal' feeding? Nursing you just go til baby stops, so no clue how much is normal or enough. How often do you burp? Again, nursing, you just go til they stop.

 

What about bottle warmers? We don't have a dishwasher, so sterilyzing? How long, and I'm guessing its every time after you wash a bottle? Also guessing that you don't fill bottles for newborns, how much do you put in them? I was thinking about the bottles w/drop in liners, but is it really easier? What formula to use?

 

Any info or help would be appreciated. I'm completely, totally, and utterly clueless on this one.

[8circles]

:grouphug: I can't answer any questions but I'm sure you'll get it figured out.

[ZooRho]

too long since I did the bottles.

 

but do look at getting on mailing list for forumla. even if you don't use that kind others always need the coupons.

 

I think you will probably go with what your dr reccomends.

 

both of mine were adopted and so they came already on a particular formula and for both it was the most expensive kind.

 

I did use the platex bottles with the liners. But having read some things about the use of plastics, I'd tell you to do some research on that issue.

 

For both boys we had to do a bit of trial and error on the nipples that would work for them. one had to have cereal in his forumla so we had to use fruit juice nipples or cut them Interesting expeirment.

 

Hope someone with more recent experience will chime in for you.

[TheReader]

Oh, ((Imp)), I'm sorry you are facing this. I know it can be very emotional for a lot of folks. On that note, do rest assured that you can still bond well with baby even if formula feeding. You can still snuggle, and gaze into his eyes, and love on him. And he can still be healthy -- I know they say higher risk of allergies, asthma, etc. but I've got 2 formula fed babies and one breast fed and they are all equally healthy. So, even though you didn't ask, I'm throwing that out there to hopefully calm/ease some of your emotional concerns. :grouphug:

 

On the practical side --

How many bottles: how many cups do you use for your big kids? Or, how often do you want to wash them? For me, I find the fewer the better, because otherwise it's too easy to let them sit and be dirty, just grab another clean one. with a few, I wash them right away. So, I'd say you could get by with three -- one for in use, one to prep ahead if you are going out, and one to use while the 2 dirty ones are being washed/drying. Also three would cover long outings pretty well.

 

If you are opposite, prefer to just wash all dishes at the end of the day, then you need enough to get through the day. So.....8? 10? I kind of forget....If you do the drop-in liners obviously you need fewer actual bottles and just buy lots of liners. They are certainly easier to wash, etc. if the recurring cost of buying liners is not an issue.

 

How much formula to feed: With a newborn we started off with a 4 oz. bottle (or making 4 ozs in an 8 oz bottle). If baby did not finish all of that in a feeding, and we were home, it could go in the fridge for next time. if we were out, it was dumped and a fresh bottle made up for next time. Once baby starts finishing 4 ozs in one setting, start making 6 ozs at a time, and once baby starts finishing that, make 8 ozs at a time. Once baby is finishing 8 ozs at a time you can offer a 2nd bottle (4 ozs) or if baby is old enough by then, baby food. But start off with 4 ozs and then increase as baby seems hungry for more. Hunger cues will be the same as they were when you were nursing, you'll be able to tell if baby is full or still hungry.

 

How often to feed: I would think you can still watch hunger cues and feed on demand. If that is difficult, maybe start with a 2 hr cycle or a 3 hr cycle (feeding every 2 to 3 hours). In the early newborn stage it's likely to be a bit closer together but as baby ages 3 hrs should work. Remember that baby's hunger cues though will be the same as if you had a nursing baby, so you can still watch baby for hunger cues and feed as he seems hungry; that part doesn't have to change just because food is coming in a bottle vs. breast.

 

Burping...after each bottle I think. It's been a while and now I can't remember if we burped mid feed or not.....maybe someone else can answer that one.

 

Bottle warmers, sterilizing, etc -- I never used a bottle warmer. You can warm the bottle to room temp by running under hot water or by warming in hot water on the stove (not to boiling, just heating it up). Not in the microwave as that can make hot spots. Sterilizing -- I think you are okay washing with soap & hot water. I never did anything to further sterilize our bottles. If you wanted, you could boil the bottles (just the nipples if you are using drop in liners) once a week or so. Someone with more recent babies can chime in and correct me if I'm wrong or outdated (my oldest 2 were formula fed).

 

What formula to use? -- depends on baby. If you have no reason to suspect baby will have allergies or dietary issues, you can start with any normal formula. They're all FDA checked, etc. so really shouldn't be much difference. If baby shows dietary issues/digestion problems, you might have to switch to lactose free or soy based or something; otherwise I think they're all pretty similar. Again, though, maybe someone more recent can chime in.

 

Other tips -- one thing I enjoyed when formula feeding is that there are plastic tubs with 3 (or more) compartments and a top with a pour spout. For outings, because you don't want to mix up the bottles and take them unrefrigerated, you put the correct amount of water into the bottle and put the appropriate number scoops of formula into the little plastic container, scoops for each bottle in each compartment. Then you turn the lid so it's over one compartment and are able to dump in the scoops into the waiting water. Shake and serve. This way you don't have to take the huge container of formula powder, nor invest in insulated bottle wraps which create more bulk. You could even take one bottle, extra nipples, the formula and then buy bottled water (or use tap) when out to further cut down on bulk.

 

Hope this helps some.

[Dobela]

I've nursed my other four children.

 

However, with RSD and another health issue having cropped up, I've been told I *cannot* nurse again. I need to be on meds that aren't safe for nursing.

 

Setting aside the emotional issues I have with not being able to nurse, I'm trying desperately to focus on the practical...primarily being I have no flipping clue as to how formula feeding works.

 

How many bottles do we need? I kept enough for 1 -24 hour period. That is more in the beginning and fewer as the child ages. A friend keeps enough for 2 days in case she can't get the dishes washed. However, with the last baby in our home I completely switched over to the Playtex bottles that use disposible liners. I didn't have to keep as many bottles, although I did keep several nipples. And it drastically kept down the amount to wash. As nipples become less effective you will need to buy new ones. The newborn nipples are more pliable than those for older babies.

 

What's a 'normal' feeding? Nursing you just go til baby stops, so no clue how much is normal or enough. Same with bottle feeding. Younger ages drink less so if I remember right I started making 2-3 oz at each feeding. When that wasn't enough I just kept adding until it was. Sometimes I would also make up several ounces and keep in the fridge so I didn't have to start over with each bottle, especially at night.

 

How often do you burp? Again, nursing, you just go til they stop. Same with a bottle. Mine needed more burping if I used a powdered formula because mixing that formula added lots of bubbles when stirring. To help counter act that my pediatrician told me to add 3-4 drops of gas drops to the bottle each time. When I used concentrate or premixed I didn't have to burp as often. If you have a baby that seems to have lots of need for burping despite it all, you may need to switch to a bottle like Dr. Brown's.

 

What about bottle warmers? I never used them. My kids always took bottles made with cold water or room temp water. If the bottle just had to be warmer, I would use a pan on the stove with water, or as a last resort a microwave for 5 seconds or so.

 

We don't have a dishwasher, so sterilyzing? How long, and I'm guessing its every time after you wash a bottle? Also guessing that you don't fill bottles for newborns, how much do you put in them? I was thinking about the bottles w/drop in liners, but is it really easier?Yes, I found the liners to be easier. Especially by the last child (we were foster parents so we had several children not listed on my siggy). It minimized washing time required and was just easier. THe liners come sterilized. I just sterilized the nipples in boiling water on the stove but I don't remember how long other than it was long at all. And I didn't have to do it after a certain age (6 weeks??) What formula to use? It depended on the child. Most hospitals will give you samples of whatever they have in the beginning. Pediatricians will have some. If the baby doesn't tolerate it then you start changing around. Both of mine below ended up needing lactose free. Some babies can tolerate about anything so moms will switch according to the best deal. Formula companies will send you samples and coupons in the US regularly as well. In the US formula is one of the most regulated items on the shelves. That means even the 'generic' is very close to the name brand.

 

Any info or help would be appreciated. I'm completely, totally, and utterly clueless on this one.

:001_smile:

[littlebug42]

For supplementation and after my daughters weaned, I used the Playtex bottles with the drop in liners. I tried other kids and those just worked the best for us and the girls preferred them. I had probably a half dozen bottles some small and some large.

 

For amounts, I did not start with this until they were older infants but I after a little trial and error, I would just get to know how much they took at a feeding. I did not sterilize the bottles but just washed them normally. I found that even with bottles, my kids stopped eating when they were full. I burped them pretty much the same way as when they nursed - about 1/2 way through the bottle, burp and then again at the end.

 

There are so many formula options and there are more since the last time I bought any 8 years ago. I had to use one thickened with rice starch for oldest because she had terrible reflux but for youngest, when I needed it, I used Carnation.

 

I am sorry that you won't get to nurse this one as you wanted to. Hopefully with the bottles Dad and the older siblings can take advantage of some of the bonding time as well and be able to help you out some more with the infant care.

[Dianne-TX]

I've nursed my other four children.

 

However, with RSD and another health issue having cropped up, I've been told I *cannot* nurse again. I need to be on meds that aren't safe for nursing.

 

Setting aside the emotional issues I have with not being able to nurse, I'm trying desperately to focus on the practical...primarily being I have no flipping clue as to how formula feeding works.

 

How many bottles do we need? What's a 'normal' feeding? Nursing you just go til baby stops, so no clue how much is normal or enough. How often do you burp? Again, nursing, you just go til they stop.

 

What about bottle warmers? We don't have a dishwasher, so sterilyzing? How long, and I'm guessing its every time after you wash a bottle? Also guessing that you don't fill bottles for newborns, how much do you put in them? I was thinking about the bottles w/drop in liners, but is it really easier? What formula to use?

 

Any info or help would be appreciated. I'm completely, totally, and utterly clueless on this one.

 

First of all, :grouphug:, I know that this is emotional. I have milk supply issues and have never been able to nurse past 3 months and it's always been emotional. However, take heart, you just want your baby fed and healthy and it can happen with bottle feeding, too.

 

I've had success with the Dr. Brown bottles. All bottles have different stages of nipples for flow, usually stage 1, 2, 3, Y cut for thicker feedings like with cereal. Even with stage 1 nipples, you'll have to see how your little one swallows because it could be fast and you have to feed little by little. We have a dishwasher, but usually handwash bottles and nipples. When we first get the new bottles, I boil them in water to sterilize but then just handwash. I usually have 10 bottles, some 4 oz. and some 8 oz. 4 oz. are used when they are younger or for juice later. We warm the bottles in a pan on the stove. I've tried bottle warmers in the past and never found a good one. If you find a good one and like it, then great! You don't want to use the microwave.

 

In my experience, newborns usually don't take over 1-2 oz. at first and then work their way up to 4 oz. by 3 months or so. However, you may have a little blessing that just nurses on the bottles a little at a time and eats more often. You just have to see how your little is designed. :) It's really similar to breastfeeding in a way for some little ones who feed on demand. But, it's also a parenting decision to put them on a schedule and what not. Feeding times can be every 1.5 hours to 3 hours depending on the baby and how much they eat. You can easily overfeed and then they spit up. Some may spit up anyway, but especially if you overfeed. Formula sensitivity can also be a problem, so watch for fussiness, spitting up.

 

As far as formulas, you just have to start out and see how the baby does. I've used all from dairy based formulas to Nutramigen/Alimentum. With the last baby, I looked into homemade formulas and wanted to do it, but just couldn't wrap my mind around it. He had sensitivity issues, so it was a game trying to find what would work. Every few weeks, we would have to change. He did best on soy, but I'm not a fan of soy so we didn't stay on that for a long time. I transitioned him to milk sooner than 1 year, but we use almond/coconut milk. If we ever have another, I will do homemade formula. I will look for my recipe and send it to you in case you are interested. It is the Weston Price homemade formula recipe. I have several friends who make their own formula, so it is doable and really would be best. I add vitamins and probiotics to a bottle once a day and lately have added calcium and cod liver oil (we don't do milk, but almond or coconut milk). We are pretty much out of the bottle phase and use sippy cups, but he still gets one at bedtime for vitamins, etc.

 

I hope that helps a little and don't be too discouraged. :grouphug: again.

[Dobela]

 

 

How much formula to feed: With a newborn we started off with a 4 oz. bottle (or making 4 ozs in an 8 oz bottle). If baby did not finish all of that in a feeding, and we were home, it could go in the fridge for next time. if we were out, it was dumped and a fresh bottle made up for next time. Once baby starts finishing 4 ozs in one setting, start making 6 ozs at a time, and once baby starts finishing that, make 8 ozs at a time. Once baby is finishing 8 ozs at a time you can offer a 2nd bottle (4 ozs) or if baby is old enough by then, baby food. But start off with 4 ozs and then increase as baby seems hungry for more. Hunger cues will be the same as they were when you were nursing, you'll be able to tell if baby is full or still hungry.

I started my son on 4 oz. I forgot that. My dd was very preemie so she was only taking 2 oz when we brought her home. At some point I was given a chart with average bottle intake and what to do when. I can't remember if it came from the doctor or the health department.

 

How often to feed: I would think you can still watch hunger cues and feed on demand. If that is difficult, maybe start with a 2 hr cycle or a 3 hr cycle (feeding every 2 to 3 hours). In the early newborn stage it's likely to be a bit closer together but as baby ages 3 hrs should work. Remember that baby's hunger cues though will be the same as if you had a nursing baby, so you can still watch baby for hunger cues and feed as he seems hungry; that part doesn't have to change just because food is coming in a bottle vs. breast.

I always fed on demand.

 

 

 

Bottle warmers, sterilizing, etc -- I never used a bottle warmer. You can warm the bottle to room temp by running under hot water or by warming in hot water on the stove (not to boiling, just heating it up). Not in the microwave as that can make hot spots.Make sure that if you ever have to use a microwave that you shake the bottle before giving to baby to get rid of those hot spots.

Sterilizing -- I think you are okay washing with soap & hot water. I never did anything to further sterilize our bottles. If you wanted, you could boil the bottles (just the nipples if you are using drop in liners) once a week or so. Someone with more recent babies can chime in and correct me if I'm wrong or outdated (my oldest 2 were formula fed).

 

What formula to use? -- depends on baby. If you have no reason to suspect baby will have allergies or dietary issues, you can start with any normal formula. They're all FDA checked, etc. so really shouldn't be much difference. If baby shows dietary issues/digestion problems, you might have to switch to lactose free or soy based or something; otherwise I think they're all pretty similar. Again, though, maybe someone more recent can chime in.

 

Other tips -- one thing I enjoyed when formula feeding is that there are plastic tubs with 3 (or more) compartments and a top with a pour spout. For outings, because you don't want to mix up the bottles and take them unrefrigerated, you put the correct amount of water into the bottle and put the appropriate number scoops of formula into the little plastic container, scoops for each bottle in each compartment. Then you turn the lid so it's over one compartment and are able to dump in the scoops into the waiting water. Shake and serve. This way you don't have to take the huge container of formula powder, nor invest in insulated bottle wraps which create more bulk. You could even take one bottle, extra nipples, the formula and then buy bottled water (or use tap) when out to further cut down on bulk. We did this as well. An absolute necessity are those divided containers. THen, when you no longer need them for formula they are great for small snacks.

 

Hope this helps some.

:001_smile:

[Aunty Social]

:grouphug:

 

 

I know how you feel, but bottle feeding isn't all bad.

 

As far as the practicalities...There are a million different designs of bottle and nipple. Some babies prefer one style over another, some don't. Unfortunately, you won't know until you need to. Just get the style that seems to work for *you* - baby will prob. be fine with it. I would recommend a style that has a wide enough opening to be easy to fill and clean. You'll probably need a dozen or so 4 oz bottles, and as baby gets older, 8ish 8 oz bottles. He'll start with 2 oz at a time and work his way up. It's the same as nursing...he eats until he's full. If he finishes a bottle and is still hungry, give him a little more. Conversely, if he doesn't want all that's in it, that's ok too.

 

For cleaning, I always just washed my bottles in the sink, using one of those bottle brushes to be sure I got the inside really well, and let them air dry on a bottle rack. Nipples were washed the same way, except instead of using a brush, I just used my finger and also made sure water ran out through the holes. Never sterilized, and the kids weren't any sicker (and in fact were usually healthier) than other babies their age.

 

When feeding, the most important thing is to remember to keep the bottle tipped so that the baby isn't sucking air. Burping is just like when nursing - when baby pulls away and fusses a bit, he's probably got a bubble.

 

I never liked those electric bottle warmers. Back then they didn't work very well, and took forever. I either ran the hottest water my sink could produce and warmed it that way or (bad mom!) microwaved it for a couple seconds. (of course, I always shook it up really well after and checked the temp before feeding the baby).

 

Oh - and those bottle liners? Worthless! (imo) Messy, slippery, and the baby can't get all the formula out, so wasteful as well. Just buy a dozen or so bottles.

 

Hope that helps a little. While I always preferred nursing, there were times that I just couldn't...and it was ok. You still get to snuggle and bond - and Dad gets a chance to this way as well. Nursing doesn't do any good if it means Mom is too sick to be a part of the family.

[peachskittles]

I'm probably not the best person to ask but...I'll give it a try...

 

I only had 3 4oz bottles to start and just bought 4 9oz bottles (she turned 4months old). I use Avent bottles but they can be pricey. My lil one likes them though. It doesn't seem like a lot for bottles but we aren't on the go much.

 

Normal feeding depends on the baby. My new baby ate roughly an ounce or two each feeding and at every hour or two for the first few weeks. She's four months old and eats 4-5 ounces roughly every 3 hours.

 

Burping was usually halfway through the feeding for her. It took trial and error to figure it out. Now she drinks a bottle and I burp her.

 

I don't worry about warming bottles for her. She just drinks a bottle, usually room temperature. I don't sterilize her bottles. I wash her bottles, rinse them in really hot water and dry. I made two ounces bottles for awhile, then bumped it up to 4 ounces. It really does depend a lot on the baby.

 

Just like nursing, it takes some time for both of you to establish a pattern. And formula choices are extremely vast that I can't make a recommendation. She had issues with dairy based formula when she was born, going every 30minutes, leaving her with a horrible rash. We switched her to Isomil (I think that's the soy version) and it worked. Spending $25 a can wasn't in our budget, so we tried the generic version at Wal-Mart and it worked beautifully. It's $14 a can, we always keep two cans on hand every week. I'm hoping to get her off the formula quickly because I just don't like her on soy formula. She's growing fine, it's me not anything else. :tongue_smilie:

[gingersmom]

I bottle fed and both my kids would only drink very warm formula. I had a bottle warmer at home and I got a plug in bottle warmer for the car which was one of the best things I purchased.

 

My daughter barely drank 2 ounces while my supersized son started out on 4 oz and quickly went to 8.

[Impish]

Thanks everyone.

 

Is it bad that I flinched when ppl commented on others being able to feed and bond with the baby? That's usually *my* sole domain. Others being able to do it makes me feel...less needed? Something like that.

 

I haven't sorted through all the emotional stuff yet, obviously.

 

Thanks for the practical info.

 

I'm not looking forward to this aspect at all. Financially its going to hurt too. :glare:

[Dobela]

Thanks everyone.

 

Is it bad that I flinched when ppl commented on others being able to feed and bond with the baby? That's usually *my* sole domain. Others being able to do it makes me feel...less needed? Something like that.

 

I haven't sorted through all the emotional stuff yet, obviously.

 

Thanks for the practical info.

 

I'm not looking forward to this aspect at all. Financially its going to hurt too. :glare:

Yeah, other people can feed and bond with the baby. But in reality, as the mom I was the one doing 99.9% of the feeding anyway. Finally with our dd my dh would get up some nights so I could get some much needed rest but other than that, it was me holding and feeding even though it was a bottle used.

 

I don't know how it works in Canada, but in the US you can get formula thru the health department (WIC) if you meet income guidelines and have a prescription from the doctor stating which kind of formula is used. It wasn't always enough for the entire month, but it covered most of it for us.

[Impish]

Yeah, other people can feed and bond with the baby. But in reality, as the mom I was the one doing 99.9% of the feeding anyway. Finally with our dd my dh would get up some nights so I could get some much needed rest but other than that, it was me holding and feeding even though it was a bottle used.

 

I don't know how it works in Canada, but in the US you can get formula thru the health department (WIC) if you meet income guidelines and have a prescription from the doctor stating which kind of formula is used. It wasn't always enough for the entire month, but it covered most of it for us.

We don't have WIC here. The income levels are so low for any assistance that its a pretty iron clad guarantee that our income is too high.

[silliness7]

:grouphug::grouphug:

 

After nursing 6, I bottle-fed my last baby. It did take a bit to get the hang of it, and I can't really remember many details. I did pump for about 3 months so I didn't do formula until a bit older. Not that I think that matters except maybe in amount? I certainly didn't have to feed him as often even with breastmilk. They say babies digest it faster but maybe they just fall asleep before they get really full?

 

Anyway, I'm sorry I don't have a lot of advice. We just used cheapo bottles, nothing special. I think I got a Gerber six-pack. My guy didn't have any issues and so we bought cheap formula at Sam's Club in powder form. I remember heating the formula up in the microwave but not the breastmilk. Still fuzzy on the details. It seems at the end he was eating 4 8oz. bottles. But that sounds like not very many. I read somewhere the max amount of formula to give a baby a day and that just kind of naturally spread out in a certain way around 6-8 months and just stayed that way til we phased formula out about 1st b-day. The very beginning is nerve wracking because they are soooo tiny. But that goes by so fast.

 

I just wanted to say that I LOVED bottle-feeding after having been a La Leche poster child. I guess I had just reached my limit of human beings feeding off of my body.

[happyhomemaker25]

I really don't remember everything with my youngest son.

I did like the Avent bottle the best. I had a plug in bottle warmer that helped me out a lot. It was small and sat on the counter. Warming it up the old fashioned way is fine too, I just liked the small counter top warmer.

Someone mentioned the container with the three compartments. YES! I loved that thing so much that I almost bought one when I was pregnant with Lily even though I knew/hoped I would not need it. That and a couple of bottles of water in a diaper bag and I could feed the baby anywhere with almost no fuss. *Whispers* There were times I actually missed having that convenience. I'm not one of those people who can just nurse where I am. :tongue_smilie:

A dishwasher basket for nipples and rings was a nice thing to have and a bottle brush with the little tiny skinny brush to clean inside the nipple.

Honestly, if you don't want to share feeding time then don't. Maybe that sounds bad but that's how I feel. I did enjoy sharing feeding time with my hubby with our youngest son. Sometimes I wished I could share that feeding time with my baby girl, but that was not possible.

My friend who adopted her daughter has time every morning where she holds her while she drinks her sippy cup of milk. Her daughter is two now and she's had that special time ever since she gave up the bottle.

Something my Bradley teacher told us and I found was true that if you fill out the formula company info sheet and say you will be exclusively breastfeeding they will send you BIG containers of formula. I don't know how you feel about that, but another friend of mine sent the same form in saying she was going to strictly formula feed and all she got were small coupons. I got big containers and coupons for $10 - $15 off.

When Jonathan was tiny we used name brand formula but as he got older we switched to store brand and never had any problems. I know your not supposed to switch a lot but we used one store brand and it was fine. He was a very healthy baby. I guess it's what your baby's digestive system can handle. His is very robust and that kid can eat anything. LOL

[Spryte]

We are bottle feeding a 3 mo old right now. Breast feeding wasn't an option, so it was straight to bottles for us.

 

At our hospital, they offered a choice of formulas to get started, with 2 oz nursette bottles. They send some home, as well as a small kit from the formula manufacturer. But we have tried several different formulas, and some create more gas than others, so don't be afraid to switch formula if necessary.

 

We started out at 2 oz, then began offering 4 oz in the first week or two, as soon as she seemed ready. That probably varies from baby to baby.

 

We stop halfway through bottles to burp, and change arms so she gets a different view of the world.

 

Years ago, we used the Playtex bottles with liners, this time around we are using the Born Free bottles - no liners. We wanted less waste, but the liners were convenient.

 

I wouldn't bother with buying small bottles, just buy the larger ones because they outgrow the smaller ones so quickly. In fact, I am just about to post a bunch of small Born Free bottles on freecycle to give away! Wish we could give them to you. :)

 

We keep around 8 - 10 bottles on hand. We sterilize all the parts in boiling water for 5 minutes when we open packages, then wash in the DW. When I hand wash, I sterilize, but it may not be necessary. They make microwave sterilizers as well, I would just make sure that it's BPA free (like the bottles!), but I think boiling water is simpler.

 

Oh, and we don't warm bottles any more. It seemed counterintuitive but the nurses were very clear that room temp is fine. And the latest edition of What to Expect even says that straight from the fridge is okay, but that seems a bit much to me!

[LidiyaDawn]

 

I'm not looking forward to this aspect at all. Financially its going to hurt too. :glare:

 

Unless you end up needing a special formula (lactose free, elemental, etc - which isn't likely) you can spend a lot less by getting the store brands… Walmart sells their own under the "Parents Choice" label.. Superstore has PC brand.. Sobeys has their own as well, I think… They are MUCH cheaper than the big name brands (Enfamil, Nestle, Similac) but they're *the same thing* … the 'store brands' are required to meet EXACTLY THE SAME stringent regulations as the others…they cost waaaay less because the companies don't spend crazy amounts of money on marketing/promotions. ;)

 

That said, if you do choose to use one of the big names - you can go to each website (go now - it takes a while for anything to come) and sign up for freebies, samples, coupons, etc. [again with the marketing]

 

Unlike years ago, there are now options for ff'ing other than just powder, by the way. Most of the companies now make 'ready to feed' (just open, pour into bottle, warm if necessary) and concentrated (mix equal amounts liquid formula and water, warm if necessary) … the ready-to-feed and the concentrate liquid are sterile - powder is not. If your baby is premature or immune compromised, they tend to suggest using the RFT or concentrate initially. The RTF and concentrate do cost more - especially the RTF - but if you have a newbie who is early or such, it's less risky to go that route at first.

 

Hey - and check on the assistance thing. You're adding a person to your household - that's gonna change the ceiling. You might qualify for help.

 

Oh and - regarding sterilization… the official position of all the provincial Public Health departments is to sterilize the bottles/nipples/rings until at least four months of age. You may have a ped who says otherwise.. ours did. She's pretty nonchalant about a lot of things.. I'm not. I chose to continue sterilizing. [i use a big spaghetti pot on the stove]

 

It'll be okay.. I freaked out and found it overwhelming too - but it really isn't that confusing once you sort out what you want to do and get into the swing of things… it becomes second nature (sterilizing, making formula, etc) and before you know it you'll be saying "relax" to someone yourself. Like this. Relax! :D

 

ps: given your RSD difficulties, i would suggest that you get your oldest on board and teach her how to do the bottle prep so she can help.

Edited August 12, 2011 by LidiyaDawn
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[KrissiK]

You got a lot of great advice. I can't add any more. My children were all adopted, so breast feeding wasn't even an option, but I think they still turned out great. There's plenty of bonding you can do bottle feeding, so I just want to encourage you in this.

[Ellie]

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

 

I feel your pain. :-(

 

I can only add that I have read that even bottle-fed babies don't need to start solid food before 5 or 6mo (or later), and that you can start them on solids the same way you do nursing babies...fruits and veggies first, proteins, last of all cereal (because cereal is hardest to digest). And you can begin offering a sippy cup of water at that time, too.

[Impish]

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

 

I feel your pain. :-(

 

I can only add that I have read that even bottle-fed babies don't need to start solid food before 5 or 6mo (or later), and that you can start them on solids the same way you do nursing babies...fruits and veggies first, proteins, last of all cereal (because cereal is hardest to digest). And you can begin offering a sippy cup of water at that time, too.

Interesting. I was always told rice cereal first, since its hypoallergenic, and diluted the crud out of it so they could 'drink' it off the spoon.

 

I really appreciate the practical advice.

 

I do feel like the baby is getting 'ripped off'. All his sibs were nursed, and once again *my* health is preventing me from doing for my family.

 

Please don't misunderstand. I'm not knocking those that formula feed. Its just never been a consideration for me, and I feel like baby will be getting less, somehow, than the others, all b/c of my health. I'm not saying my feelings are rational, or even reasonable, but they're there.

[ktgrok]

My first thought is to call the Infant Risk Center to make SURE the meds you will be on are not compatible with breastfeeding. Most of the time doctors say that, but are wrong. Mainly because they are going by the insert, which will say not to nurse, because they haven't tested the medicine on nursing mothers. But Dr. Hale, at the Infant Risk Center, has actually determined with drugs pass through the milk, and in what quantitity. His book and center are the ONLY source for this information. I've talked to many many women that were told they couldn't nurse on a certain medication only to find out that the molecules of the medicine were too big to pass into breastmilk anyway. http://www.infantrisk.com/

 

Second, I think Dr. Sear's book, and maybe Kellymom's website, have information on "nursing" with bottles...basically how to mimick the benefits of breastfeeding as much as possible. Things like switching which way you hold them so they get the visual stimulation of looking in both directions, that kind of stuff, as well as the answers to your questions.

[Impish]

My first thought is to call the Infant Risk Center to make SURE the meds you will be on are not compatible with breastfeeding. Most of the time doctors say that, but are wrong. Mainly because they are going by the insert, which will say not to nurse, because they haven't tested the medicine on nursing mothers. But Dr. Hale, at the Infant Risk Center, has actually determined with drugs pass through the milk, and in what quantitity. His book and center are the ONLY source for this information. I've talked to many many women that were told they couldn't nurse on a certain medication only to find out that the molecules of the medicine were too big to pass into breastmilk anyway. http://www.infantrisk.com/

 

Second, I think Dr. Sear's book, and maybe Kellymom's website, have information on "nursing" with bottles...basically how to mimick the benefits of breastfeeding as much as possible. Things like switching which way you hold them so they get the visual stimulation of looking in both directions, that kind of stuff, as well as the answers to your questions.

There's no doubt nursing is not an option. I'll look into the website, thanks.

[Carrie12345]

Bottle feeding #5 has broken my heart, but he's doing very, very well, so I have to look at that.

 

From about 2.5-5/6 months old, he was on increased calories, which necessitated making large batches to get the ratio correct. For that, I had about 8 small (4-6oz) bottles on hand, washed them at night, and filled them for the next day.

 

Now, we really only use one 8oz bottle (and a back up) and wash it after every feeding.

 

The only "special" equipment we have is a bottle brush.

 

I can't really talk about amounts b/c I have a baby who was malnourished and is now overfed, lol, so our experience is far from typical!

[ktgrok]

Also, I don't know your feelings on it, but many moms in your situation use donor milk....eats on feets is a facebook page with lots of women donating milk to mom's like you. You can ask to see blood test results for diseases that could be transmitted....HIV, Hep, etc....there is a list at getpumped.com, a local place I've donated to. You can even get directions online on how to home pasturize it if you wanted to.

[Spryte]

I just want to second Dr Sears. He does offer some good suggestions. We adopted both our kiddos, and nursing was never an option. But we adopted because of *my* health issues, so I understand your feelings to an extent. It's not fair. You have to process the grief.

 

Hoping that you can find ways to make ff'ing feel less foreign.

 

Hugs!

[Impish]

Also, I don't know your feelings on it, but many moms in your situation use donor milk....eats on feets is a facebook page with lots of women donating milk to mom's like you. You can ask to see blood test results for diseases that could be transmitted....HIV, Hep, etc....there is a list at getpumped.com, a local place I've donated to. You can even get directions online on how to home pasturize it if you wanted to.

Again, may be irrational, but if its not coming from me, I don't want another woman supplying it either. Rather go with formula at that point.

[NicAnn]

Thanks everyone.

 

Is it bad that I flinched when ppl commented on others being able to feed and bond with the baby? That's usually *my* sole domain. Others being able to do it makes me feel...less needed? Something like that.

 

I haven't sorted through all the emotional stuff yet, obviously.

 

Thanks for the practical info.

 

I'm not looking forward to this aspect at all. Financially its going to hurt too. :glare:

 

:grouphug: That is so hard to deal with. I'm sorry you have to.

 

As a breastfeeding counselor/consultant, I often see women who can't nurse full time (or sometime not at all). Many of them choose to continue being the only one to feed the baby. That decision is yours to make, but know that it is a totally valid one. You can also "bottle-nurse" as was already mentioned, I believe. http://www.attachmentparenting.org/principles/feed.php While breastmilk is obviously important, I really think attachment and bonding while feeding is more so.

 

Good luck to you! Whatever decision you make, it will be the right one.

[SonshineLearner]

Again, may be irrational, but if its not coming from me, I don't want another woman supplying it either. Rather go with formula at that point.

You might want to think through this for a bit though. If you think about the fact that it will be a cow or a human supplying the milk, that might help you? Or the fact that you can get pasteurized human milk instead of cow milk? Soy has been found to be bad for many.... If I couldn't nurse, I'd do "donated" first... (especially if there was a friend you could trust... even for the first few weeks... I had enough for triplets :)) I would probably do something like the Nourishing Traditions "formula" recipe. Then formula off the shelves. There's formula without the corn syrup.... Check for the organic. There are two kinds... perhaps they send there, too? When I went to look for a supplement, I was so surprised that there was High fructose corn syrup in it. Perhaps they don't have that anymore.

For bottles, I used Avent... :)

[OH_Homeschooler]

How many bottles do we need? What's a 'normal' feeding? Nursing you just go til baby stops, so no clue how much is normal or enough. How often do you burp? Again, nursing, you just go til they stop.

 

What about bottle warmers? We don't have a dishwasher, so sterilyzing? How long, and I'm guessing its every time after you wash a bottle? Also guessing that you don't fill bottles for newborns, how much do you put in them? I was thinking about the bottles w/drop in liners, but is it really easier? What formula to use?

 

Any info or help would be appreciated. I'm completely, totally, and utterly clueless on this one.

 

To answer some of these questions...

 

-I guess the number of bottles you need depends on how often you want to clean them. I think we would typically go through 6 a day and only washed once a day, so we had 6.

 

I can't remember much about burping, I do know that when my kids were hungry there was no taking the bottle away from them and when they were gassy/full they would take a break, a good chance to burp.

 

I have used the Playtex drop-ins. They sold those bottles and liners in 4 or 8 ounce sizes. I don't know if it's easier, you still have to make sure that the nipples are really clean, but they worked for us. You could just get the 8 ounce size (you will need that eventually) and make 4 ounces at a time at first. Your baby may not need the full 4 ounces at first but starting with 8 would be excessive for sure.

 

I've never used a bottle warmer. You could just warm the bottles in a tub of hot water, or nuke water for 30 seconds (we had a designated coffee mug for warming) and then mix with the formula powder. There are warnings not to microwave mixed formula but it's fine to warm the water in the microwave, just use common sense and make sure it's not too hot.

 

We never went overboard on sterilizing and we didn't have a dishwasher. We washed the nipples and bottles with really hot water and boiled the nipples maybe once every two weeks.

 

Some other things you didn't ask about: Once you mix a bottle (as far as I can recall) you can keep it in the fridge for 24 hours, but once the baby starts to drink from a warmed bottle it has about a one-hour shelf life. Don't let a bottle sit out for a couple of hours then give it to the baby, just dump it.

 

Generic/store brand formulas are just as good as the name brands. I stood and cross-checked ingredients in the store for 15 minutes or so and they were identical. Then I asked my pediatrician and he said the same thing, generic is great. The Target brand mixed a lot better than the Wal-Mart brand though.

[Impish]

You might want to think through this for a bit though. If you think about the fact that it will be a cow or a human supplying the milk, that might help you? Or the fact that you can get pasteurized human milk instead of cow milk? Soy has been found to be bad for many.... If I couldn't nurse, I'd do "donated" first... (especially if there was a friend you could trust... even for the first few weeks... I had enough for triplets :)) I would probably do something like the Nourishing Traditions "formula" recipe. Then formula off the shelves. There's formula without the corn syrup.... Check for the organic. There are two kinds... perhaps they send there, too? When I went to look for a supplement, I was so surprised that there was High fructose corn syrup in it. Perhaps they don't have that anymore.

For bottles, I used Avent... :)

It honestly just creeps me out. I know how careful I was when nursing, even to avoiding 'gassy' foods that could upset baby's tummy. I don't trust anyone else to be that careful, and as far as I know, there isn't the ability to access a 'bank' here the same way there is other places, which means its untested. I feel safer with formula than with a stranger's breast milk. I wouldn't trust a stranger to mind my baby, so I just can't bring myself to trust a stranger to feed them, if that makes any sense.

 

I'll check for the HFC, thanks.

[ktgrok]

It honestly just creeps me out. I know how careful I was when nursing, even to avoiding 'gassy' foods that could upset baby's tummy. I don't trust anyone else to be that careful, and as far as I know, there isn't the ability to access a 'bank' here the same way there is other places, which means its untested. I feel safer with formula than with a stranger's breast milk. I wouldn't trust a stranger to mind my baby, so I just can't bring myself to trust a stranger to feed them, if that makes any sense.

 

I'll check for the HFC, thanks.

 

I can understand that. The only counter I have for it is that I don't think the cow is watching her diet very well, trying to avoid gassy foods, etc...so really it is no different. But I'm lucky to live in a place where we have a group that organizes milk donors and recipeients, and screens all the moms for health issues. I had to submit blood test results, and have my midwife sign off on my health, before I could donate.

[Impish]

I can understand that. The only counter I have for it is that I don't think the cow is watching her diet very well, trying to avoid gassy foods, etc...so really it is no different. But I'm lucky to live in a place where we have a group that organizes milk donors and recipeients, and screens all the moms for health issues. I had to submit blood test results, and have my midwife sign off on my health, before I could donate.

Sorry, but this isn't something I'm willing to consider or debate. I have enough issues about having to give up nursing without getting into formula vs donated breast milk. I don't need to feel guilt over not being willing to use someone else's body fluids to feed my baby on top of everything else.

[ktgrok]

Sorry, but this isn't something I'm willing to consider or debate. I have enough issues about having to give up nursing without getting into formula vs donated breast milk. I don't need to feel guilt over not being willing to use someone else's body fluids to feed my baby on top of everything else.

 

I'm sorry, the last thing I was trying to do was make you feel guilty. I honestly was trying to give you information, because you seemed so upset. When I was pregnant with Molly there was a good chance I could end up with general anesthesia, and be unable to nurse during those first few hours. There was also a good chance my large baby was going to need to eat. I was very upset until I arranged to have donor milk available. For me, the body fluid of a human I knew was preferable to the body fluid of a random cow. Donor milk made me feel better. I had hoped the same would be true for you, but obviously it is not, so I won't mention it again.

 

I am sorry you will not be able to nurse, I can only imagine how heartbreaking that is.

[Dobela]

I'm sorry, the last thing I was trying to do was make you feel guilty. I honestly was trying to give you information, because you seemed so upset. When I was pregnant with Molly there was a good chance I could end up with general anesthesia, and be unable to nurse during those first few hours. There was also a good chance my large baby was going to need to eat. I was very upset until I arranged to have donor milk available. For me, the body fluid of a human I knew was preferable to the body fluid of a random cow. Donor milk made me feel better. I had hoped the same would be true for you, but obviously it is not, so I won't mention it again.

 

I am sorry you will not be able to nurse, I can only imagine how heartbreaking that is.

As someone who adopted and used formulas, I can honestly say that the joy of the child is way more than any negative feelings I had over not using breast milk. If you look at my children in a room filled with children, you will not be able to tell that they were raised on formula instead of breast milk. They are happy, healthy, and thriving. We bonded without any problems.

[swellmomma]

When I bottle fed my olders I usually had 6-8 bottles in the house. I never did sterilize after the first time. I jsut made sure they were washed in hot soapy water and left to air dry. As newborns they drank 2-4 oz at a time and we just increased as I noticed them looking for more when the bottle was empty. I usually burped at the midpoint of the feeding and again at the end. Like breastfeeding I bottle fed on demand. So there was no set schedule, if he/she was hungry I fed them. My oldest I started bottlefeeding at 2 weeks old, so he is the one I thought of most when I posted, dd I started bottle fedding her at 3 months, my other ds at 4 months. So they were older and it was slightly different than it was for the first. I never used a bottle warmer, I warmed it in a pan of warm water (or if in a real hurry I broke the cardinal rule and microwaved it, then shook it like crazy trying to make sure there was no hot spots in it). I always used Carnation Good start, though when dd showed she was very allergic to dairy I put her on Alsoy instead.

[PeacefulChaos]

I've nursed my other four children.

 

However, with RSD and another health issue having cropped up, I've been told I *cannot* nurse again. I need to be on meds that aren't safe for nursing.

 

Setting aside the emotional issues I have with not being able to nurse, I'm trying desperately to focus on the practical...primarily being I have no flipping clue as to how formula feeding works.

 

How many bottles do we need? What's a 'normal' feeding? Nursing you just go til baby stops, so no clue how much is normal or enough. How often do you burp? Again, nursing, you just go til they stop.

 

What about bottle warmers? We don't have a dishwasher, so sterilyzing? How long, and I'm guessing its every time after you wash a bottle? Also guessing that you don't fill bottles for newborns, how much do you put in them? I was thinking about the bottles w/drop in liners, but is it really easier? What formula to use?

 

Any info or help would be appreciated. I'm completely, totally, and utterly clueless on this one.

 

how many bottles? I usually had 3-4 of each size (4 oz/ 8 oz) and washed them every day or so. (I rinsed them with hot water after each feeding.) Both DS used the Playtex nursers or whatever they were called, and DD... she was a doozy :tongue_smilie: She was in the NICU and didn't start eating til she was 2 1/2 wks old, and then with her first feeding she took...wait for it... 5 ml. Yeah, it was like, a drop. :D It took her another 2 weeks to learn to eat, and even when she came home she was REALLY picky about what she would drink from - we ended up with Avent with her. I think most babies will just take whatever you give them, though. (I know, you didn't ask that...)

a 'normal' feeding? I can't remember. I know when they first came home they did maybe 2 oz. When they started finishing the bottle and were still hungry, I started making more. They were usually eating 8 oz by the time they were 6 months old - I can't remember exactly. Again, DD took longer. But as far as that goes, just make it and go with what they usually eat. It really isn't any more difficult than nursing. :)

how often to burp? I usually burped about halfway through. A lot of times, though, they would stop if they needed to burp. Again, not any different than nursing (apparently! lol)

Bottle warmers? waste of money. My kids took all their formula at room temperature. That's one of the MAJOR PROS of bottle feeding - no worrying about having to transition them to formula/milk not being warm!!! (Unless you ff and warm the bottles anyway...) My kids NEVER had a problem with a room temperature bottle. I don't even know why people warm them up.

Sterilizing? I guess every time you wash it. I just saw that you don't have a dishwasher, which is a bummer. :tongue_smilie: I always just threw them in there. :D

what kind of formula? We used Similac Advance.

Oh, and a note on the ones with the drop in liners (Playtex nursers? Again, I cannot for the life of me remember the name!) - they may be easier since you don't have a dishwasher - sterilizing won't be as much of an issue. However, you have to replace the liners which can get annoying. Now that I think about it, DS (now 5) used a Gerber brand bottle for awhile - it was one of the best ones ever. Avent tends to leak if you don't get the lid on just right, etc.

It's all easy to figure out. It'll be fine. :D (I'm 100% formula feeding here, I don't care if people nurse, I just think there's too much hype about it. Babies are healthy either way, and you can't look at older kids in any way and determine how they were fed as infants - health, attachment to mom, etc. So don't feel bad about not being able to!! :D )

ETA: I am a STRICT schedule feeder!!! Every 3 hours when they were little, moving up to every 4 hours as they got closer to age 1. I also started them with rice cereal at 4-5 months, followed by vegetables, then fruits.

Edited August 12, 2011 by PeacefulChaos

[FaithManor]

I did what Dobela did when I was told that I had to stop nursing our third child. The playtex with disposable liners worked very well for us and you can "squeeze" the air out which helps with not needing to burp so much. The new drop in liners would probably work for you and it saves trying to get formula out of the corners of the bottle with a bottle brush, something that might be hard for you to do one handed.

 

I used purified, bottled water that was kept in the kitchen cupboard out of the sunlight to help prevent the deterioration of chemicals into the water. Ds took it at room temp and we never warmed his formula.

 

He was about 4 months old when I was told to quit this instant and he was taking about 6 oz. at a time is my guess. I don't think he was up to 8 but it's been nearly 13 years so I could be wrong. I would think that a newborn would not take more than 2 oz. at a time for the first week anyway. Maybe the nursery nurses at the hospital can give you more of an idea.

 

The up side of bottle feeding is that Wolf and the kids can help with feeding and that's a nice bonding time for them. So, though I grieved for not being able to nurse ds, it was amazing at how close of a relationship he developed with dh and dd during his babyhood and I have to admit, it was nice to not have him so mommy clingy as his older sibs had been.

 

:grouphug::grouphug:

Faith

[FaithManor]

Sorry, but this isn't something I'm willing to consider or debate. I have enough issues about having to give up nursing without getting into formula vs donated breast milk. I don't need to feel guilt over not being willing to use someone else's body fluids to feed my baby on top of everything else.

 

 

I do not blame you one.little.bit. and you shouldn't feel guilty. Seriously, we checked into it for ds when the doctor told me I had to quit. I actually went down to the clinic/collection center. They really could not guarantee anything concerning eating habits, lifestyles like smoking, alcohol abuse, etc. They can only take someone's word for it. They do some testing and screening, but the nearest medical center that provides this service admits that it is a limited amount of screening.

 

You need to do what is comfortable and right for you.

 

Faith

[Ellie]

Interesting. I was always told rice cereal first, since its hypoallergenic, and diluted the crud out of it so they could 'drink' it off the spoon.

But is that what's recommended for bottle-fed babies or for breast-fed babies? And is that from a pediatrician or by La Leche League? And really, why should it be different for bottle-fed babies than breastfed babies? LLL recommends giving cereal last because it is harder to digest...which is, BTW, why cereal is often recommended for infants: babies' tummies are working to digest the stuff and so they will sometimes sleep longer, not because they need cereal. See?

 

I do feel like the baby is getting 'ripped off'. All his sibs were nursed, and once again *my* health is preventing me from doing for my family.

 

:grouphug:

 

Honey girl, your sweet baby still gets *you,* and you're a great mother.

[Ellie]

Furthermore (although I did mention this before; just adding more verbage, lol) I'd still go with introducing solids by letting baby feed himself, i.e., putting soft food on his highchair tray and letting him feed himself. IOW, if he isn't old enough to get food to his mouth on his own, he doesn't need solids yet.:001_smile:

[5kidsforME]

Thanks everyone.

 

Is it bad that I flinched when ppl commented on others being able to feed and bond with the baby? That's usually *my* sole domain. Others being able to do it makes me feel...less needed? Something like that.

 

I haven't sorted through all the emotional stuff yet, obviously.

 

Thanks for the practical info.

 

I'm not looking forward to this aspect at all. Financially its going to hurt too. :glare:

 

I have been the one to feed my son since birth. Dh has fed him maybe 4 times and he is now 6 months. My mom and sister each fed him once when he was around 2 months old. That is it.

 

I think if you are able to feed the babe you should. I think bonding with the baby is crucial regardles if you breastfeed or bottle feed. Baby needs to know nourishment comes from mom.

 

Don't let ANYONE make you feel like you should share the bonding experience just because you bottle feed. That is utter hogwash.

[Starr]

This must be really hard! You will still be the Mama no matter what. And if Diva gives the baby a bottle or not, the baby is going to love her, and the rest of the family but you will still be Wow (you know Mom upside down :D ) Soon enough you'll be showing us a picture of the sweety and all will be much better.:grouphug:

[Pretty in Pink]

Newborns take about 2 ounces per feeding. If you use bottles with drop-in liners you will save yourself the work of sterilizing each time. I never bothered with sterilizing the nipples and such after each use. Who does that?

 

Some things to know about infant formula:

 

 

• Powdered infant formula is not sterile. You are *supposed* to mix it with boiling water in order to sterilize it, then store prepped bottles in the fridge until ready to use. I don't know anyone who actually does this for an appreciable length of time, but there you have it. Liquid formula preparations are sterile until you open them.
  
• Lactose is the primary sugar in human breast milk and should be the primary sugar source in your infant's formula. Many of them use corn syrup, brown rice syrup, dextrose, and other sugars instead of lactose.
  
• Palm olein oil is often the primary lipid source in infant formula despite the fact that it has been shown to inhibit calcium absorption. Studies comparing infants fed these formulas to infants fed formulas with other lipid sources show that infants on the palm olein oil formulas have lower bone density than those on other formulas.
  
• Organic may not be the best choice, depending on what you are looking for in a formula; in fact, I have not found a single organic formula that both uses lactose as the primary sugar and omitts the inclusion of palm olein oil. The only formula I have found that meets both of those requirements in Similac Advance (the blue and white container) in case you are interested in knowing that.
  

Don't beat yourself up about not nursing. I know your pain. I have tried and failed three times to nurse my babies (I had a breast reduction and have supply issues). I am trying again with this baby. Still, I realize how emotional this issue can be. Really. You don't have to be a super mom, you just have to be the best mom that you can be given your circumstances. We can't do it all. Hugs.

[Dianne-TX]

I forgot to add about burping. I burped mine often because I had spitters and that seemed to help. Sometimes the spitting up is formula and sometimes it's just the baby's little tummy not being able to hold very much. They didn't always burp, but I gave them the opportunity often. I had two that spit up anyway, but it wasn't a medical condition or formula problem, they just spit up. Burping often did help, though, and I think it would have been worse had I not burped them often. Sitting them on our lap sideways with their little chin in our hand or their whole head sideways in our hand and rubbing firm (but not too hard) up and down their back seemed to work the best for us. It was as if you were pushing the burp out, but with firm gentleness. Clear as mud???? :lol:

[SweetBean]

I would have described myself as a breastfeeding snob prior to adopting our two youngest children. I have to say that breastfeeding is definitely easier than bottle feeding. It was so nice to always have the feeding ready and at the right temperature, not having to deal with cleaning/sterilizing, and keeping formula from spoiling when you leave the house. That being said, formula feeding has worked out very well for my two littles. I have been amazed by how healthy they both are, perhaps even more so than the ones I breast fed.

 

I also was a stickler about bonding, and didn't allow anyone else to feed the littles until they were probably 6 mos. I'm greedy that way, and I wanted to be sure that the bond was strong.

 

With my youngest, who was a little peanut at birth (6lbs. 5 oz.) I used prefilled disposable bottles of Similac when she first came home. She was only dirking 1 to 2 ounces at each feeding. She have since discovered that she is sensitive to dairy, and she is on a hypoallergenic formula, Alimentum, and thriving. At 4 mos. she drinks a total of about 30 ounces a day, divided in 7 to 8 feedings. She drinks 1 1/2 to 6 1/2 ounces in a feeding. I hear people say that they feed their child X number of ounces every 3 hours. My little sweetie just isn't that predictable. By the way I don't blame formula feeding for her sensitivity, one of my older children who was breast fed had the same sensitivity two dairy and soy in my breast milk. I continued to breast feed, but I was the one on a special diet.

 

We have a bottle warmer, but I usually just pour bottled water into the bottle, add powdered formula and shake, right before feeding. The older of my two littles actually would drink formula cold from the fridge by about 3 mos. The littlest isn't interested in cold formula.

[LidiyaDawn]

I never bothered with sterilizing the nipples and such after each use. Who does that?

 

 

I do. I wash and then sterilize everything - bottles, nipples, rings - in a large pot. That's the official recommendation by our public health department (as well as the World Health Organization) until a baby is at least four months old.

 

I also make my formula with recently (within ten minutes) boiled water. The water used for powdered formula is supposed to be no cooler than 70C, according to WHO, due to the powder not being sterile and the possibility of bacterial contaminates.

 

I know that some people just use room temp boiled water, and some even just use water straight from the tap (not boiled) - but I'm afraid of making my little newbie sick.

[peachskittles]

 

Some things to know about infant formula:

 

Lactose is the primary sugar in human breast milk and should be the primary sugar source in your infant's formula. Many of them use corn syrup, brown rice syrup, dextrose, and other sugars instead of lactose.

 

Palm olein oil is often the primary lipid source in infant formula despite the fact that it has been shown to inhibit calcium absorption. Studies comparing infants fed these formulas to infants fed formulas with other lipid sources show that infants on the palm olein oil formulas have lower bone density than those on other formulas.

 

Organic may not be the best choice, depending on what you are looking for in a formula; in fact, I have not found a single organic formula that both uses lactose as the primary sugar and omitts the inclusion of palm olein oil. The only formula I have found that meets both of those requirements in Similac Advance (the blue and white container) in case you are interested in knowing that.

 

 

 

And what about soy formulas? It's been years since I used formula and the first time ever for soy. I looked at the can I have my lil one, then googled for something better and this is what I came across first.

 

http://www.naturesone.com/soy/

 

Is that good for a soy formula?

[Terabith]

Well, I nursed my second for 3.5 yrs, but my first daughter had oral motor problems and just could NOT nurse from the breast. Maybe if I had been more knowledgeable, but I was pretty dedicated and had help (consultant, La Leche League), and she just kept losing weight, so I wound up going to bottles in desperation. I pumped for six months, so she got the breast milk that way, but at that point it was taking so much time to pump that I realized I was neglecting my child to spend time with the pump and switched to forumla. She's actually my healthier child. :-)

 

So, relax. Formula feeding is made for people like you, and it is really okay. He will be fine.

 

Sterilization.....we didn't really do it. But then, she was six months before we started using formula, so that might make a difference, although I didn't sterilize the bottles with the breast milk either. The doctor said it wasn't necessary unless there was a health issue with the baby. We didn't even have a dishwasher, so everything was just hand washed. I didn't boil the water for the formula either. I can't really imagine doing that. I just put the powder in, added water, and warmed it by putting the bottle into a cup of hot water. That's all the bottle warmer does, and it IS a nice thing, because it's faster.

 

Newborns need about 2 oz at a time. As they get older, you just sort of increase the amount you make. It's just like nursing, in that the baby decides how much they want. The only annoying thing is trying to guess that before the baby starts eating.

[Impish]

Thanks for the help!