My baby has been exclusively breast fed so far. However, today I was invited to the races (horses) and we have fancy table inside and I am just not comfortable nursing in that kind of situation (seated with others that I don't know so well). I was not able to pump last night because she took both boobs at each feeding. I was going to turn it down, but now I am thinking of just giving her a bottle of formula instead.

Also, she eats every 1 to 1.5 hrs and it's getting a little mentally draining to never get away from the house alone for a break!

So I am thinking of supplementing a bottle of formula here and there. No more than 1x a day because I want to keep a good supply of breast milk. I bought some Similiac ready to feed bottles, but I am clueless from here!!

Questions

Can I pour the formula into her Dr Brown bottles or should I buy the nipple and ring and use the disposable bottle?

Once the formula is in the bottle, how long does it last after she has had some?

It's an 8 oz size - is that a normal amount for a 4 month old? She takes 3-4 oz of breast milk when in a bottle

Will she have any stomach upset from a bottle of formula the first time?

Thank you!

Thought of more questions.

Can I mix breast milk and formula?

If I can mix, can I open the formula bottle, pour a few ounces into a bottle with 1 oz of breastmlk to feed her, and then recap the formula to give her more later? How long will the formula last once opened and not refrigerated?

Yes you can mix EBM and formula It should tell you on the packet how long it lasts, UK ones might be different from US ones but generally the ready made stuff is UHT (pasteurised) so lasts 24hrs after it's opened, stored in a fridge. Out of a fridge I'd say a couple of hours?

I would use one of your normal bottles, fill it up from the ready made carton and then put the lid/seal on the bottle and personally I would put it into a thermo-insulated bag to contain any small leaks and also to keep it warmish.

Hey Kentucky girl!

They also sell the smaller Similac ready made bottles. The small size ones usually come with a nipple and ring BUT, the nipples are extremely fast flow, so with a smaller baby, you would be better off transferring it to a bottle of your own with slow flow nipple.

After opening without refrigeration, they probably aren't good for any more than an hour, so while the baby is so young, the smaller bottles would be less wasteful and you should be able to find them at Target, Rite Aid, Walgreens, etc.

Lot's of KY people running around on this forum!!

I always refrigerate unused formula right after the feeding. As long as it is under an hour you are fine. Over that toss it out. And yes, you can pour it into another bottle and I would if she is used to another type of nipple as the ones provided are really generic.

Thanks so much everyone! They had super nice bathrooms with couches so I was able to breastfeed today, but I love feeling less restricted and having the option of formula. Thanks for the all help again!

Wow, so many KY people! I thought everyone was from the UK, lol. Where are you girls from? I am in Lexington.

In Louisville here. Love Lexington though!

Louisville here! Glad you had a nice comfortable, private place to breastfeed today!