Can someone give me some input? I'd appreciate anything to help my little boy

[dvc2012]

Christopher is 4 days old today. He slept fine in his bassinet in the hospital. Since we've brought him home, he will not sleep unless someone is holding him. I finally got him to sleep on his own this morning. At the hospital, they were feeding him the ready-to-eat 2oz bottles of Similac with Iron. When we brought him home, we started giving him the same type, except in powder form using bottled water and Tommee Tippee 5oz bottles. He gets hiccups almost every time he eats and it's hard to get him to burp. He poops every diaper change, but this past night he's had some diarrhea. I had a few of the travel bottles left over, so I tried feeding him those early this morning instead of the powdered stuff and since two feedings of that, he has been sleeping in his cradle. The hospital did not give us any sort of feeding guidelines at all except to feed him every two hours for jaundice. Could it be the bottled water upsetting his stomach, are the bottles letting air in, or is it a combination of both? We're going to the pediatrician for a check up today but I don't know what to do for him, he needs to sleep. He looked so tired last night. :'(

 

[freedom08]

Hi, are you using bottled water to make up his feeds?

 

[dvc2012]

Hi,

Yes, when we got home from the hospital we started using room temperature bottled water. This morning, after I ran out of the ready-to-eat Similac, I gave him a bottle with room temperature boiled water instead. I have stopped the bottled water for now.

 

[freedom08]

Hi i don't think you are suppose to give bottled water to babies. What i do (i am from Ireland so this is what we do) Boil fresh water (from the tap, i usually filter it before i put it) and let it cool for a half an hour then i make up as many bottle as i need for that day (usually 6) then add the powder as i need it. The bottles with water in them only last 24 hrs & the bottle with the powder in it lasts 2hrs. I don't know if this will help you.

 

[dvc2012]

Thank you for the help. I am going to try boiling water and see if that helps him any. I've seen other moms here use bottled water, but after some research, it seems like many advise against it. Hopefully, he does better with that.

 

[freedom08]

i am trying to send you on the information that i got from the hospital. If i do manage to do it it will be very long post but you might get a chance to read it.

 

[freedom08]

Ok here goes (This is really long winded, this is what i got from the hospital i think making up bottles in any country is the same). Anyone feel free to correct me if i have anything wrong.

HOW TO PREPARE BOTTLE FEED FOR BABYPowdered infant formula is not sterile. It may contain bacteria that can make your baby sick. You can reduce the risk to your baby if you prepare and store infant formula safely. This leaflet will help you to prepare your baby’s bottle feeds as safely as possible.
Breast is best
Breastmilk is the best and most natural food for your baby. The World Health Organisation and the Department of Health and Children recommend that you breastfeed your baby exclusively for the first six months and then continue to breastfeed as you introduce weaning
foods. This is the safest and best way to protect your baby’s health. If you choose not to breastfeed, it is important that you always prepare your baby’s bottle feeds safely. If you are switching from breastfeeding or introducing formula feeds for the first time, ask your public health nurse for advice. You should follow the same cleaning and sterilizing instructions in this booklet if you are feeding your baby expressed breastmilk in a bottle.

New Safety Advice
SterilisingSterilise the clean feeding equipment before you use it. Use one of these methods:
SteamSteam is the best way to sterilise feeding equipment. You can buy plug-in sterilisers or
microwave sterilisers. Always follow the instructions.
Boiling waterFill a large saucepan with tap water and completely submerge all equipment. Make sure there are no trapped air bubbles. Cover the saucepan, bring to the boil and boil for at least three minutes. Make sure the feeding equipment is fully covered with boiling water at all times. Keep the saucepan covered until you need to use the equipment.
Chemical steriliserMake up a batch of sterilising liquid (such as Milton) following the instructions. Make sure all equipment is completely covered by the liquid and that there is no trapped air bubbles. Leave the equipment covered for the length of time stated on the instructions.
StoringWash and dry your hands and clean all work surfaces before handling sterilised equipment. Ideally you should use sterilised forceps for handling sterilised equipment so that it does not become dirty again. Put together the feeding bottles if you remove them from the sterilizer before you need them. This prevents the inside of the bottle, and the inside and outside of the teat becoming dirty again. If you put them together correctly, the bottles will remain safe to use for 24 hours if you do not open them

HOW TO PREPARE A BOTTLE FEED
Step 1
Boil fresh tap water in a kettle or covered saucepan.
Step 2
When boiled, leave the water to cool in the kettle or pan. Cool it for 30 minutes, but no longer. This will make sure that the water is not too hot, but also that it is no less
than 70°C. Using water warmer than 70°C to make up feeds will kill any harmful bacteria that may be present in the formula.
Step 3
Clean the work surface well. Wash your hands with soap and warm water and dry.
Step 4
Read the instructions on the formula’s label carefully to find out how much water and how much powder you need.
Step 5
Pour the amount of boiled water you need into a sterile bottle
Step 6
Add the exact amount of formula to the boiled water using the clean scoop provided. Reseal the packaging to protect it from germs and moisture. Adding too much or too little formula could make your baby sick.
Step 7
Screw the bottle lid tightly and shake well to mix the contents.
Step 8
To cool the feed quickly, hold the bottle under cold running water or place the bottle in a large bowl of cold water. Make sure that the cold water does not reach above the neck of the bottle.
Step 9
To check the feed is not too hot, shake the bottle and place a drop of liquid on the inside of the wrist – it should feel lukewarm, not hot. Feed your baby.
Step 10
Throw away any feed that your baby has not taken within two hours. If you baby is a slow feeder use a fresh feed after two hours

Can I store bottle feeds to use later?
It is safest to prepare a fresh feed each time you need one, and to give it to your baby straight away. This is because warm milk provides ideal conditions for bacteria to grow – especially at room temperature. If you need to prepare feeds in advance to use later, make up individual
bottles, cool them quickly and place in the back of the fridge (5°C or below). Throw away any feed in the fridge that you have not used within 24 hours.

Did you know?
You don’t have to warm formula before feeding your baby.

How do I warm up refrigerated bottle feeds?
• Remove the bottle of feed from the fridge just before you need it.
• To warm it, place it in a bowl of warm water, making sure the level of the water is below the neck of the bottle. You can also use a bottle-warmer.
• Warm it for no more than 15 minutes.
• Check the temperature of the milk by dripping a little onto the inside of your wrist. It should feel lukewarm, not hot.
• Throw away any feed that your baby has not taken within two hours

Warning
Never use a microwave to re-warm feeds. Microwaves heat unevenly and may cause ‘hot spots’ that could scald your baby’s mouth.

Feeding your baby while traveling

Short journeys
You can travel with made-up bottles if the journey will be less than two hours in total and you can keep the feeds cold while travelling.
1. Before your journey, prepare feeds as normal, cool quickly and place in a fridge at 5°C or below.
2. Just before you leave home, remove the cold feeds from the fridge and place them in an insulated cool bag with ice packs.
3. When you arrive, place the feeds in a fridge as soon as you can.
Re-warm a feed when you need one.

Longer journeys
If the journey will be longer than two hours, or if you have no way of keeping the feeds cold, it is not safe to bring made-up bottles. The safest option is to bring the powder with you and prepare a feed as normal using water that is hotter than 70°C. Cool it quickly and feed
your baby right away (see pages 4 and 5). If you will not be able to boil water when you are out, you could fill a thermos flask with boiling water to bring with you. If you fill the flask
and seal it, the water will stay above 70°C for several hours. You can use it to make up a feed when you need to. Wash flasks well and rinse with boiling water before you fill them with the boiling water that will be used to make up the feed. Another very safe option is to use cartons of liquid formula. You can buy these in chemists and supermarkets. You do not need to keep in a fridge or heat them up before feeding your baby

I really hope this helps. Let me know how you LO get on

 

[eulmh82]

just wanted to add that it will prob be the bottled water as that has minerals in it - cooled boiled water is best.

 

[skunkpixie]

Ok here goes (This is really long winded, this is what i got from the hospital i think making up bottles in any country is the same). Anyone feel free to correct me if i have anything wrong.

HOW TO PREPARE BOTTLE FEED FOR BABYPowdered infant formula is not sterile. It may contain bacteria that can make your baby sick. You can reduce the risk to your baby if you prepare and store infant formula safely. This leaflet will help you to prepare your baby’s bottle feeds as safely as possible.
Breast is best
Breastmilk is the best and most natural food for your baby. The World Health Organisation and the Department of Health and Children recommend that you breastfeed your baby exclusively for the first six months and then continue to breastfeed as you introduce weaning
foods. This is the safest and best way to protect your baby’s health. If you choose not to breastfeed, it is important that you always prepare your baby’s bottle feeds safely. If you are switching from breastfeeding or introducing formula feeds for the first time, ask your public health nurse for advice. You should follow the same cleaning and sterilizing instructions in this booklet if you are feeding your baby expressed breastmilk in a bottle.

New Safety Advice
SterilisingSterilise the clean feeding equipment before you use it. Use one of these methods:
SteamSteam is the best way to sterilise feeding equipment. You can buy plug-in sterilisers or
microwave sterilisers. Always follow the instructions.
Boiling waterFill a large saucepan with tap water and completely submerge all equipment. Make sure there are no trapped air bubbles. Cover the saucepan, bring to the boil and boil for at least three minutes. Make sure the feeding equipment is fully covered with boiling water at all times. Keep the saucepan covered until you need to use the equipment.
Chemical steriliserMake up a batch of sterilising liquid (such as Milton) following the instructions. Make sure all equipment is completely covered by the liquid and that there is no trapped air bubbles. Leave the equipment covered for the length of time stated on the instructions.
StoringWash and dry your hands and clean all work surfaces before handling sterilised equipment. Ideally you should use sterilised forceps for handling sterilised equipment so that it does not become dirty again. Put together the feeding bottles if you remove them from the sterilizer before you need them. This prevents the inside of the bottle, and the inside and outside of the teat becoming dirty again. If you put them together correctly, the bottles will remain safe to use for 24 hours if you do not open them

HOW TO PREPARE A BOTTLE FEED
Step 1
Boil fresh tap water in a kettle or covered saucepan.
Step 2
When boiled, leave the water to cool in the kettle or pan. Cool it for 30 minutes, but no longer. This will make sure that the water is not too hot, but also that it is no less
than 70°C. Using water warmer than 70°C to make up feeds will kill any harmful bacteria that may be present in the formula.
Step 3
Clean the work surface well. Wash your hands with soap and warm water and dry.
Step 4
Read the instructions on the formula’s label carefully to find out how much water and how much powder you need.
Step 5
Pour the amount of boiled water you need into a sterile bottle
Step 6
Add the exact amount of formula to the boiled water using the clean scoop provided. Reseal the packaging to protect it from germs and moisture. Adding too much or too little formula could make your baby sick.
Step 7
Screw the bottle lid tightly and shake well to mix the contents.
Step 8
To cool the feed quickly, hold the bottle under cold running water or place the bottle in a large bowl of cold water. Make sure that the cold water does not reach above the neck of the bottle.
Step 9
To check the feed is not too hot, shake the bottle and place a drop of liquid on the inside of the wrist – it should feel lukewarm, not hot. Feed your baby.
Step 10
Throw away any feed that your baby has not taken within two hours. If you baby is a slow feeder use a fresh feed after two hours

Can I store bottle feeds to use later?
It is safest to prepare a fresh feed each time you need one, and to give it to your baby straight away. This is because warm milk provides ideal conditions for bacteria to grow – especially at room temperature. If you need to prepare feeds in advance to use later, make up individual
bottles, cool them quickly and place in the back of the fridge (5°C or below). Throw away any feed in the fridge that you have not used within 24 hours.

Did you know?
You don’t have to warm formula before feeding your baby.

How do I warm up refrigerated bottle feeds?
• Remove the bottle of feed from the fridge just before you need it.
• To warm it, place it in a bowl of warm water, making sure the level of the water is below the neck of the bottle. You can also use a bottle-warmer.
• Warm it for no more than 15 minutes.
• Check the temperature of the milk by dripping a little onto the inside of your wrist. It should feel lukewarm, not hot.
• Throw away any feed that your baby has not taken within two hours

Warning
Never use a microwave to re-warm feeds. Microwaves heat unevenly and may cause ‘hot spots’ that could scald your baby’s mouth.

Feeding your baby while traveling

Short journeys
You can travel with made-up bottles if the journey will be less than two hours in total and you can keep the feeds cold while travelling.
1. Before your journey, prepare feeds as normal, cool quickly and place in a fridge at 5°C or below.
2. Just before you leave home, remove the cold feeds from the fridge and place them in an insulated cool bag with ice packs.
3. When you arrive, place the feeds in a fridge as soon as you can.
Re-warm a feed when you need one.

Longer journeys
If the journey will be longer than two hours, or if you have no way of keeping the feeds cold, it is not safe to bring made-up bottles. The safest option is to bring the powder with you and prepare a feed as normal using water that is hotter than 70°C. Cool it quickly and feed
your baby right away (see pages 4 and 5). If you will not be able to boil water when you are out, you could fill a thermos flask with boiling water to bring with you. If you fill the flask
and seal it, the water will stay above 70°C for several hours. You can use it to make up a feed when you need to. Wash flasks well and rinse with boiling water before you fill them with the boiling water that will be used to make up the feed. Another very safe option is to use cartons of liquid formula. You can buy these in chemists and supermarkets. You do not need to keep in a fridge or heat them up before feeding your baby

I really hope this helps. Let me know how you LO get on

These are UK guidlines and in the US formula is made up with room temperature water. Follow the guidlines on the formula tin and I wouldnt start using 70c water without speaking to the formula company first. xxx