FFing from birth.......your help and advise much needed.

[Tiny]

This is my first child and I am planning on FF from birth. On my tour of the Delivery Suite I was told that the hospital is pro-BFing and do not supply anything for FFing. At home I was planning on using Dr Brown's bottles along with Apitmel powder. As this is what I plan to use at home do you think I should take this to the hospital, or do you think it would be easier to take the ready made Aptimel cartons and disposable bottles? I am not sure how much support the hospital would offer with FFing and wanted the ease of carton/throwaway bottles, hower I was worried that my LO might have problems moving from the cartons/disposable bottles once I was back home - what do you think? Any help would be much appreciated, as I can't seem to find very much on FFing.

 

[bubbles123]

Mothercare and ASDA (and possibly other places) sell hospital starter kits of formula bottles to take to hospital with you. They are exactly the same little disposable glass bottles of sterile pre made formula that they give you in hospital. I've seen SMA and Cow and Gate ones. Have not seen an Aptamil one but if I were you I'd email Aptamil and ask if they do them or if you could buy them from them. Don't worry about switching between ready made and powdered formula - I've always done this with no problems and my LO was fine with the hospital bottles and then Dr Browns later. The formula companies have phone lines that can provide you with lots of info about FF'ing if you need it -you just have to contact them. Good luck for the birth!

 

[Tiny]

Thanks bubbles123, I have just had a web-chat with Aptimel and they have told me that they don't do Starter Packs. It is a shame as they sounded perfect.

 

[bubbles123]

That's a shame Tiny. Well, if you don't want to use Cow and Gate or SMA then I think steri bottles and cartons of Aptamil are your best bet X

 

[Vickie]

I would take the ready made if you can as it will be much simpler, once you get home you can switch

 

[bathbabe]

yeah, i would take the cartons. Or you could try and BF? Im not telling you that you should, I FF from birth.. But i know i wish i had tried. Probs not what you want to hear but thats my little bit of advice x

 

[Tiny]

Thanks All, so you don't think I would have problems switching from carton to powder when I get home?

 

[bathbabe]

nope, i used ready made stuff at hospital for 4days then powder at home x

 

[zzypeg]

I would say that you should take the little bottles or cartons. I know the BF is the best and recommended but I find it quite bad that they don't support a mum's choice of feeding from birth. I should like to think that you will get as much support as a mum who chooses to BF. what would they do if they have a baby that won't feed? good luck xxx

 

[SophiasMummy]

my LO spent the first 5 days in the NNU and she had aptimil ready made formula while in hospita and then once we got home i switched her onto the powder and she is perfectly fine i alse get the cartons still for when we go out for the day and she takes them fine no problems

 

[Justagirlxx]

Some advice..Start with the same formula and same bottles that you plan on using. So definitely take that with you. Also start with the same pacifier you plan on using, and stalk up on them!! Babies usually want the same pacifier they started off with, and the same bottles they started off with. Also, babies don't need much in the first few days. They drink about 2 ounces every 3 hours in the beginning. x

 

[Tiny]

zzypeg - Thanks for your help. I am hoping that I will receive some support from the midwives, however I am not counting on it. Like you I understand the promotion of BFing, however the powers that be need to recognise that it is not for everyone, (and not always through choice). I was a FF baby and have never had any health problems, so I really don't understand why it is looked upon so negatively.

worriedmum2b - Thanks for getting back to me. Little Sophia is absolutely gorgeous, glad that she is doing so well after spending time in the NNU.

Justagirlxx - Thanks for the tips Hun.

 

[Wriggley]

hay hun our little one is on aptamil but we found the ready made stuff was too rich for him and he threw it all up - so just be prepared as i dont think its as easy on their tummies

 

[Tiny]

Thanks Wriggley, I picked Aptimil as I thought it would be kindest to bubba's tummy. Looks like it all a bit of trial and error to get the right formula.

 

[Sarah10]

I took a few cartons but they supplied the disposie bottles. I took about 6 thinking he would drink them all, silly me! he only drank about 1 and a half cartons, they let us store them in the fridge. xxx

 

[Sarah10]

And good luck with the FF, it does often take abit of trial and error, but you will get there xxx

 

[cherryglitter]

I would take cartons and bottles.
They should have somewhere to sterilise as ladies breastfeeding might be pumping.

 

[Heavencanwait]

This is my first child and I am planning on FF from birth. On my tour of the Delivery Suite I was told that the hospital is pro-BFing and do not supply anything for FFing. At home I was planning on using Dr Brown's bottles along with Apitmel powder. As this is what I plan to use at home do you think I should take this to the hospital, or do you think it would be easier to take the ready made Aptimel cartons and disposable bottles? I am not sure how much support the hospital would offer with FFing and wanted the ease of carton/throwaway bottles, hower I was worried that my LO might have problems moving from the cartons/disposable bottles once I was back home - what do you think? Any help would be much appreciated, as I can't seem to find very much on FFing.

Hi there. Although the hospital have said that they do not supply anything for FF, this is probably not 100% true. More than likely, it means that they do not supply anything for FF if you are able to BF.
One day after my LO was born, she had jaundice as I wasn't able to give her enough breast milk, so the nurses gave me formula and told me to top LO up with FF after each breast feed. The nurses even gave me a choice of which formula!
So, all I'm saying is, they are probably giving you the official line about BF being paramount, but you won't be the only person in the entire baby ward who isn't BF (for whatever reason.) And I'm sure you will find lots of sympathetic nurses who had their LO's at a time when FF was the norm, not BF (as in back in the 70's).
Good luck.

 

[summer rain]

A lot of hospitals in the UK now do not supply anything for FF and they do really mean it (aside from maybe specialist formula for premature babies), in a way this is understandable; as in the past many hospitals were pushing formula and not supporting BF at all because the midwives just saw they had formula on hand and due to feeling pushed and pressured for time, were giving it out left right and centre. One hospital I know of was even bringing formula on a tray in the delivery room; which is against UK guidelines. Also it was taking a massive chunk out of the NHS budget. I do think though if one decides to FF there should be facilities in a hospital where you can buy the recommended formula and sterilised bottles (or it in the glass bottles) as surely there are health and safety concerns about allowing bottles etc from outside. With regard to jaundice if your baby develops jaundice within 24 hours it is called pathologic jaundice and is usually due to an underlying health problem (which may just go away on its own or may need treatment to sort it such as a blood transfusion) and nothing to do with your breast milk or not getting enough of it; if jaundice is due to breastmilk/lack of it it usually develops 4 or 5 days later, or even up to 2 weeks later in the case of there being substances in the milk blocking the exit of the bilirubin (this is actually very rare). Most doctors know this but sadly some nurses and midwives don't.

 

[aimee-lou]

I went to a birth centre (very pro-bf) and was told on the tour that they promote BFing, but wont stop you if you bring your own stuff etc but they don't actively encourage it etc etc. I therefore packed a steri-bottle (brilliant investment - Steriliser bottles in Mothercare!!) and a couple of cartons of SMA ready to feed him as we wanted to FF from birth. We told the MW's this all along, and when we arrived and filled out the plan etc and they were fine.

When Earl was born, the MW's were great, and one of the assistants asked me if I was BFing. I said no, I was FFing, and she went off and brough me 3 of the glass bottles, and then another 2 arrived overnight! We had enough to last us a full day from going home! lol

I think it all depends on what you want to do....take stuff just in case but always ask what's available and see what it's like when you arrive.

As for what you feed, start with one, only buy enough to last you 1 week, then if at this point it's not agreeing, you can switch without too much fuss. I used ready made for the first 3 days then went to powder and there were no probs at all.

Good Luck with everything! x