help? How to bottle feed?

[Loobyloo30]

im 39 weeks so babba isnt here yet but ive started panicking about feeding! Ive read so many different stories on what to do, what not to do! Whats the fastest, easiest and safest way ladies? Also what temp should milk be for baby to feed? and how do you know its that temp?

Ive bought a TT bottle warmer but again i dont know if that heats the milk to the right temp or if i still have to ket the milk cool. The instructions are rubbish xx

 

[cat lover]

Hi hon, congrats!! I'm kinda jealous in a way that you've still got it all to come!! The tin will have instructions, but basically these are the steps:

1) Boil kettle
2) Allow kettle to boil for 25ish mins. Formula needs to be around 70 degrees to kill the bacteria within it, but if it is much hotter it can also kill the nutrients, so a wait of about 25 mins / half hour is best
3) Add the correct amount of above water in your sterilised bottle (for SMA its 30 ml per scoop of formula, not sure about other brands)
4) Add the correct amount of scoops to the bottle, having levelled off scoop with a clean knife
5) Add teat / lid and shake well
6) Allow to cool in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes, as it will most likely be too hot still
7) Test a few drops on your wrist - warm is good

These instructions will also be on your tin so don't worry

There is a lot of controversy these days about premaking and storinng, but many ladies will tell you it is not possible to wait 30 mins for the boiled ater to cool when LO is hungry. The WHO suggest making as above, then storing in the fridge for no more than 24 hours. You can rewarm the bottle by standing in a bowl of hot water or using your warmer.

Many babies will take milk at room temp, mine will only do this if she is starving and much prefers it warm.

I think thats about it, will reread your post just to check I haven't missed something

 

[Loobyloo30]

Thanks so much!! I read the instructions on the SMA tin but it confused me about the 30 min wait! Surely you cant wait that long with a baby screaming and starving LOL. I knew there must have been a quicker way around it!

Do most babies feed every 2/3 hours? Sorry for dumb questions...... this is my first and im sooooooooooooo scared! Lol xx

 

[cat lover]

No probs hon. You may find LO feeds a little more often than that to begin with, someone else might be able to reply better to that particular question as I was exclusively BFing to begin with xx

 

[Loobyloo30]

OMG I hope not!! That would literally mean NEVER sleeping wouldnt it? Arrgghh im so scared and feel i havent a clue what to do! xx

 

[cat lover]

LOL don't worry it may be less, and it may particularly be less at night. My LO is almost 6 months and I barely remember the early nights so they cant have been that bad! xx

 

[Loobyloo30]

Thanks honey. Im preparing myself for serious sleep deprivation just to be on the safe side! Lol xx

 

[cat lover]

Haha lol, don't worry you'll get through it. Caffeine is quite helpful at times I must admit!

 

[cat lover]

BTW, let us know when LO arrives xx

 

[Beaner86]

I use liquid concentrate which I find to be much much easier because it is sterile. I actually suggest for the first few weeks just to use the ready to use. Once you open a tin of powdered formula you have to use it in a month or toss any unused (so i'm told) and when DD was just born she only took an oz or 2 and there was no way we would go through a whole tin. The hospital gave us two boxes of ready to use in small jars and you just have to screw on a nipple and sit it in hot water. It was such a god send.

Then we used liquid concentrate because we just couldn't wait that long for the powder and found it to be a pain in the butt.

Also the nurses told us we HAD to feed DD every 3 hours at least and to let her set the feeding times (demand feeding|).

I went to my doctor for her first check up and told him that she just didn't want to wake up for her night time feedings and he told me to just see how long she sleeps because she might just be happy with what she is getting and sleep through the night. He said that formula sticks with babies longer than breast milk so they start sleeping through the night earlier.

We started doing that at 3 weeks and she has slept through the night ever since. She is thriving and doing very well and she gets 5 bottles a day and sleeps from 10 pm until 8 am and it's so amazing I couldn't believe it!

 

[Loobyloo30]

Oh i didnt even know you could get the ready made milk! Thanks hun. It definiely all sounds like trial and error!! Eeeeeek!! Wish i could fast forward the next 3 months lol.

Awwww thanks Cat lover..... i'll keep you posted! 6 days to go!!!! x x

 

[aliss]

My son fed ever 30 minutes-1 hour for the first 3-4 months and still takes 1-2 bottles a night at 17 months. He has acid reflux disease which some bottle-fed babies have. If this happens to yours (and I hope not!!!!!!!!!!) I suggest ready-made milk. Good luck and congrats

 

[Loobyloo30]

Wow you poor thing! Not sure how youve coped with that!! Better than I would do by the sounds of it! xx

 

[Laucu]

Wow, not long, you must be so excited!

Don't worry you will soon get into a routine and will be making bottles with your eyes shut

I was VERY anal and wrote down how many feeds Emma had up until she was about 6-7 months old! Just checked my notes and at 3 months old (she was BF before then) she would take 3-4 oz at around 10pm, 3-4am and then 7-8am. So only 1 nightfeed

 

[chezziepie]

I kept the shedule for mine as I wrote down how much he had and when.

First week he slept better than he does now he fed every 5 hours at night and 2 hours during the day.

By about week 2.5-3 he was going every 3 hours during the day and night

Now were on week 6 hes going every 4 hours in the day and then 5.5 hours and then 3 hours at night.

New borns sleep a lot so plenty of naps can take place to keep you sane hehehehehe and just keep thinking it does get better. It's v hard to believe but it does

 

[summer rain]

I use liquid concentrate which I find to be much much easier because it is sterile. I actually suggest for the first few weeks just to use the ready to use. Once you open a tin of powdered formula you have to use it in a month or toss any unused (so i'm told) and when DD was just born she only took an oz or 2 and there was no way we would go through a whole tin. The hospital gave us two boxes of ready to use in small jars and you just have to screw on a nipple and sit it in hot water. It was such a god send.

Then we used liquid concentrate because we just couldn't wait that long for the powder and found it to be a pain in the butt.

Also the nurses told us we HAD to feed DD every 3 hours at least and to let her set the feeding times (demand feeding|).

I went to my doctor for her first check up and told him that she just didn't want to wake up for her night time feedings and he told me to just see how long she sleeps because she might just be happy with what she is getting and sleep through the night. He said that formula sticks with babies longer than breast milk so they start sleeping through the night earlier.

We started doing that at 3 weeks and she has slept through the night ever since. She is thriving and doing very well and she gets 5 bottles a day and sleeps from 10 pm until 8 am and it's so amazing I couldn't believe it!

We have ready to feed here but liquid concentrate isn't sold over concerns it may be reconstituted incorrectly. Also its a myth that BF babies sleep through later than FF babies; while ancedotally this may sometimes appear to be the case, there are many BF babies who sleep through from the start also and studies have shown no real difference xx

 

[cat lover]

:

Oh i didnt even know you could get the ready made milk! Thanks hun. It definiely all sounds like trial and error!! Eeeeeek!! Wish i could fast forward the next 3 months lol.

Awwww thanks Cat lover..... i'll keep you posted! 6 days to go!!!! x x

 

[Fergie]

Our wee lass took her feeds every 4 hours ... 8am - 12noon - 4pm - 8pm - 12 midnight and again at 4am. She now misses her midnight and 4am one and sleeps from about 9pm to 8am .

You'll be fine with the feeds x

 

[Loobyloo30]

Wow i hope mine is like yours Fergie!! xx

 

[Chelsea.ann1]

My daughters also got reflux and she took an oz or 2 every 3 hours (4-5 hours at night) in the very beginning. She's now almost 7 weeks old and taking 4 oz every 3-4 hours and she sleeps from 10 to 6 at night! Mind you we FINALLY found our correct formula/medication combo.