Help with moving from BF to FF

[elephant29]

Hey

I am currently EBF my daughter who is 10 weeks old tomorrow. I have started to give her a bottle of EBM as her last feed and she sleeps really well with this.

I am thinking about BF until 3 mths so I have another 2 weeks to decided what to do and would just appreciate some advice.

* How to a make the move? Her last feed is bottle so will I just try switching this to formula in a couple of days and then gradually introduce a bottle at her other feeds?

* Can I introduce the change over in one day or should this be gradual over the next 2 weeks?

* What formula do you recommend that is closest to breask milk?

* I'm sooo cluesless about FF. What do I do when I'm going out? Can I make a bottle up and carry it with me (I do this with EBM and dont have it in a cool bag or anything).

* In the night if she wakes (she has started sleeping through but I suppose this wont last) can I have pre made bottles or do I have to wait on kettle, sterilising etc?

Sorry for the millions of questions, I just really am cluesless.

xxx

 

[ShanandBoc]

* thought id bump this up for u as u have asked some great q's for others that are clueless about FF

 

[Raspberries]

Hey, I started out breastfeeding and expressing and gradually changed to formula. I would say start slowly, say give her a bottle of formula instead of BM for one of her feeds on day one, then for 2 feeds on day 2 etc until she's only on formula. Don't worry if she poos less or theylook different, its normal. They say not to make up feeds in advance but people have for generations and I do myself, otherwise if you followed the rules on the pack, each feed would take 30 mins to make and that's hard on a hungry crying baby. I make up about 4 or 5 in advance and store in bottom shelf at back of fridge, and throw away any that aren't used in 24 hours. As for going out, I take a sterilised bottle with me and buy a ready to drink carton of baby milk from the shops, or just take a stored feed in a bottle and put it in one of those thermal bottle bags you can get to keep things cool. I feed Rupert Cow and Gate formula because its one alot of my family use and its one of the recommended ones in hospital but Aptamil is also very good . Be warned your boobs will be horrendous during this change, that's why its easier to gradually change, but for awhile they will leak at normal feeding/expressing times when your giving formula instead. I hope this load of ramble helps somehow

 

[okciv]

I'm in almost the same position, my LO was premature... due date tommorow but she is 10 weeks old. I've fed her EBM since birth but my supply isn't great so the last couple of days I have given her about half EBM then the rest formula but not at every single feed.
I'm using aptimal btw
I actually came on to ask if people store made up formula as I know you are not supposed to.

 

[ShanandBoc]

I think u can store made up formula at the back of the fridge for up to 24 hours x

 

[elephant29]

Thanks for the tips!

Well last night I had to give Aria her first ever taste of formula. I wasnt expecting to do it so soon but due to a we hiccup in the morning I didnt get the chance to express at all so by night we didnt have an expressed milk. We had got into a lovely we routine of bath, bottle, bed and I didnt want to break this.

I had a ready to use SMA Gold so I made 6oz and OH gave her it. She only took 2oz and fell asleep but was back up within the 2 hrs so he gave her another few oz and apart from a little 15 min gurn where i sat with my hand in her moses basket until she fell asleep, she has been sound since about 12ish.

So for now I am still just as confused as ever, haha. I have expressed a 6oz btl this morning so I will obviously give her that instead of the formula. Really i'm still unsure what I will do, but thanks for the support!

xxx