How many bottles to buy?

[Chezzz]

Already decided I will be FF from the start, I know what everyone says about BF.. but imo I just cant do it, as in.. Id feel soo uncomfortable doing it.. I cant stand anything near my nipples
My mum didnt breastfeed any of us (3) and my aunties didnt BF either, I know thats not a jusified reason, but i just dont want to although OH really wants me to!!

My question is, how many bottles do i need to buy to start with..
Ive bought a tommee tippee starter set as it was on offer £12.99 for
3x 5oz bottles + slow flow teats
2x 9oz(i think?) bottles + slow flow teats
6 formula storage pots
2 x med flow teats
2x fast flow teats + a dummy
So I had to get it

I wont be buying anymore of the 5oz bottles, but how many more of the bigger ones should I get, or should I wait and see how baby is on them before possibly wasting money if i have to change bottles?

 

[fairykate]

Um, I wouldn't buy any more than you already have I'm afraid. I bought a whole set of TT ones before LO was born as I liked the 'shape' of them (!!) and he took one feed from them and had the worst case of wind I'd ever seen!! Needless to say we never used any of the TT ones again and I had to give them away. We used NUK for a while when he was small and now use MAM.

Edited to add: Once you've found the bottles you like I'd get about 5/6 of them. You don't want to be sterlising in the middle of the night or 10 times a day so it's a good idea to have enough for an average whole day

 

[ceejie]

I agree with fairykate. Wait and see what your LO likes. I used NUK bottles at first (as I got three free!) and my little girl could gulp her formula waaaay to fast from them and make herself sick.

I also had a free sample of a Playtex Drop in bottle, so I tried that and it was sooo much better. I ended up getting a few more of these because I loved them so much, and the liners (while not entirely economical) are so helpful because you don't need to sterilize the bottles. I just bought a few extra nipples, and I can just get a fresh liner and swap nipple!

It might take you a few types to find what works for you, so stick with what you have for now and see how it goes!

 

[HellBunny]

With Jayden we bought 8 and needed them all, this time we bought 6 and again needed them xx

 

[dizz]

I'd wait to see if they work for your baby - but then we tend to run on about 6 bottles in the size we're using in this house... means that I don't have to wash bottles middle of the night (I just chuck them in the washing up bowl and do all the night-feed bottles on a morning when I'm changing steriliser liquid over, loading the washer and whatever else) and it means I've got enough to take 2-3 out with me if I'm going out and about for the day... might want more/fewer depending on how often you want to wash up bottles and the like - depends how you end up doing things - I tend to leave things till I have 3-4 bottles in the sink then wash them up in one go, with a couple still in the steriliser over and ready to go.

 

[Chezzz]

thanks ladies,
i wasnt planning on getting more until after baby's here just incase like you say they dont work for baby.. just had no idea how many to buy when ive found a bottle that works for us! lol!
Cheers for your help

 

[Darkphaery]

Agree, wait and see if they are for you. We bought Nuby then LO needed a vari flow teat which i couldn't get so bought Tommee Tippee, she has really bad colic so in the end also bought Tommee Tippee anti colic bottles. I'm lucky that i like 10 miles from the TT factory so can go to the factory shop

 

[Nurse1980]

Hi,

Can I ask where you found this starter kit? Such a good price.

 

[Chezzz]

Ebay - Brand new from an ebay shop.. Ill edit and add the link x

ETA : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160799672719?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

[Nurse1980]

Brilliant thankyou.

 

[ZoMo]

Hey,

I would agree with the other ladies, I reckon you have enough bottles at the moment to see how you get on with them.

I registered on the Phillips Avent site for their parenting club and they sent me a freebie bottle in the post. It was a 150ml one which is fine to start with and these smaller bottles like you have are really useful for changing bags. If you take out ready made cartons with you they are normally about 250ml so you can split it into two bottles using and heating one (most places will give you hot water to warm the bottle in) and leaving the rest of the carton in the other little bottle for later (although usually not for longer than 2 hours after opening). It saves on taking big bottles everywhere with you.

I bought loads of TT bottles which were fine and I still use but at about 8 weeks old, I bought some Avent bottles which suit us much better as the teats are a different shape and she is less windy wth those.

Also, dont beat yourself up over choosing to bottle feed rather than breastfeed. It is entirely your choice and what suits some people and babies does not suit others. Even if you had chosen to breastfeed then it may not have worked out (didnt work for me or several people I know, I combined expressing and formula feeding for 5 weeks until we went to exclusive formula feeding as my baby was sooo hungry!). I also felt very anxious about breastfeeding in public (which I never did as she was on combined bf and ff from day 2 as she was immensely hungry before my milk came in). I dont have any problem with anyone choosing to bf in public but I just personally felt self conscious about it. I found that with bottle feeding I didnt have to worry about it.

There are definite pro's and cons to both breast and bottle feeding. This way your partner (assuming they are to play an active part) can bond with baby too by feeding and you dont have to get up every time at night! If you do change your mind or want to try a compromise you could always try expressing instead to get the convenience of bottle feeding with the benefits of breast milk, but remember it is your choice!

 

[littleANDlost]

When LO was first born we used 4oz avent bottles (we had 4 of them) but LO spat the milk everywhere with these. We now have 6 9oz tommy tippy bottles all with the second teat at normal flow. we sterilise them all in the morning and they last all day. Like the others have said you'll be fine for the first few weeks at least so wait till you know LO is ok with these and then buy more. The teats are also really expensive and babies seem to vary when it comes to which ones they like so hold out on buying anymore till you know.

 

[jenn2282]

i have 10 bottles cause i hate washing them lol. she has 9-10 a day.she started on gerber essentials , evenflow and medela cause she had a small mouth by 5 weeks she was able to be on tommee tippee. we have 7 of them and use 3 of a another brand. the nuks she sometimes liked, she hated dr drown.

 

[Chezzz]

Also, dont beat yourself up over choosing to bottle feed rather than breastfeed. It is entirely your choice and what suits some people and babies does not suit others. Even if you had chosen to breastfeed then it may not have worked out (didnt work for me or several people I know, I combined expressing and formula feeding for 5 weeks until we went to exclusive formula feeding as my baby was sooo hungry!). I also felt very anxious about breastfeeding in public (which I never did as she was on combined bf and ff from day 2 as she was immensely hungry before my milk came in). I dont have any problem with anyone choosing to bf in public but I just personally felt self conscious about it. I found that with bottle feeding I didnt have to worry about it.

There are definite pro's and cons to both breast and bottle feeding. This way your partner (assuming they are to play an active part) can bond with baby too by feeding and you dont have to get up every time at night! If you do change your mind or want to try a compromise you could always try expressing instead to get the convenience of bottle feeding with the benefits of breast milk, but remember it is your choice!

Thanks for this, over the past few days I have been thinkin about combi feeding, expressing and giving in a bottle, Its more the having baby latched onto my breast than having a problem with giving them breast milk if that makes sense, personally I cant stand anything near my nipples, touching them not even OH Its nice to have ladies on here that arent judgmental if I, or anyone doesnt want to breast feed. I also wouldnt feel comfortable breast feeding in public, neither have a problem with women who do.

And i agree with what you said about my OH, were together so he best be playing a part in our babys life and id love for him to have that bond with baby whilst feeding, and him doing night feeds,

Thanks everyone else for your replies, gonna stick with the bottles weve got for now, then see how we get along with them before buying more. xx

 

[SabrinaKat]

Never apologise for not BF-ing!

I think you have enough, but remember LOs have a mind of their own, e.g. my husband bought loads of Tommy Tippeee, but in hospital, NUK was used and that is ALL he likes!

best wishes

 

[jenn2282]

i combo feed. she gets the best of both worlds lol. one day she will be full time formula though, i don't mind.