Just switched from breast to formula (4wks old)... Advice needed

[LilOopsy]

Ok so today was the final straw... I couldn't take my boobs not belonging to me no more and that my partner can't help me feed to catch up on sleep.

So I've done it... I've just given my LO her first FF and she took to it great!


However I have a few questions for anyone else who has done this...


1) She only drank 2oz of 5oz bottle... Can I still use the other 3oz made up? I'm assuming within a certain time limit would be ok?


2) The formula says don't store bottles of made up formula and to make it up as you need it... Is this a set in stone rule? Or can I fridge a few made up bottles to make life easier?


3) I've been told bubs poop will change... How bad? Lol


And finally... Boobs! How the heck do I stop them hurting whilst they're drying up? Coz right now they're heavy and feel like I've got lead balloons in there

 

[skunkpixie]

Heya.

1) Once your baby starts drinking from the bottle then the milk just be used within one hour. So if your baby takes 2oz and then wants the rest of the bottle within the hour then thats fine, otherwise you should throw it away.

2) The WHO guidelines state that the best way to premake bottles and store, is to make a few up according to the pack instructions. Then rapid cool them in a basin of cold water for 10-15 mins. Then store at the back of the fridge until needed. Heat in a bottle warmer/jug of warm water when baby needs a feed. Always used stored bottles within 24 hours.

3) Your baby's poo may become slightly firmer and less frequent, but should still be soft and easy to pass.

With the engorged boobs thing, I would just wear a tight fitting bra and ride it out. The milk will lessen over the next few days and hopefully you should be pain-free within the week. xxx

 

[bumblebeexo]

1) You can use the same bottle for up to an hour. So she'll probably want more in an hour and five minutes.

2) The guidelines say to make fresh, but how you could wait half an hour to feed a hungry baby is beyond me. I pre-make a few at a time, rapid cool in cold water, and put to the back of the fridge. Just heat up as and when needed in a jug of boiling water.

3) I never BF so I don't know for sure, but I have heard that it will be more firmer and probably less frequent.

When my milk came in my boobs were agony. Midwife told me to put cold cabbage leaves in my bra.. I never tried it, but apparently it does work wonders!

 

[socitycourty]

don't stimulate your boobs AT ALL!

frozen peas over the boobs

don't let the shower hit them

as for mixing feeds i'm in the USA and we don't need to boil and etc.

 

[Shineystar]

Hi,

well done for going 4 weeks, I only managed 12 days. Amy is a hungry monkey and was at me non stop. Nipples were a mess in the end and I couldn't do it anymore!

Ive been making my bottles by sterlising etc and then using the freshly boiled/left for 30mins water to make up 6 bottles to 90mls. Then when Its needed i re boil the kettle and add 30mls of that water and then the powder, this seems to make it pretty much the right temperature and its ready much quicker for baby!

Ive never added the formula to the water before putting in the fridge though..? midwife said what we do is fine though.

 

[Bex1408]

Which formular u using? Mine is aptamil and it says once made up needs to be used within 2 hours

Guidelines say to make up fresh however I know a lot of people that make a load and cool them down and put in the fridge, especially for night feeds. I just make up fresh but I know when my lo has bottles now so I don't have the issue of screaming baby while waiting lol. Babies make other signs of hunger before crying so look out and u can get the kettle on quick lol.

As for boobs I only breast fed in hospital and I had one day (about day 3) when they were massive (looked great lol) but agony! I was told paracetamol, good fitting bra and cabbage leaves! I didn't do the cabbage leaves as it went quickly buy iv heard its great!
Good luck! And well done for lasting 4 weeks! Xxx

 

[LilOopsy]

Using aptimal too

Really want to make up the days feeds in advance to make life easier. The while idea of waiting 30 minutes when you got a screaming bub as someone put it is what worries me about doing it all last minute.


I saw aptimal said don't store... But then I saw the small print says don't do it "for hygiene" reasons. So I'm figuring if the formula is done and put in a clean fridge then surely that's ok?


I'm happy I lasted 4 weeks but oh boy did this lil girl demand demand demand.... My boobs were no longer my own and my OH was missing out on bonding time as she was always latched to me.


I've put my booby pads in the fridge lol... Seriously engorged now... Want to cry from how solid and stinging they feel v.v

 

[Ktothema]

We use the double flask method. One flask of hot just off the boil water (well it was at the start of the day!) and one of chilled boiled water. When it's time for a bottle I make up a 4oz bottles by putting 2oz hot into bottle, add 4 scoops of powder, mix up then add 2 oz cold water. Makes the bottle the right temperature and also gets round the bacteria issue.

Sounds like a faff but it's far quicker than waiting for a bottle to warm or cool.

 

[youngwife20]

Using aptimal too

Really want to make up the days feeds in advance to make life easier. The while idea of waiting 30 minutes when you got a screaming bub as someone put it is what worries me about doing it all last minute.


I saw aptimal said don't store... But then I saw the small print says don't do it "for hygiene" reasons. So I'm figuring if the formula is done and put in a clean fridge then surely that's ok?


I'm happy I lasted 4 weeks but oh boy did this lil girl demand demand demand.... My boobs were no longer my own and my OH was missing out on bonding time as she was always latched to me.


I've put my booby pads in the fridge lol... Seriously engorged now... Want to cry from how solid and stinging they feel v.v

ive never waited 30mins while my duaghter is hungry

i did used to put it in the fridge BUT that even takes time with warming i now do this method which is so much quicker than doing the whole process re fridgerating it then warming then feeding as when milk has been in the fridge you only have 15 mins to use it .. not the full 2 hours. so i prefer to make it fresh each time because my daughter likes to mess about and takes ages to finish her milk and i hated wasting it ( not alot of people know that it isnt the full 2 hour after being put in the fridge but its in my 0-5 year old book that my midwife gave me

preperation.
I have a flask i fill in the morning.
and a few bottles of water that was boiled and cooled in the fridge.
and dispensers full of milk at the right amount.

time to make.
making a 7 ounce bottle.

3ounces of boiling water.
add the formula.
shake well.
add 4 ounces of cold cool boiled water.
shake again,
and serve.

that is so much quicker for me than.

make the formula
rapid cool
put in the fridge
when needed warm it. the waiting time my daughter would get really annoyed as she is very impatient and this was not easy at night when she was screaming and i had to wait for it to warm.. so then id just put it in the microwave which really isnt nessesery and not good to do long term.

so now making it fresh is so quick and she no longer had dioreea and we have more time to use the milk xx hope that helps.

and also i put cabbage leaves in my boobs to dry them up.
just aslong as your aware you could pump if you wanted so your partner can share feeding with you. but whatever works for you and your partner is the best xx

also i use aptimal too. and they didnt mean hygiene as in a clean fridge. they mean the fact the germs are growing in the milk but we have all done it or most of us have as ur lo is new to formula i would probably keep to making it fresh so her tummy can get used to it for awhile xx

i think it would be easier for your boobs if you dont quit bf cold turkey so say if you bf morning and night so your milk drys up on its own ( or if you dont wanna bf had express alittle just to get the edge of) i quit cold turkey and my gosh i had a temperature and my boobs were killing but you also dont wanna risk mastatis and blocked ducts. but i didnt know anything about that when i was trying to dry up xx