Question for those who ff from the start

[xQuinnx]

Hello everyone

I'm 33 weeks pregnant with my second, with my first I bf for 3 days then did a mix of expressing and ff.

This time I've been advised by my doc to not bf due to my medication.

This might be a silly question but how do you ff in hospital?! Do you provide the formula, bottles etc? How do you get them prepared? Last time I just kept told to put baby on my breast and I have no idea what I'll need to ff in hospital :-/

I'm in the UK if that helps, any advice would be appreciated!

 

[Witchrose]

I contacted the hospital beforehand to ask. They said it would be provided and made for me. So yeah. While there, I just had to ring the bell if I needed one of the nurses to bring him a bottle. This was in Germany, so things might be different where you are. So I would call to see.

If they do expect you to bring your own, maybe you could bring the ready to use kind? They're more expensive, but then you wouldn't have to stress about bottles and such while there.

 

[caz_hills]

We didn't plan to FF as I was trying to express - which j am now - but we needed formula to top up with. The hospital provided it but the lady opposite me who chose to FF from the start had bought her own in. They said to me that they would give it to me as I was topping up but I got the impression they expected me to provide it..... Not sure why I got that impression as they never said anything that blunt but I felt that maybe I should have bought some.

So if I were in your shoes if buy some and take it if you want to FF. The lady I saw giving formula had little prepared and sterilised built in bottles which were small for newborns - aptimil I think. c

 

[Fruitmash]

It varies between hospital, some will provide formula regardless whilst others will only provide it if exclusively breastfeeding isn't working out, your midwife might know or atleast tell you who to contact. Mothercare and Babies r us do these ready made formula bottles with sterile teats, it's what I got in the hospital and means you won't have to mess about with ringing for a midwife or waiting around

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

I have formula fed both of mine from the beginning - here in the States the hospitals are pretty good about having everything you need for baby usually, including formula. With both they gave us little ready to feed bottles from Enfamil that come with disposable nipples that you just take out of the package and screw onto the bottle. Super easy and convenient, then you just toss it when you're done with that feed. Check with your hospital to see what they suggest/provide, but I think you can get the little ready to feed bottles even in the UK if that's something you're interested in and you don't want to mess with real bottles. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!

(This is just an example of what we used - I'm sure it's different across the way!)

Ready to feed nursers

 

[xQuinnx]

Thanks everyone! Will speak to the hospital and check out those ready made bottles for newborns x

 

[ClairAye]

Check with the hospital. I FF my first from the start and there was a room next to the ward where you could help yourself to disposable 3oz bottles (Cow & Gate, Aptimal or SMA) and teats.

 

[Fruitmash]

https://www.mothercare.com/starter-...l-/607435.html#q=Formula&lang=default&start=6

Here you are, this is also what I got given in hospital, just in case you need to buy them yourself

 

[xQuinnx]

Thanks so much fruitmash!

 

[Breeelizabeth]

I FF my daughter from day dot. I kept forgetting during pregnancy to ask what I needed to take and if they'd supply or make it up for me. In the end I decided to take formula sachets that were designed so you could trial baby on it without buying a full tin incase they didn't like it/it didn't agree with them. I only bought one bottle into hospital with me (I was a ftm and didn't appreciate how often newborns ate.) The hospital ended up having disposable bottles which made life easier. They provided sterilising equipment (a Milton) too.

When I finally had the baby I realised that the hospital had accommodated for formula feeding way more than I thought they would in a "breast is best" society. They had formula there, bottles, all the sterilising equipment.

The nurses usually made the bottles up for me which in hindsight probably wasn't what I needed as by the time it came to leave hospital I still had no idea how to safely wash, sterilise and make the bottles up. So I definitely recommend (even if you have done it all before) learning off the nurses and getting a refresher course. Definitely let them do some but watch and learn and ask plenty of questions and then do some yourself.

My advice: take everything you'll need even if it's just two or three bottles and a small tin of formula. If they supply it, great! You will have spares when you get home and if they don't supply it you've at least got enough to get you through for a few days. Also if you take formula that's a different brand to the one the hospital supplies and your baby doesn't like their one then you've got another to try.

Good luck!

 

[Fruitmash]

I FF my daughter from day dot. I kept forgetting during pregnancy to ask what I needed to take and if they'd supply or make it up for me. In the end I decided to take formula sachets that were designed so you could trial baby on it without buying a full tin incase they didn't like it/it didn't agree with them. I only bought one bottle into hospital with me (I was a ftm and didn't appreciate how often newborns ate.) The hospital ended up having disposable bottles which made life easier. They provided sterilising equipment (a Milton) too.

When I finally had the baby I realised that the hospital had accommodated for formula feeding way more than I thought they would in a "breast is best" society. They had formula there, bottles, all the sterilising equipment.

The nurses usually made the bottles up for me which in hindsight probably wasn't what I needed as by the time it came to leave hospital I still had no idea how to safely wash, sterilise and make the bottles up. So I definitely recommend (even if you have done it all before) learning off the nurses and getting a refresher course. Definitely let them do some but watch and learn and ask plenty of questions and then do some yourself.

My advice: take everything you'll need even if it's just two or three bottles and a small tin of formula. If they supply it, great! You will have spares when you get home and if they don't supply it you've at least got enough to get you through for a few days. Also if you take formula that's a different brand to the one the hospital supplies and your baby doesn't like their one then you've got another to try.

Good luck!

Are you in the U.K.? It's just none of that was available for me! They had individual bottles with sterile teats (formula was inside). They never had anywhere to sterilise or make up bottles seperately. Just wondering if my hospital is a bit rubbish or not

 

[Breeelizabeth]

I FF my daughter from day dot. I kept forgetting during pregnancy to ask what I needed to take and if they'd supply or make it up for me. In the end I decided to take formula sachets that were designed so you could trial baby on it without buying a full tin incase they didn't like it/it didn't agree with them. I only bought one bottle into hospital with me (I was a ftm and didn't appreciate how often newborns ate.) The hospital ended up having disposable bottles which made life easier. They provided sterilising equipment (a Milton) too.

When I finally had the baby I realised that the hospital had accommodated for formula feeding way more than I thought they would in a "breast is best" society. They had formula there, bottles, all the sterilising equipment.

The nurses usually made the bottles up for me which in hindsight probably wasn't what I needed as by the time it came to leave hospital I still had no idea how to safely wash, sterilise and make the bottles up. So I definitely recommend (even if you have done it all before) learning off the nurses and getting a refresher course. Definitely let them do some but watch and learn and ask plenty of questions and then do some yourself.

My advice: take everything you'll need even if it's just two or three bottles and a small tin of formula. If they supply it, great! You will have spares when you get home and if they don't supply it you've at least got enough to get you through for a few days. Also if you take formula that's a different brand to the one the hospital supplies and your baby doesn't like their one then you've got another to try.

Good luck!

Are you in the U.K.? It's just none of that was available for me! They had individual bottles with sterile teats (formula was inside). They never had anywhere to sterilise or make up bottles seperately. Just wondering if my hospital is a bit rubbish or not

No, I'm in Australia! Can't believe none of that was provided!!

 

[Lollipopbop]

I'm in the UK and my hospital expect you to bring your own but I'd check with yours just in case they have a different policy. I plan to buy the ready made cow and gate bottles with the sterile teats. They sell them in every supermarket x