bottle feeding from birth what do i need?

[starlet1180]

hi there
i hope i wont get judged in here!

Im due with baby boy number 2 in 4 weeks & i have decided to bottlefeed him from birth - reason being it was soo hard to wean my nearly 3yr old - i was still breastfeeding him in my 2nd trimester & my body needs a break!

so what do i need? i have no idea! as to how many bottles extra things
any help would be gratefully recieved!
Thanks so much
enjoy your day!

[Our Little Family]

Hi starlett1180,

First off i'd like to say do what you feel is best for you and your family and don't worry about what anyone else says.

I bottle fed my bub from birth although i had PE and couldn't bottle feed i still had planned to bottle feed from day one.

What we bought was:

*Bottles (we bought approx 10 but bought more later on.. Just a word of advice, we originally bought the 120ml bottles and then had to buy bigger ones so i suggest you buy the bigger bottle to begin with to save you from having to buy them later on.)
*Formula
*Sterilser
*Bottle brush
*Insulated bottle warmer bag (for nappy bag)
*Formula containers for travel

Ahhh thats all i can think of for now, will come back and add more as i think of it.

Hope that helps! :)

[lovinmybub]

I bottle fed my son from 2 weeks because the breastfeeding wasn't working out for us:no:. I wasn't really prepared because I had been SO determined to breastfeed.

We had been given some small bottles and a Milton steralizing kit so when I started we had 3 bottles, quickly bought 3 more which was a good amount. I think that all depends on how much you want to wash/steralize!! :laughing:

It took me MONTHS to get a microwave steralizer and looking back I have no idea why I took so long!! I had friends with an electric one and I think it's all much of a muchness, both involve loading up and turning on!

We went through a few different kinds of teats trying to find the right ones for ds, in the end the 'variflow' worked best for us but all kids are different!

Really all you need other than that is the bottle brush for washing. I also got one of those special bottle drying racks from big w, I found that fantastic as they weren't all loaded up on the dish rack after washing and they have spots for bottle and teats etc. A bottle bag for when you go out is handy although some nappy bags have special pockets for them. Tommee Tippee make a fantastic formula container that holds three measured amounts with a rotating top to pour one section out at a time so you can just take your hot water in the bottle and add formula when you're ready!

Good luck! I've heard you need a strong will to deal with probreasting hospitals too when you've made this decision but I know a few people that did it and just stuck to the 'no, it's my choice' argument! Bubs to just fine on formula and in the end it comes down to what's best for everyone involved including MUM! ;)

[starlet1180]

thanks so much, thats a big help & will help with my shopping list for tomorrow!

Some people havent been all that nice about my choice but it is MY choice! i had the worst midwife who had never had a baby let alone a nearly 3yr old whingng cause he wanted u to feed him! but shes gone now so all good. i think people just expected me to feed this one as i fed my other son for so long.. but thats the reason why i dont want to do it this time, it wasnt the best experience for me.

is there any tips on formulas? there are SO many to choose from...
hope im not being a pain - i just realised we are all sorted Except for the bottle feeding thing! and i really dont wanna get stuck again

thanks for all your help

[lovinmybub]

You're welcome.:) Overly opinionated people make me mad. We're all just trying to do the best we can do and babies grow and thrive and formula too! I cried for 10 months because I felt so bad about not breastfeeding and my son is gorgeous and healthy.

My son was given Karicare in special care and he threw up every bit of it (so of course, I bawled:laughing:). We ended up giving him S26 Gold but he was a chucky baby and instead of switching formulas we added a thickener which helped.

I've just been speaking to a friend whose baby is great on Karicare and not on S26 so I really think it all depends on the baby! It doesn't help, I know!! There are so many choices! I found it handy that our formula also came in single serve sachets. I kept some in the nappy bag for emergencies even though they were expensive. I think you just have to pick one and hope it agrees with your baby!

[starlet1180]

since telling people my choice i have come to dislike overly opiniated people!

ok i guess i will try & get my hands on some sachets ive seen them in the chemist & see how i go!

Oh its like starting all over again not breastfeeding this time!

the midwife i have now seems ok... lets just see how ok she is once i get all the bottle feeding things out! i told my husband he has to do it haha

thanks so much

[kribby]

It's so hard to pick which formula will work best as it all depends on you bub! But s26 gold can be pron to cause constipation (it did in my bub and others I know) Karicare works best for us but I've seen a lot of people choose Nan also! So it's really a trial and error which can get expensive so if you can get trial packs just to start off with to see what works best that would be my recomendation!

[starlet1180]

It's so hard to pick which formula will work best as it all depends on you bub! But s26 gold can be pron to cause constipation (it did in my bub and others I know) Karicare works best for us but I've seen a lot of people choose Nan also! So it's really a trial and error which can get expensive so if you can get trial packs just to start off with to see what works best that would be my recomendation!


thanks ive heard good & bad things about all of them & i was in woolworths earlier just looking at them all & thinking oh my gosh what do i do?!

& i try & look in peoples trolleys & see what one they have in there aswell & try & do a quick survey! haha oh well i guess it will all get figured out - wish i had some insight first though!

[PippaG]

We use S26 Gold as that's what the hospital started DS on, and we've never had a problem with it, although I know I've read threads on here from people that have had issues with their little ones. I think it really is trial and error.

[kribby]

thanks ive heard good & bad things about all of them & i was in woolworths earlier just looking at them all & thinking oh my gosh what do i do?!

& i try & look in peoples trolleys & see what
one they have in there aswell & try & do a
quick survey! haha oh well i guess it will al
get figured out - wish i had some insight
first though!
haha you sound like me I used to stalk the formula aisle to see what people were picking up!! Lol there's nothing wrong with any formula tho and I guess that's the biggest problem it's all about what your baby can manage best! S26 caused my bubs constipation but it doesn't mean it will in yours I hated switching formulas as I liked the s26 gold but I think it's the pro biotics in karicare that's helped my bub! And when you do decide on a formula word of advise don't buy it from a supermarket as they tend to be at least $2-$3 more expensive I get mine from big w they're always cheaper and also baby bunting if you have one near you they sometimes have cheap formula - s26 gold to be specific! But hunt around because the supermarkets are never cheap! (this coming from a person who used to work at one lol)

[lovinmybub]

I stocked up on formula when it was on sale somewhere too! I also found my Chemist was resonably priced and as they had a reward system there I most often bought it from them. I figured at least that way I got free stuff too!

[kribby]

I stocked up on formula when it was on sale somewhere too! I also found my Chemist was resonably priced and as they had a reward system there I most often bought it from them. I figured at least that way I got free stuff too!
chemists are definitely the way to go most of the time because they have a better range! That's where I get my thickener from as they don't have it anywhere else! I go to national pharmacy and I'm a member so I get 20% off but big w for karicare ATM is still the cheapest also for s26! But when their specials end I'll be back at the chemist!

[starlet1180]

thank you so much for all the tips!
and for not judging - had one poster on here pm me about the benefits of breastfeeding etc!!! i guess some people cant help themselves

its so much easier going to a chemist with kids then the supermarket too! my little guy is nearly 3 & shopping with him drives me insane sometimes! but going to a chemist will be fine!

thanks again very very appreciated!

[kribby]

thank you so much for all the tips!
and for not judging - had one poster on here pm me about the benefits of breastfeeding etc!!! i guess some people cant help themselves

its so much easier going to a chemist with kids then the supermarket too! my little guy is nearly 3 & shopping with him drives me insane sometimes! but going to a chemist will be fine!

thanks again very very appreciated!

it's your decision love!! And no people can't help themselves and they wonder why they get called breastfeeding Nazis!! My sil was exactly the same told me that my pead gave me really bad advise telling me to stop trying as I just wasn't producing enough I was kinda happy about it tho I felt like someone else had made the decision for me! I had major complications with my pregnancy and therefor hindered my supply and I wasn't going to keep trying when I was only getting 10mls per express!! I believe if you posted this in the bottle feeding section that person had no right to even pm you!! You asked for help with this issue and no judgement!!!
People need to po!!! If you asked for bf advise I wouldn't pm you and tell you the benifits of bottle feeding! You obviously know about bf you've done it for 3 years!! And I don't blame you for wanting a break!
As you said some people just can't help themselves!!

[lovinmybub]

had one poster on here pm me about the benefits of breastfeeding etc!!! i guess some people cant help themselves



:banghead: Some people really can't help themselves!! It's so much nicer when people stick to the advice that is actually asked for and support each other! I'm sure you KNOW the benefits of breastfeeding as you fed #1 for so long and now you have made the decision that is best for you!

ps- I'm with you on the supermarket thing! DS is very difficult when I try and shop with him too!!

[MummaBear03]

Sorry if this has been mentioned, I haven't read all the posts even though it's not a huge thread :o

Just wanted to suggest getting the sachet ones rather than tins if you can, I know a few different brands have them out now. That way if you open one and find it doesn't work you aren't wasting a whole tin that then has to be used within 4 weeks. You can pass it on to someone else or donate it to the hospital or even a women's shelter or something rather than it being wasted. That's just a thought anyway, I'd start with one box of each brand, I think they have about 12 sachets in each one so you should know after a couple of feeds if it's working or not and can try a different one or buy more of that brand if it is working.

[auntka]

Hi :wave:
with the satchet idea you could always email a couple of companies and see if they can send you a sample some send 2 or 3 satchets and you can find one that bub likes without the hastle of going to the shop and deciding there they also send information pamphlets with the contents of their formula and the pro's of each! may be of help if your interested in going that way :hugs:
and I admire you for taking a stand for yourself and your body it is your choice :yelclap:
also forgot to say that some bottle companies send out samples of their bottles so that may help aswell

[naebie]

Although I'm a BFer, I've been giving DD Formula top ups for a while, and I just started with the cheapest formula I could find (SMA). I figured if she didn't like it then I could always switch. As it happens, she liked it and it didnt disagree with her tummy, so we've stuck with using that brand. In fact, the few times I've tried her on more expensive formula she has turned up her nose at it! The good thing about the SMA is that it is suitable for all ages, so it is possible to stock up on it.
Because we don't use it all the time, I bought a Sunbeam Food Saver with canisters, and transferred the formula to keep it fresh longer- which works out to be more economical than sachets in the long run.

[MummaBear03]

I only suggested the sachets as a starter to find out which suits best, then buy tins of whichever one is the best for the baby. I know people at the chemist who say they're all the same, but I also know babies who tollerate one but not another and if they were all the same parents wouldn't be told never to just change formula suddenly without good reason.

Ringing and getting samples is also a very good idea. I like that one :thumbsup:

[starlet1180]

thanks so much everyone - my shopping didnt go to plan my ds just wanted to stay at home & ride his bike so hopefully ill be hitting the shops by myself tomorrow when dh returns from work! much better :)

oh and i like the emailing samples part too i never thought of that! & who doesnt love free presents in the mail?!

thanks so much for your replies, im glad that no one said anything mean to me about it! well apart from that 1 message but oh well cant win them all!

xxx