Need bottle & Formula Advice

**Rainbowbrite** · 01-12-2005 15:02

Thanks again,

About the expressing, i've tried numerous times & after 1 hour only get 2 tbs and alot of pain so thats out of the question. Also not wanting to stop bf yet, i love it too much

I have some cheap bottles, Dymple I think so i'll try those first. Also have Tommee Tippee Nuborn, but i guess i need different teats now

On formula, I got a trial pack of Soul Pattinson Infant Formula - any comments on that one? It was only $2.95 for 3 sachets. I think the tins only about $14 too.

This is so nerveracking, bf is so much easier

Don't need to think, just feed.

RB

**Chickadee** · 01-12-2005 15:12

RB,
BF is much easier, there's no doubt about that. But FF has some advantages too.

Although there is a lot of discussion about the merits of one brand of formula versus another, and problems bubs have on some, I think most bubs are relatively indifferent to brand of formula. As I said, I went cheap - SMA was $11 a tin. The change from breastmilk to formula is a bigger one than between different types of formulas.

For those bubs used to bf though, the type of bottle and teat can be a big factor in making the transition. It might be worth talking to the ABA or a lactation consultant, if you haven't already, to get some advice direct from the source. Most there will be completely understanding about the need to comp-feed and should be able to help. My lactation consultant suggested Pur or Tommee Tippee teats, which are just the narrow plain ones. But some mums find the Pigeon Peristaltic the best at mimicking b/f.

Give it a try with what you already have and see how it goes. Remember also that bubs will spit out anything that doesn't taste like what they're expecting (continues all the way through introduction to solids). So don't be too discouraged if your first try is rejected, just keep offering the bottle for lunch feeds and after a bunch of tastes she might take it. Or she may do better taking it from your DH.

This was longer than I intended

Sorry. I'm sure you're now flooded with TOO much advice! So just a few more words: Relax, you'll both get good at this with time, same as for b/f.

**Chickadee** · 01-12-2005 15:15

Oh, and yes, the Tommee tippee nuborn teats will probably be too slow for your daughter. I can't remember what we were using at 6 months but I think it was the fast flow (Pur I was using had choices of slow, medium, fast).

**Rainbowbrite** · 01-12-2005 15:20

Ok so if she wont take the bottle, how long do i persist for before giving up? And do I bf her if she wont take it?

Sorry, but this is soo different. I must admit i'm sorta looking forward to doing it, just dont want it to happen too quickly IYKWIM

RB

**Chickadee** · 01-12-2005 15:28

Persist, as in how many minutes? That's a tough one. My DD latched on to the bottle with no trouble. Someone else might have some better experience on this. But I'd suggest you need to go according to her reaction. You do not want or need a screaming angry frustrated hungry baby who then isn't going to settle well to her b/f. So stop offering before that point, if that's any help at all. That might mean only a minute, or it might mean a few minutes. I'd go ahead with a b/f if she refuses the bottle, there is no need to punish her or yourself and making her go hungry would only do that. Although I think I have read experiences of bubs simply being offered the bottle at every feed with no b/f and eventually they take it, but I think that's a bit extreme.

My dd refused the breast after her first taste of formula. But we were in a very different situation to you and I can't blame her as I apparently had little milk to give her (poor starving bub!). A lot of bubs your daughters age comp feed with no trouble so hopefully you'll be able to continue bf as long as you like.

**WeThree** · 01-12-2005 15:36

hi RB, hopefully MJ will end up taking it a bit easier, but i had to stop bf full stop, because she just would not take the bot. DH had to give it to her for the first few days and it wasn't much fun to be honest! offer it first for each feed over the next few days, or when you want her to have it and see how she goes. if she refuses it, offer some breast, then take her off and try the bottle again, it wont work if she is really upset, and you will end up upset too! so if she still wont take it, pop her back on the boob again, i guess just keep offering it, i also found at first the big wide teats were the only ones tilly would use at first, i guess cause they felt a bit more like a boob or something.

**Sarie** · 01-12-2005 15:39

Hey love!
We still use the medium flow teats for PJ and he's 8 months. Just check the age on them, and it depends how quickly she picks it up to, you might need a fast flow to get her started...
Good luck!

**Julie** · 01-12-2005 16:12

New to this chat thing but been bottle feeding my 7 month old since she was 2 weeks. She wouldn't attach properly was to hypo to sit still that sort of thing and it wasn't doing mysanity any good either.
My milk started coming in good just as I changed her over, I expressed everyfeed for the second week didn't want to give up but was just too much in the end. I used cabbage leaves when I was weaning her off they totally worked but got a bit on the stinky side like they were cooking it's scary how hot they get!

Anyway I use all Avent from bottles, teats to steriliser (this is awesome) used Pigeon teets which fit Avent bottles when she was younger fitted in her mouth better then but she now prefers Avent ones, their shapes are completely different so don't buy too many unless you know that's the fave one.
I started on S26 Gold as advised by the pharmacy (not cheap) but had a lot of problems with not staying down, upsetting her tummy, so clinic nurse got me to go to Goats milk then had same problem so I tried S26 Lactose Free and she has been excellent on this one, it's so exciting to have a bub who doesn't perk up after each feed.
I too felt like a complete failure for bottle feeding but once I started talking to people it was amazing how many were actually bottle feeding, I didn't even realise my sister, my husband and I were bottle fed so don't feel bad and YES you time is mega important for your sanity...
Hope I've helped in some way, any other questions ask away.
Julie.

**stormanet** · 01-12-2005 19:33

heya

if you are interested in continuing with the breast milk by expressing and then bottle feeding, the only way... and I really stress only for the sake of your mental health is to invest in a "double breast pump" mine cost about $300... took 10 minutes.. both breasts done at the same time... adn I got around 200ml a go.... way easier and more effective than any other expressing method. I found where to buy the pump just in the yellow pages.... i think under breast pumps.... not sure on that... but it saved my sanity and allowed Christopher to have breast milk for 12 weeks

K

**MariaO** · 01-12-2005 19:36

I can vouch for the electric double breast pump as well (mine is a Medela) - you do feel like a cow mind.....

I would get over the bottle feeding first before anything else though. A lady in my mothers group had two days of persisting with bottle feeding. The baby is bottle feeding with no problems now but it was a painful couple of days for both of them.

Other ladies I know transferred without any issues so you just don't know.