Milk Formula question

[Fruity01]

Hi all,

My intention is to try breast feeding but I'm also going to buy 1 tub of milk formula just in case baby doesn't latch or I don't supply any milk etc.

Question is, how do you choose which brand to buy? Ideally I want to buy a starter kit for hospital just for convenience and then continue with said brand should breast feeding not occur.

I don't want to just go with the cheaper of the three I've seen which are Aptimil, cow & gate and SMA but am confused as to which one to go with?

Has anyone got experience / info of these three brands and why did you choose said brand?

Many thanks
F.

 

[Rooster30]

Aptamil and C&G are basically the same formula with different branding. We started with SMA with our son and he didn't get on with it. My friend recommended C&G so we moved on to C&G Comfort as our son suffered with colic and it was definitely the winner for us.

My sister gives her son Hipp Organic formula which I might be tempted to try with the new baby if breast feeding doesn't work out.

 

[first_time_mum]

I started with aptamil but my little girl had colic so put her on the comfort but that made her have constipation and she was in pain constantly. Switched to cow and gate comfort and she was like a different child. I think it does all just depend on what agrees with the baby hun xx

 

[Rebecca2014]

ive bought cow&gate as a few people have recommended it

 

[Niknaknoo]

If you are hoping to bf I would suggest just getting a couple of the pre made bottles rather than a tub of formula. If the formula is there it is too tempting to give up plus if bf goes well it's wasted formula! I'm currently in my 2nd week of bfing and I'm not gonna lie, it's tough but we are getting there. Personally I didn't take any formula as I didn't want to give myself the option.

Sorry didn't really answer the question but hope this was useful!
Good luck! X

 

[MrsG81]

I tried SMA but ended up switching to C&G in the end and my little ones were happier with that.

 

[Fruity01]

Thank you ladies for your replies.

I will buy the pre made ones just in case for when I'm in hosp. I'm gonna try my hardest to BF as I have read it helps prevent baby developing diabetes (I have gestational diabetes atm) plus I've invested in an electric breast pump!

Just want the formula as an emergency back up plan and for £10 odd it's not that much of a waste

Many thanks again
F.

 

[Podpie]

The first few days I really struggled with breastfeeding. We had to resort to hand expressing and finger feeding just to get him going and then he began to latch better. Unfortunately at his 10 day weigh in he hadn't gained any weight and had lost more than at his 5 day weigh in, so we're now on a feeding plan of every 3 hours, expressing like mad and feeding him that as well with a syringe.
He was weighed again today and had only gained 20g (but at least he gained!) so we've been told to give formula to top up his feeds. Personally I really didn't want to give formula so I'm determined to keep going with pumping and feeding and pumping and feeding and will only resort to formula if I'm not pumping enough.
My right boob appeared to have dried up and wasn't making any milk, so I've been expressing more on that side to encourage supply and I'm taking fenugreek to up my supply as well. It seems to have improved and at this mornings feed was actually dripping before I could get Reuben on the boob so that's a really good sign!

Whoops I appear to have rambled on a bit. I think what I'm really trying to say is if you're determined to breastfeed and put the effort in, you will be able to do it. (unless there's something medically stopping you. In which case it is not your fault and you shouldn't feel guilty).

 

[Emapot1]

When my milk supply seemed to get low, I drank 3 ltrs a day. It's bizzare but it worked. I also want to say that "stimulation" is the best way to get yor supply to keep flowing as it's only really a case on reminding them (both) that you need more milk. If you give up they give up and then you milk ducts just tend to sizzle up. However I used to let mine at times gorge in after a 6-7 hour delay and that really boosted the flow xx

 

[Emapot1]

I bf for 18-19 months with lots of hurdles x

 

[Nonabean]

I went for Cow&Gate with my first, because my Mum used it. It really is about personal preference xxx

 

[Durhamchance]

I swear by Hipp organic, but they don't do a starter pack, it's been discontinued

 

[Chazabell]

My son struggles to latch on, and will occasionally latch with nipple shields. We bought Aptamil as back up formula and we now combination feed. He has bottles as all his main feeds and he latches to breast whenever he fancies and it comforts him xxx

 

[buggy1]

I agree with some of the others, breastfeeding, for some, can be very hard work and you've got to put the effort in. If you have formula at the ready you'll probably find you give in much more easily. I hadn't realised with my first the time you have to dedicate to breastfeeding and it is fairly constant, particularly if you have a poor supply which you need to build up. I feel like I was forever feeding or pumping and I went back to work stupidly early for financial reasons (my dd was only 6 weeks!) and that was just another stress and drain on my time which stopped me fully committing to breastfeeding. That and the constant stream of family visitors that you don't normally see from one month to the next!

This time around I'm having 6 months off work and visitors will be kept to a minimum! I feel I failed last time, it was very hard for me with a large, hungry baby and a poor supply, but I'm determined to try harder this time around.

 

[Fruity01]

Thank you all for your replies.

I am hoping I don't get visitors and if they do turn up I won't answer the door for the first week at least. When I bring baby home I want to be able to adjust with hubby on our own. The only ppl welcome will be our parents the rest can wait.

No one visits me now so the fact I have a baby better not change their minds. I will also ask my sisters not to announce anything on the dreaded Facebook as that will encourage ppl to just turn up unannounced.

I guess I will be in hospital for a few days being induced and baby being monitored for blood sugars so by the time I get home I want to be able to relax and settle into family life and a new routine. People will only be welcome if they are invited or have arranged a convenient time with myself.

Fingers crossed I am successful at BF and will not need any formula :-/

F.

 

[RhondaLou]

My lo needed a formula top up at birth to get his blood sugar up and they gave us the choice of sma and cow and gate they said there isn't any difference. We plucked sma out of thin air and went with that. Since then I have noticed that c&g says for bottle fed babies where as sma says for bottle and combination feeding. Sma also do a starter kit which we used when we got home and have in for emergencies x