Sterilisers? Bottles? Please help

[ClaireSarah]

Hi everyone,

Well i guess that i have been lucky as i got to bf my darling little boy for almost 2 months. My IBD has now taken a turn for the worse and the drug therapy i will be on as of Thursday passes into breast milk so i will no longer be able to feed Aidan myself.

I am therefore at a total loss! I have never even expressed so i don't know the first thing about what bottles/formula/sterilisers to get???

Could you help me out with any recommendations you might have?

Thanks xx

 

[Em78]

hi hun

well done on bf'ing for this long - any amount is a bonus i think. its a pity your treatment is going to stop it but it really isnt the end of the world hun. this is such a tiny part of his life, what will matter to him when he is older is that he was loved and cherished as a babe, not whether he was breast fed or not. just enjoy this time and dont stress about how he gets his milk as long as he gets it.

i remember when i first changed onto bottles - it all seems very technical at first but there really is nothing to it!

i have the avent microwave steriliser - usually comes with a couple of bottles. dead easy to use - just pop 7ozs of cold water in the bottom, put all your bottles, teats (already washed up in hot soapy water) etc in and close it up, microwave for 8 mins - leave for 2 mins beofre you open it up. i use avent bottles as well and have never had any trouble with them.

as for formula it can be trail and error,i know several ladies on here have had to change a few times to find the right one.

they say Apitmal is closest to breast milk so i used that to start with. but i am very lucky as i have a very unfussy boy and have bought other brands when i couldnt get it and he never bats an eyelid! Cow & Gate and SMA have always been fine for us. i like the aptimal box though as it has a little bar for leveling the scoop and a holder for the scoop in the lid.

ask away if you have any other questions.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Nicky_Jones]

I would recommend the Tommee Tippee closer to nature bottles. This are wider teats more like a breast. When I tried to give my LO expressed milk in the mothercare self sterilising bottle she had real trouble with the teat as she is used to feeding with a more open mouth, if that makes any sense. Do you have time to get your LO used to the bottle with expressed milk before switching over to formula in a bottle? It might help make the transition smoother. NB I am quite prepared to say I don't know what I am talking about there as I have only either BF or given expressed milk to my LO.

 

I'd say the tommee Tippee closer to nature bottles too hun, I know of a few babies who use these aswell as breast feed and dont seem to have much trouble changing.

I'd get a steam steriliser, not sure which one these bottle fit in though. Steam striliseres really are so quick and easy. Saying that other people like other things

As Em78 said, Aptimil is the one they most reccomend as closest to breast milk, and is often the one they suggest if you give breast milk and formula alternate. It is a thin milk like breast milk and Damien never seemed to mind when I switched between expressed milk and Aptimil. SMA is quite a rich milk and some babies don't get on with it, but then a fair amount do. I've not used C&G first milks before though I'm afraid.

Well done for breastfeeding for this long, sorry your treatment will stop you from breastfeeding. If we've left anything out feel free to ask again!

 

[Lucy]

Hi Claire

Well done on bfing for this time.

I would do what Nicky suggests and express some milk just incase your little one refuses the formula at the beginning.
It might be a good idea to try him with a bottle today and tomorrow to introduce him to it prior to him changing over totally.

You can get ready made cartons of the formulas that would be cheaper to buy if your little one doesn't like the first choice of formula.

I hope your IBD gets better

Lucy

 

[KatysMummy]

Hi,

Katy is mostly BF, but she occasionally has EBM out of Avent bottles & she also sometimes has the odd formula feed. We use Cow & Gate Premium - we tried Aptimal but she would not take it. We also tried the Tommee Tippee Closer To Nature bottles before we tried Avent ones & she would not take those either.

I think this just goes to show that it is usually a case of trial & error to see what works for Aidan as every baby has their own preferences!! Perhaps try getting a couple of small cartons of each formula to see which he takes to best before spending out on a tub of powder?

Good luck hun!

 

[Anna Marie]

Lara is breast fed but has one bottle formula feed per day [she gets impatient at her 6pm bedtime feed and demands a bottle as its soooo much quicker!! little madam that she is!].. anyway we have tried so many bottles and we love the DR BROWNS ones.. they are large so will take alot of milk for when they grow and demand more and their air vent in the middle minimises wind and colic.. lara always burps immediately afterwards whereas all the other bottles i used it was taking forever to wind her after a bottle feed. Second choice would be T Tippee closer to nature bottles.

We use the Avent steam steriliser and the TTippee microwave one when want it quickly.. both are great.

Aptimil for us as it compliments the breast milk and Lara takes it fine.

good luck and well done for breastfeeding as long as you could.. xx