What milk formula is everyone using?

[mrssmith2011]

Hi everyone

I know some mums will be breastfeeding which is brilliant and good on anyone who can do it. I have made a conscious decision that our little one will go onto formula. I simply don't eat enough of a balanced diet to give the little one everything it needs so I would rather put the little one straight onto a bottle rather than messing him or her around. If anyone is going to bottle feed their little one what formula are you going to use? There is quite a few out there and I honestly know which was to go to for the best.

Thank you in advance for your advice/thoughts
Vicky xxxxx

 

[mrz85]

with my daughter I used cow and gate comfort wich the health vistor reccomend , then after that stage 1 ,not sure with this baby wil most likely b the same if not BF

 

[mrssmith2011]

Thanks mrz85 xxxx

 

[ellesbells]

I have heard good things about aptimal and the comfort range they do too. I too am electing to bottle feed. For me its psychological reasons but I feel the need to lie to everyone and pretend I tried!

 

[mrssmith2011]

Thanks ellesbells. I honestly think it is personal choice breastfeed suits some people and not others. People shouldn't make you feel like you have to lie to them. It is your own personal choice. People should accept that xxxx

 

[mrz85]

I often think midwifed turn in the pressure about bf !

 

[l_maclean]

Formulas are all essential they same - no one is really any better, but some children tolerate one brand better than another, so best to wait n see what suits LO.

It's a bit like Pepsi vs cola - essentially the same but different, some folk like both, but some a lot hate one or the other. X

 

[Mummy2toddler]

I wanted to breast feed this time round but I'm having second thoughts myself personally I couldn't breast feed in public but that's just me. With my son I used SMA gold I never had any problems with that one with my son hopefully I won't with this baby either and ill buy that one xx

 

[redbear]

Alice has sma milk but Tempy has had sma, cow and gate, aptimil and now im trying sma for reflux, she is a sickly baby xx

 

[bellarose3856]

I use aptamil. It's what they use in the hospital my little one was born in and my health visitor told me, although they're not supposed to endorse any brands they they always recommend it as from their experience far less babies react to it badly. My little one was on SMA first (which 2 health visitors said was the worst one, although I know babies that are fine on it) and then Cow and Gate, before finally the Aptamil. The others just gave her wind and terrible smelling green poo!

 

[mrssmith2011]

They have tried pressurizing me Mrz85 but I know it is not right for me so I am not giving me. Thanks everyone xxxx

 

[Jacq23]

Just popping in from Tri1 to say I tried really hard to breast feed but couldn't produce enough for my son, so had to supplement with formula. I used Aptamil comfort as he always had trouble getting his wind up, and it worked fine for us. He transitioned really easily from that to cows milk at 1 year old.

 

[Geekachublog]

I don't think there's anything wrong with formula feeding, as it's my first I'm interested in breast feeding, but we've bought bottles and one tub of aptamil "just incase". We are only doing it to try and save a bit of money, save with using cloth nappies too!
I *hate* that there's a lot of pressure on women to breast feed, my mum said if you breastfed when she had me (I'm almost 30), you were seen as poor! Funny how things come back around

 

[mrssmith2011]

I agree with you the pressure on women to breastfeed I ridiculous. It is personal preference I have some friends who breast feed and It has worked brilliantly for them and others that it hasn't work. I hope it works for you My Mam has said that to me as well. I am slightly older than you I am 31. It's crazy. It is like the constant changes on looking after babies. It all goes round full circle xxx

 

[H16]

I intend to formula feed too, I simply don't like the thought of breastfeeding plus as my boobs have barely changed at nearly 27 weeks pregnant I am not convinced that they would "work properly" when it comes to breast feeding either. Obviously breast feeding would save ALOT of money but I like the fact that with formula OH will be able to share in feeding duties (without me having to express!)

I have not thought about which formula to use yet though.

 

[clareybell]

If I'm honest, breast feeding frightens me a bit - but I know I want to try it, but I'm also going to buy bottles and formula just incase - I'm also only going to do it as long as it feels right - I know people who have felt massive pressure to breast feed and have kept trying with it even when its not going well and its been awful for them, and when they move to bottle feeding its like a huge weight is lifted. I've also heard of midwives recommending aptamil xxx

 

[Rnicholls]

I gave my daughter sma gold and I will do the same with bump xxx

 

[Ella1979]

I'm still undecided about whether to try breastfeeding again. I really struggled with my first as I was so ill and didn't see her for the first few days, my milk never came in properly and it was agony even trying to get the smallest amount out (literally an ounce). I would have loved to have breastfed, but don't buy into the whole if you don't breastfeed you're letting your baby down. Mine was really tiny at birth and was given Cow & Gate's Nutriprem 2, which a prescription-only formula to help build up tiny babies. It's been amazing and I couldn't recommend Cow & Gate enough. My LO put on a really good amount of weight, going from below the 0.4th centile to the 25th in her first year. She's also been really healthy with only a couple of colds and no other illness.

 

[JJ Mum]

I formula fed 3 babies as i was younger and not so confident etc and two went to special care. The pressure they put on me was ridiculous esp from special care , i wasnt ready at the time.

9 years later i was ready and confident and knew what was right for me and managed to bf for a full year.

You choose , and whichever way baby will be fine nuitritionaly but its whats right for you and baby and you sound pretty confident on bottles so thats good and can prepare.

Formula babies have firmer poos and need bottled water too as it can bung them up
Bf babies have the opposite, lots clothes ruined from runny mustard bums all up back even into hair!!
Formulas all vary and it can take a little time to find the one that suits your baby. Mine had cow and gate but we brought one tin of aptimil this time which we gave away sealed after one year, it was supposed to be closer to bf milk.

I recomend using the three way split tubs for premeasured scoops of formula , and bottles of cooled boiled water, just tip and shake when needed! Great when out or in night. Oh and no heating up milk!! Sounds harsh but they get used to what you do, none of mine needed heating up so seconds to prepare feeds on the go, no screeming baby when out or in night, no coming downstairs to get chilled bottle then 7 mins to get chill off and warm up!!

My overall prefered method now is breast , but its personal choice so fingers crossed my last baby will take to it like devon did or ill be doing the above method of bottles too x

 

[redbear]

i didnt produce any milk both times until 4th/5th day so they had to have formula until then, then i couldnt get them to take boob so expressed and now ff. So they have had a mixture but its worked well for me so who cares. xx