EBM bottles during the night

[Cherished]

If dh were to give DS a bottle during the night how do you go about giving an EBM bottle? I guess it sounds like a silly question but I have exclusively breastfed and hadn't thought about a bottle until DS is still waking every few hours for a feed. Do you defrost it if it's been in there freezer and then keep it in a bottle warmer container or something? DH would have to have it ready to go I think and DS is pretty impatient when he wakes up! What are the 'rules' can it just be room temp?

[MantaRay]

There is no need for EBM to be at a specific temperature for safety reasons, it just comes down to baby's preference. My boys would drink it straight out of the fridge and in fact preferred that to waiting for it to be warmed! Room temperature is fine too. To make it as easy as possible, I'd thaw the milk in the fridge so that is ready to be used when your DS wakes up. It will keep for 24 hours in the fridge if it's defrosted in the fridge, whereas EBM thawed outside of the fridge (in warm water) will only last a few hours. You could try straight out of the fridge for ease, or in this colder weather warm it up under the warm tap for a couple of minutes. The quicker and easier the better - especially with a crying, hungry baby and all of you wanting to get back to sleep.

[Catastrophic]

I would do what Manta suggested and just put a frozen one in the fridge ready for that night that you want some sleep.
But be aware that DS might not take to the bottle at night (If at all) and there might be some resistance and alot of crying, prepare your hubby

[ellasmummy]

I store ebm in the freezer in medela bags, and hubby gave her her first ebm bottle on Saturday. Just put the frozen bag in a container of hot tap water for a couple of minutes while he changed her bum, then it was ready to go. After all this dd would only take about 50mls and it was a struggle to get her to take that! Then I had to feed her lol. Hope your bubba is more co operative than mine!! A friends bub takes a bottle of ebm every night at the 10pm feed from her hubby no problems, so I think dd is just fussy!

[albi]

Don't forget you'll still have to express when bub wakes over night if your going to bottle instead of breast, otherwise your supply will go down!

[luna moth]

And fingers crossed he takes it! My little girl has no idea what to do with a bottle, never has, and just gets very cross with anyone who tries it.

[Sunny Love]

We used to have it in the freezer and pull out one portion each afternoon and put it in the fridge. DD liked her EBM warm so DP would heat it up on the stove top before transferring to a glass bottle for her. My DD never struggled ever between boob and bottles co-exisiting Good luck hun!
xx