Hi girls, I need help with this one please. I breastfed both my previous DD's. Number 3 has to be FF for medical reasons and I have no idea where to start. Will baby take to it straight away like with BF or is it difficult to get them on it? What bottles are good? Is it necessary to have an electric steriliser and bottle warmer? How many bottles does one need in the early days? And any other info you have please, please, please!
few babies seem to have problems with taking the bottle.
The kind of bottle you chose is often a personal preference - yours and the babies. If baby doesn't seem to like the bottle, you could try a different one. I never had issues with the bottle. The teats change as baby gets older for flow but it depends on baby and the type of bottle you're using. I used Avent.
A steriliser is a good idea. You can sterilise with Milton or by boiling them in water. You don't NEED a steriliser machine as such. There are also microwave ones. I had one of those to start with. Then melted it (forgot to add water to it - OOPS!) and ended up with my electric one which I loved.
I never had a bottle warmer. I just boiled the kettle and heated them in hot water! When out and about, I'd put the formula in one of those containers with the dividers (so you can put portions in it and easily dispense) then fill 2/3 of the required water into the bottle so it was cool when needed. Then I'd top with hot water from a thermos.
In the first 6 weeks, we had around 4 bottles. After that, I had about 8 so I could have spares and not be constantly washing and sterilising if that makes sense.
You can get both electric and micro wave sterilisers...we got an electric one as I didn't like the idea of all the microwaves on my babies stuff. You don't NEED one but it does make it easier than boiling everything on the stove. A bottle warmer is optional, we had one and in reality it was just as quick to heat the bottle in a cup/jug with some hot water. As for number of bottles i would say up to a dozen all up....you may find you need to try a few diff types out to see what suits bubs best so don't go all out and buy a whole heap of the one brand. We used Dr. Brown's narrow neck bottles as they have a patented anti colic valve and we never had any problems with reflux but then again we might have just had a good baby...LOL.
Some people prefer the wide neck bottles with the closer to nature teats but our bubba didn't like them so as I said it will be a personal thing once bubs is here as to what they like best...you will need slow flow teats to start with and then as they get bigger you can get medium and fast flow teats, medium from about three months, fast from 6-7 months.
you may want to look at a portable bottle warmer for times when you have to go out and want to heat a bottle....there are a couple of brands that use those gel pads that warm up and heat the bottle (same stuff as they use in those physiotherapy heat pads).....they were one of our best buys. I think the brand is prince lionheart from memory.
hi!I havent had a chance to read the above posts so sorry if there similar,i had to FF my DD after breast feeding and i was told to get the closer to nature tommee tippee bottles,there were dearer but were great,she didnt take well to other bottles i really struggled untill i got those although they were dearer i think because there real close to a nipple shape,and depending on age they have 1 2 or 3 for slow to meduium flow.I just had from new born i think 2 of the smaller sized ones then i bought another 4 i think saves re washing them all the time.I just got a cheaper version microwave steraliser was quick and easy to use.and a bottle brush.I didnt have a bottle warmer,i used to use the babys rooms if out or take a flask etc.one of those formula dispensers are a life saver too!
I use a micro steriliser its up too you but most hosp dont recomend sterilising anymore, I prefer too though
also if possible as its so much easier down the track get bub used to room temp boiled water for feeds, no heating required easy when out and about etc
I found the closer to nature bottles were great to begin with....DS#1 went to avent at 6 weeks where as DS#2 had both and prefered the closer to nature ones, best bet if you can borrow a few types and see which one bubs prefer then go out and buy, I had 6 small ones to begin with a still have 6 of the 240ml ones...you dont need dozens
I had a microwave sterilizer as we didn't have any more room on our kitchen bench for stuff.
As for heating the bottles... Formula feeding was a bit unexpected for me and no one mentioned that you should heat them. So my son has always had bottles at room temperature. He always took them fine and has never known any different. Made it very easy when out and about.
We began formula feeding at 2 weeks, and used the tommee tippee closer to nature bottles as well. They are BPA free so fine to microwave to heat them up. I also got the microwave steriliser and that works great for us.
We have 6 bottles, you will probably find you will go through 6 in a day for the first 2 or so months, and then gradually ease down to less as they drink more in one go.
I would also recommend getting bubs used to room temp formula, makes going out much much easier!
We prepare DS bottles by filling with pre-boiled water and then storing in the fridge until needed. Then when he's hungry I heat the water in the microwave for 30secs, add formula and give it a really good shake to make sure there are no hot spots.
Um I didnt start FF til my girl was 3 months. but we started out with 4 x 120ml bottles avent with DD1 and it was fine.
With DD2 we tried avent but she got too windy and in pain from the teats, she was drinking in too much air so we switched to Tommee Tippee Closer to nature and she was so much better.
formula - we tried gold formulas but she got too constipated to we went with the standard S26 and she was fine on that.
We had an electic steraliser with 8 bottles I tried the microwave ones but always burnt myself I hated it, so mum had it as a backup.
Warming up the bottle, we boiled water and did 8 bottles at a time and put them in the fridge to cool and use. 15mins before feeding we got it out and put hot water in a bowl and put the bottle in it to warm the water up, when it was warm on my arm but not hot we put the formula in and shook it ready for bubs to drink.
We stopped boiling the water for the formula milk at 12 months old.
Teats for newborn either start at 0 or 1, you will see them marked when you buy them. They change when they get older, ie, at 4 months I think DD1 was on no.2 teat of avent.
Question - first time formula feeder
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