Why is this 'easier'?!

[*Liz*]

Sorry, but I just don't get it?

Washing, sterilising, formula too hot or too cold.

Newborn taking almost an hour to feed...

Have I got the right formula? Or is he MPI like DD?

Type of teat, how much wind they take.

And not forgetting going down to the kitchen every time they demand food (and newborns ask for food for anything don't they?!).

Oh, and all the rubbish you need to leave the house at all.

[TB9]

It isn't easy, no matter how you feed your baby it's hard work  It took FOREVER to figure out the right formula for dd2, and the right bottle, and the right flow nipple...I had a couple of massively long threads on here that lasted months 

[Shiv52]

Hugs Liz xx

Funny I thought similar the other day as I'm minding my friends LO a few days a week and he's on aptimal and it's the first time I've made bottles and it's such a faff. The making with boiling water then cooling is a total pain. Need to be so organised so I can only imagine it's 10 times worse with a newborn.  BFing is so simple in comparison once you get going of course!! 

I guess the upside though is someone else can help out and take over?   But realistically how often can that happen?!

[Buttonbobs]

Hugs honey, I remember when I started bottle feeding E I just couldn't understand how I would work out how to feed her throughout the day with sterilising and all that faff, but I did get it down to an art in the end, and DH was able to help more and more as E settled into a routine, particularly with the DF and other night feeds when needed.

I don't think it's ever easy to feed a baby, but you will get into the swing of things. ((Hugs))

[kayra]

Yes all that is a pain but you do get used to it and like Naomi said you get it down to an art. If it's any help, what we do is have a thermos flask of hot water and a jug with a lid of cooled water and mix that in the bottle (in time you work out how much of which one makes it a good temperature).
Getting out is an absolute pain too but again we've learnt to have a small thermos flask at the right temp etc. when dh is around he does a lot of feeds, same with my parents, babysitters, even ds1 has fed the babies
Having said that, just today I was saying that I'm going to be so happy once all this formula stuff is finished and they can have regular milk!

[*Liz*]

Thanks ladies. I think I felt it should be 'easy peasy'. After all, so much effort is put into supporting BFing iyswim??

Thomas is a very similar feeder to Jacob, but I BF him. Looks like I will have to work just as hard to get this teeny Thomas bottle feeding  .

It's been a long day (or rather it was a long night  ), and I made DS's top lip all red by giving him a bottle that was too hot. Not the milk - just the teat after it had been it the steriliser. I felt awful  . It's better now though.

3 more nights until DH returns....

[Buntybear]

Oh Liz, are you on your own with 3 kids? xxx

[*Liz*]

Yup. DH is away this week, then off for 2 weeks on holiday, then back to Wigan for 5 weeks.

Then he starts the new job  . It's about 12 mile away... So def no escape from us then  .

[koe2moe]

That will be a good start of 2015, right?  Family of 5 together.  . Lots of hugs for the coming two days. 

[creations]

Oh Liz, are you on your own with 3 kids? xxx

Liz you are super-mom!!!

Making bottles is a massive faff. I was gutted when I couldn't BF because I didn't want all that faffing around.
YK you can put the sterile bottles together (lid on etc) in the fridge empty and they are fine all day so you don't have to worry about them becoming un-sterile after opening your sterilizer or whatever method you're using.

Ready to drink milk was our chosen luxury item.  Life saver!  I cut back money wise on other things so we could use ready to drink for every feed.  Could it be an option for you?

[Lolly]

Liz - have you thought about investing in one of those Tommee Tippee machines that do the bottles in 2 mins from scratch? They are a bit pricey, but if I was in your shoes I'd get one. You can sterilise the bottles in one go and then assemble them and they will be sterile for up to 24 hours. You won't need to faff with hot bottles/ teats and will have a bottle ready to drink in 2 mins if you use the machine.

{{HUGS}} you are doing an amazing job!

Laura

[amayzie]

Oh hugs hon!! I always thought i was on a secret trick when i was breastfeeding- no faffing about with sterilising!! So no- never thought that bottles were the 'easy way out' at all!!

[TB9]

Ready to feed or concentrated formula was awesome for us too!  And it tends to be thicker for some reason so it sat better in dds tummy.

Definitely sterilize and assemble all the bottles ahead of time if you can.  And if I had to do it again, I would definitely get the tommee tippee formula machine thingy!

[<Catherine>]

Once I was over the initial BFing struggles I was so so glad I was successful this time, the bottle nonsense is hard bloody work!! And on your own with 3?! I take my hat off to you Liz.

DS2 went onto bottles gradually from about 7/8 months and is still on formula now (he's dairy-free) but he's gradually going over to soya milk - we haven't even got the sterilising bit anymore and it's only a cup in the morning and a bottle at BT, but I so can't wait until the formula bit is done with!

[Love, laughter, & PJs]

No experience but sending big hugs! I've seen that formula machine thing and i say do it! Looking at 5 weeks alone with them and I think you deserve it. Happy Christmas and all!