Author Topic: Why is this 'easier'?!  (Read 5540 times)

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Offline *Liz*

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Why is this 'easier'?!
« on: December 16, 2014, 19:25:17 pm »
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.

Offline TB9

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2014, 19:29:18 pm »
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  ;D

Offline Shiv52

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2014, 19:32:04 pm »
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?!





Offline Buttonbobs

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2014, 19:38:03 pm »
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))
~ Naomi ~




Offline kayra

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2014, 20:36:19 pm »
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! ;)

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Offline *Liz*

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #5 on: December 16, 2014, 21:18:32 pm »
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....

Offline Buntybear

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #6 on: December 16, 2014, 22:45:26 pm »
Oh Liz, are you on your own with 3 kids? xxx

Offline *Liz*

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #7 on: December 17, 2014, 08:31:09 am »
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  ;).

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #8 on: December 17, 2014, 08:50:50 am »
That will be a good start of 2015, right?  Family of 5 together.  :). Lots of hugs for the coming two days. 



Offline creations

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #9 on: December 17, 2014, 10:59:45 am »
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?


Offline Lolly

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #10 on: December 17, 2014, 12:24:59 pm »
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


Offline amayzie

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #11 on: December 17, 2014, 13:06:42 pm »
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!!
Katy, Mummy to Hamish!


Offline TB9

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #12 on: December 17, 2014, 13:48:03 pm »
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!

Offline <Catherine>

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #13 on: December 17, 2014, 14:30:19 pm »
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!

Catherine x








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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #14 on: December 18, 2014, 03:51:41 am »
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!
*Kate*



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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #15 on: December 18, 2014, 19:09:32 pm »
Big Hugs - you really are a SUPER mum!

Offline *Liz*

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #16 on: December 18, 2014, 20:48:33 pm »
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.

That's really interesting. The last 2 days DS has vomited a lot. Always after the feed, and I have a long track record with reflux/ MPI with the previous 2, so was assuming either/ or iyswim? But I have only just moved over to normal formula after using ready made at first. So I wonder if that is playing a part as well.

Offline *Kara*

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #17 on: December 19, 2014, 04:25:45 am »
I was told by our ped to use concentrate or RTF for my refluxers because it is a bit thicker than powder.  That said, I hate powder and have never used it other than in a pinch!    Concentrate is about the same price (sometimes a bit less) than powder here in Canada so that's what I used for DD1 and now for the twins as well.  I make it in a 2L jug and keep it ready to go in the fridge, pour a bottle as needed and into the microwave.  I have never sterilized.

Thomas may be a bit refluxy simply because he was a bit of an eager boy to join us in the world ;)  The twins have preemie-related reflux.  They have been on Zantac for a good month now and things are much better - a bit spilly at times but overall, so much better!  At least now they don't scream if the spit up ;)



Offline *Liz*

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #18 on: December 19, 2014, 08:49:54 am »
Yeah I know - one of the first things I said when he was lay in NICU with his OG tube down was that the reflux was inevitable at this point  ::) ;).

We were thinking milk related issues because he also has mucous in his poo and redness round his anus. He's been pooping from 4-10 times a day. Every time he releases gas some explodes through  :-X.

But he may just have an immature gut and be adapting  :-\.

They don't have formula concentrate here. The powder is £10 for 800g, which basically lasts a week, whereas the RFT is 89p for a 200ml bottle. So it works out pretty expensive. They do make a larger bottle now but I'm not sure how that works since you have to use within 24 hrs of opening.

Offline creations

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #19 on: December 19, 2014, 09:52:13 am »
The ready to drink milk really is more expensive Liz and I can certainly understand why the majority of bottle feeders choose powder for the price.

It was all cartons when I had DS, the new bottles are even better with the lid on! Having an open carton in the fridge was a bit of a PITA.
In the early days we used the smaller 200ml, then medium sized cartons 500ml and once he was taking enough then the 1 litre cartons. I *think* the 1litre lasts 48 hrs in the fridge but you'd need to check on the bottle as it's been a while for me. If we went out I judged if I could use the open carton from the fridge (fill a bottle and take with me if it wasn't going to bee too long before the feed) or needed to take a small carton. I also kept small cartons in the car permanently.


Offline *Kara*

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #20 on: December 20, 2014, 04:50:15 am »
I often took RTF with me if we had to be out and feed on the go as well... or as she got older and was more prone to those random feeds off schedule that catch you by surprise!  That way, I could have a carton in the diaper bag and a clean bottle to use if needed.. if she got hungry, we were prepared and if not, nothing was wasted :) 

Liz - you can prepare powder in advance as well to save yourself some prep time.  Oddly enough, all of our powder formulas are specifically labelled that they should never be given to a premature baby.



Offline kayra

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #21 on: December 20, 2014, 07:16:29 am »
I've never heard of rtf, too bad it's so expensive, even if they had it it here it wouldn't be possible for us with twins.
Maybe you could use it till he's a bit bigger and his gut is more mature, the switch to powder if you feel it's all adding up too much?

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Offline *Liz*

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #22 on: December 20, 2014, 07:37:39 am »
He's on nutramigen anyway now after vomiting everything up this week. As far as I am aware it is powder only as it's a prescription hypoallergenic one.

Ours do say not for prems as well but he's term now so I just assumed that meant whilst they were preterm yk?

Offline Emami

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #23 on: December 23, 2014, 21:44:03 pm »
Hugs Liz, I know you wanted to bf. Don't know anything about nutramigen but hope it's working for him.

I've had the opposite of your experience in that I am breastfeeding my second baby after having formula fed my first. Definitely BFing is 100x more convenient having everything you need with you all the time!  Bottles are a pain to assemble, wash, etc as others have said. But I do get why they are 'easier' too. I feel much more uncertain about feeding DD2 than I did with DD1.  I find it hard not knowing how much she's had, and when she's cluster feeding and it goes on and on and on I don't know whether she's hungry or just using me for comfort.  When she's fussy or gassy I wonder if it's my milk or something I've eaten, even though I'm pretty sure she's fine and just getting used to being in the world. I love seeing her grow and knowing I'm doing that, but on the flip side BFing makes me feel like all I ever do is feed her and that's what she associates me with. Other people can hold her and she's settled but with me she's always rooting and I find that frustrating. I feel like a milk machine, whereas with bottles anyone can do it.  I'm happy that BFing is going well this time, but it's a love/hate thing for me at the moment and I do understand the appeal of bottles.
Emma






Offline *Liz*

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #24 on: December 23, 2014, 22:31:20 pm »
I always feed DS still... I can't let that go yet. I feel it is my job. But equally I guess I can pop out and not panic if he wakes hungry because someone else can at least offer.

I hate knowing how much he has had  ::). But perhaps that is because he takes so little.

I'm finding my groove more now. I have a system for overnight feeds etc.

Offline *Kara*

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #25 on: December 23, 2014, 23:32:13 pm »
We can get RTF Nutramigen here in Canada so it does exist.  It comes in 1L jugs or powder :)

As for the preemie disclaimer - I asked a pharmacist about it here.. he said best to wait until baby is about 6 months old adjusted as it has to do with gut flora etc.  I am a powder hater though so didn't push for much more info... there was just one formula I wanted to try that was only available as a powder.

Glad that you are finding a groove!  It does get easier with a bit of practice for sure.  Even after having FF DD1, I was overwhelmed and underprepared with the twins (and I planned to go right to formula this time around).  Still was a bit much at first!



Offline koe2moe

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #26 on: December 24, 2014, 10:32:37 am »
Liz, glad to hear that you found your groove.  More holidays vibes to Thomas and you all have a wonderful time together.  xx



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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #27 on: December 24, 2014, 16:34:42 pm »
Liz we found the powder made our kids miserable and the extra we paid for concentrate made it easier.  We also were able to prepare bottles for the day to keep in the fridge with the concentrate and that made things easier what with how busy we were.  The extra cost really wasnt relevant when we considered the time and stress savings.  We also had a sterilizer which we only really used for the frost couple of months then we stopped sterilizing and all was well! 

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Re: Why is this 'easier'?!
« Reply #28 on: December 28, 2014, 20:43:03 pm »
Liz can't get concentrate over her side of the pond ;)  They have RTF but it is quite expensive, just like it is over here :)