Formula Feeding Thread

[elm1214]

I think there are a few of us who are FFing, I figured we could use a place for any questions that may come up.

I'm just curious, how old is your baby and how much/often is your LO eating?

[elm1214]

DD3 is 3 weeks old (as of yesterday), she is eating 3 ounces about every 3-4 hours (usually 7 bottles total per day). She usually takes the entire 3 ounces and I'm tempted to bump her bottles up to 4 ounces but that just seems like a lot.

[redhead610]

We are! I have the same question! We have seen a couple different pedis at our practice and they all had different answers.

Ds2 is 2 weeks today. He was eating 2 oz but screaming for more. Monday the dr recommended that we try .5 oz more each time, so we bumped him up to 2.5. He eats about every 3 hrs, with a total of 8 bottles a day. They also said to wake at 3 hrs during the day, 4 hrs at night which seemed strange to me since he is up over his birth weight. At his 2 day appt they said not to go longer than 5 hrs at night- I wish they gave us clear answers!

[elm1214]

redhead610, I haven't been waking her to eat at all since she started gaining weight. We have had one or two nights where she has gone just over 5 hours (I would like more of those!) but at this point I don't worry about waking her up.

I usually like to offer more than she eats because then I know she is full, but she seems like she will eat as much as I will give so I don't know.

[hannahbear]

I'm popping in but I don't know if I go here yet. I am breastfeeding and supplementing with formula - though if things don't improve BF-wise I may be switching over.

I mostly give formula at night - this way DH can take a shift! Our BF routine is so complex and time consuming. At night we've been giving up to 2 ounces, and we are waking him up every 3 hours, though the ped yesterday said we could move to 4 hours at night.

[hollyberry]

The twins are almost 3.5 weeks. Baby girl eats anywhere from 75-115 ml so it looks like 3-4oz. Baby boy eats 115ml -160ml. Basically just a couple big bottles a day and the others are closer to the smaller side. With the formula that we have everyone says that they can eat as much as they want and it's not a issue. They eat every 3.5- 4 hours. And the drs and the midwife say not to let them go more then 4.5 -5 hours between feedings. With the two, if one is stull sleeping and the other is hungry we feed the one then wake the other so that their schedules stay simular.

[kokopelli]

I nurse on demand and then offer a bottle during the day. At night she gets a bottle. She is almost 2 months but only adjusted age of two weeks. So usually she takes 2 oz during day, 3oz at night. I don't wake her up but she usually only goes 3 to 3.5 hours.

I wouldn't wake up a baby after they started gaining over their birth weight. It doesn't really matter if they eat every xyz, it comes down to their total volume per 24 hours. But I get some pedi may think otherwise.

Yall, to mix formula, the blender bottle is amazing. I have one for my protien shakes but now I use it for formula too. I whip up my formula and then put into bottle in fridge. I only warm to room temperature but I want to start having her take them cold soon. I highly recommend the blender bottle. It mixes the formula so quickly and you can use it for non formula purposes.

[hannahbear]

hollyberry what formula do you use?

[redhead610]

kokopelli, I just got the Dr Browns formula mixer/pitcher so that I can make a bunch and pour out what I need. Ds2 doesn't seem to mind room temp or straight from the fridge - way better than needing to warm them!

[hollyberry]

hannahbear, Well I am in Germany and the formula is called bebivita Pre HA. Any Pre formula here can be dranken like that. And HA just means hypo allergenic. I believe the pre formula is just the first formula you give. But everyone says they can stay with that the whole time as apposed to changing to thicker ones or more advanced ones or whatever makes them for older babies. We started with a nestle beba pre HA but it was more expensive so we swiched to this one. Apparently the Pre HA ones are all the same just different makers.

[kaitkat]

Yay I go here we are using good start with probiotic. And the baby breza lol it's amazing!!

Jaxson the bigger baby takes 2.5 each feed I usually make more because he is close to eating 3. William takes 2 to 2.5 each feed it seems he is starting to eat more to catch up to his brother!

Our two week check up is Saturday so looking forward to seeing if they have gained any weight

Edited to say my babies love to eat DD was the same way and is consistently 90 percentile for height and weight

[spicysalmonroll]

So I'm in the weird trying to transition phase if anyone has tips. My lactation consultant thinks he's just eating "snacks" since he's breastfeeding every hour and a half. I'm like well I can't handle this anymore (it's been 5 weeks).

So she told me to top him off with formula for the first few days to get his tummy accustomed before giving him a feeding entirely of formula. But he keeps nursing and then refusing the bottle. He acts full, but I know he's just done his "snack" BS and going to be hungry in less than two hours. Grrr. I guess I'll try giving the formula first instead of last.

[kokopelli]

Aug 24, 2016 18:48:45 GMT -5 spicysalmonroll said:

So I'm in the weird trying to transition phase if anyone has tips. My lactation consultant thinks he's just eating "snacks" since he's breastfeeding every hour and a half. I'm like well I can't handle this anymore (it's been 5 weeks).

So she told me to top him off with formula for the first few days to get his tummy accustomed before giving him a feeding entirely of formula. But he keeps nursing and then refusing the bottle. He acts full, but I know he's just done his "snack" BS and going to be hungry in less than two hours. Grrr. I guess I'll try giving the formula first instead of last.

Pump and mix half and half? I'm not really sure because mine are always starving and happy to have a bottle after the boob. But when we did formula to cow milk we did it mixing half and half

[redhead610]

Aug 24, 2016 18:48:45 GMT -5 spicysalmonroll said:

So I'm in the weird trying to transition phase if anyone has tips. My lactation consultant thinks he's just eating "snacks" since he's breastfeeding every hour and a half. I'm like well I can't handle this anymore (it's been 5 weeks).

So she told me to top him off with formula for the first few days to get his tummy accustomed before giving him a feeding entirely of formula. But he keeps nursing and then refusing the bottle. He acts full, but I know he's just done his "snack" BS and going to be hungry in less than two hours. Grrr. I guess I'll try giving the formula first instead of last.

I can't remember, but have you done a weighted feed to see how much he's getting to see if he's getting enough? Have you tried using a pacifier after eating or at that hour and a half? Ds2 is constantly wanted to suck, and after a bottle wants to suck more. Occasionally he will spit it out and won't take it - then I know he wants more to eat. But if I was bfing I have a feeling he would be constantly trying to nurse/stay latched and suck forever.

[redhead610]

Scratch that, I read it as you were trying to combo feed. I didn't realize that you are trying to transition to just formula. When we switched ds1, we just did a bottle of formula. Now, that was at 7 months, so I'm not sure if it's recommended on newborn tummies. But it may be worth trying just one bottle, then bfing for the rest, and gradually doing more bottles and less breast milk. Or, give a bottle of half and half if you want to pump.

[elm1214]

Aug 24, 2016 18:48:45 GMT -5 spicysalmonroll said:

So I'm in the weird trying to transition phase if anyone has tips. My lactation consultant thinks he's just eating "snacks" since he's breastfeeding every hour and a half. I'm like well I can't handle this anymore (it's been 5 weeks).

So she told me to top him off with formula for the first few days to get his tummy accustomed before giving him a feeding entirely of formula. But he keeps nursing and then refusing the bottle. He acts full, but I know he's just done his "snack" BS and going to be hungry in less than two hours. Grrr. I guess I'll try giving the formula first instead of last.

Have you tried a different bottle? All of mine have taken the Dr. Browns without issue but I know some babies are really picky about which bottle they will take.

[elm1214]

I'm considering switching DD's formula. She is 4 weeks old and currently on Similac Advance. I briefly switched her to sensitive but it really did not agree with her so I switched her back. She is just fussy and spits up a lot. Part of it is reflux and the Zantac isn't helping.

Has anyone tried Similac Total Comfort or Gerber Soothe?

[quirks]

DD is 4 weeks today. She does 100-120mL every 3 hours and has done that for a week now.

I second the rec for the Dr Browns formula pitcher. It's so much easier than trying to do the math and it mixes well and gets rid of the chunks.

We are on Similac Neosure (preemie). The NICU dr said we'd be on it for the first year, but I hope we can switch in a few months. It only comes in small cans.

[youdontsay]

What is the rule with mixing and storing formula? On the Enfamil box is says that it can stay out for two hours after being prepared but refrigerated for 24 hours. I just get nervous with leaving a bottle out for two hours, what do you guys do or suggest?

Also do you guys sterilize your bottles every night? I don't mind doing it, it's just tedious and I feel like I never have enough room to do this every night.

[quirks]

We started out sterilizing bottles every night but now we do it maybe once a week. I'm too lazy and washing them everyday already takes too long

We keep bottles in the fridge. I've also heard a mixed bottle shouldn't stay out more than 1-2 hours and refrigerated can stay up to 24 hrs.

[quirks]

When DD was taking smaller bottles I would fill the bottles with room temp water and have them in her bedroom at night. I would put the formula in a formula dispenser (cup with 3 sections) and mix each bottle in her room as needed.

Now she's on an odd amount (more than 1 scoop but not 2) so we do the fridge with the formula pitcher.

[elm1214]

youdontsay, Those are the times I follow. I also read that it's only good for one hour once they drink from it. I use powder with room temp bottles so I just make them as I need them.

I sterilize bottles when they are brand new, if they have a bad illness, and between all my babies. Otherwise I just hand wash or (mostly) put them in the dishwasher.

[redhead610]

We sterilized before first use and just put them in the dishwasher after using. I make enough in the pitcher for 1 day and just pour each bottle, and he takes them from the fridge.

Ds is now 3 weeks and we are mostly doing 2.5 oz bottles. He gets 8 per day. The doctor mentioned 8 feedings fr the first month. For those giving more oz, do you do 8 bottles a day or is it spread out? Ds seems pretty happy at about 20 oz/day but I know they change so quickly at this point!

[spicysalmonroll]

Well the next time he was hungry we started with the bottle rather than the boob and he actually took half of it. Then he refused and waited for the boob to finish off. But for his first time ever using a bottle I think that's a small victory.


elm1214 my friend's daughter had the same gassy/ colicy/ reflux on zantac. She really likes the enfamil gentle ease. She actually uses the cheaper Walmart version of it. Since my DS is also oj zantac and has a rough tummy, that's what we are trying to start out with. Hopefully I get the same result as my friend.

quirks that's exactly my plan, to have room temp pre-portioned water in bottles and use the little Tupperware dispenser to mix on the spot.

[meagpt22]

Aug 24, 2016 21:42:49 GMT -5 youdontsay said:

What is the rule with mixing and storing formula? On the Enfamil box is says that it can stay out for two hours after being prepared but refrigerated for 24 hours. I just get nervous with leaving a bottle out for two hours, what do you guys do or suggest?

Also do you guys sterilize your bottles every night? I don't mind doing it, it's just tedious and I feel like I never have enough room to do this every night.

Lurking as I still have an inside baby. But with DD we didn't sterilize nightly. We in the beginning just used soap and water to wash and then when using less bottles daily started putting in dishwasher nightly.

[quirks]

Does anyone else have a kid that ends up wearing a good portion of the formula? Sometimes it's the bottle leaking, but other times she is just dribbling out her mouth while she's eating.

[dorkusmalorkus]

Aug 25, 2016 21:24:37 GMT -5 quirks said:

Does anyone else have a kid that ends up wearing a good portion of the formula? Sometimes it's the bottle leaking, but other times she is just dribbling out her mouth while she's eating.

Ugh, we do! Because of that, I've got quite a collection of bottles. The comotomo bottles barely leak for us; everything else is kind of a mess. I don't remember my other 2 dribbling so much & got to wondering the other day if S has a tongue-tie or something. Is that feasible, or am I overtired & making things up?

[quirks]

Aug 26, 2016 10:14:08 GMT -5 dorkusmalorkus said:

Aug 25, 2016 21:24:37 GMT -5 quirks said:

Does anyone else have a kid that ends up wearing a good portion of the formula? Sometimes it's the bottle leaking, but other times she is just dribbling out her mouth while she's eating.

Ugh, we do! Because of that, I've got quite a collection of bottles. The comotomo bottles barely leak for us; everything else is kind of a mess. I don't remember my other 2 dribbling so much & got to wondering the other day if S has a tongue-tie or something. Is that feasible, or am I overtired & making things up?

I have no idea on the tongue-tie. I keep peeking around in DD's mouth just because there's been so much talk in one of the other threads about it, but I don't think she has a tie? I don't think the nipple is too fast either. It's like she gets lazy and lets it drip sometimes.