Bottles for newborn

[Cookies7]

Hi, I'm a first time mum to be and abit confused as to which bottles to buy. Do I buy a standard kit or starter kit. Standard kits seem to come with sterilisers etc too.

[Jonesy84]

Hi lovely, firstly congrats….tbh I didn’t give it much thought and bought this set as they were so easy to sterilise and had different sizes. amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07...

They come with a size 1 teat which I assumed was the smaller one but they do a size zero. My little boy was fine on size one but if you find the flow is too fast to start with and baby seems overwhelmed then maybe try a zeroteat as the flow is much slower.

If you check the link above it shows a video of how to sterilise them and it’s just a case of washing them filling with water in the bottom and putting them in the microwave xx

[Cookies7 in reply to Jonesy84]

Thanks alot will have a look at them 👍 😀

[Seb9]

It all depends how you plan on feeding baby really?I planned to breastfeed so I just got a couple of Tommy Tippee bottles that were on offer and used Milton to sterilise them when we would give a bottle. So if you're planning on breastfeeding you probably don't want to spend loads on a bottle and sterilising system. It would have been a waste of money for me as we only use the bottle when I go out or dad does a feed so I can get an early night.

If you're planning on bottle feeding then you might want to spend more on getting more kit, like a steriliser.

If you plan on breastfeeding and then change your mind later on, you can always order stuff for next day delivery or go to the shops and pick up some bottles and steriliser to start using formula.

[Cookies7 in reply to Seb9]

I am planning on breastfeeding, but I've heard of women planning to breast feed but then don't have enough milk. So use formula as a top up. Is that a thing you've heard ever?

And you're right for future use or when going out maybe I should get them anyway. There's a good kit on offer right now. Thanks for your reply 😀

[Seb9 in reply to Cookies7]

I think one of the biggest thing when babies are born that mum's aren't really sure what breadfeeding should look like, in those first few days and weeks.You're learning a new skill and baby is learning too and it's nothing like anything you've ever done before. Make sure to get help with your latch from the midwives or feeding team and that you're happy before you come home with baby.

In the early days they feed a lot and fuss and a people think this is a sign you're not producing enough when really what baby is doing is stimulating your body to tell you how much to supply.

So topping up with formula in the early days can be counter productive because you're body doesn't receive the signals to make more milk. The more signals baby gives you, the more milk you'll make, so lots of skin to skin and lots of offering boob.

If baby is having lots of wet, dirty nappies and gaining weight, then your making enough and that's the best way to gauge it.

By giving formula as a top up you can end up in what's called a top up trap, you top up with formula and then your body doesn't make as much milk because it's not been used, then you have to top up more and it becomes a bit of a vicious circle.

I like to use a bit of formula for when I want to go to bed for an hour or so before my husband brings baby up to me, so he gives baby a few ounces at about 10pm and I go to bed. Because we do this one feed, fairly often my body has got used to this so if you want to give a regular bottle of formula it's probably best to give it at the same time every day so your body can regulate its supply rather than giving baby formula after or before a feed from you. It's also a good idea to make sure your breastfeeding is established so they don't get a bottle preference, because the flow can be easier and quicker from your bottle than from breast, if you have a look up pace feeding this shows how to feed a bottle to mimic breastfeeding closer to try and avoid bottle preference. I didn't give baby bottle for a good few weeks till I knew she had got the hang of breastfeeding really well and only dad gave the bottle so she knows who had what she I try not to give her the bottle too often.

There's a really good breadfeeding group on Facebook called UK breastfeeding, they're really helpful.

Good luck with it all xx

[Cookies7 in reply to Seb9]

Thanks alot for your reply alot of useful info for me. Thats really going to help me out thanks ever so much. 😀

[Mcra in reply to Cookies7]

Adding to that good source of information is La Leche League. Check information on and prepare to cluster feed. Trust your body. In the beginning baby needs very little milk but very often. And my advice is don't buy anything for bottle formula feeding. You can get it once baby is born if needed, and hospitals have everything if your baby is not gaining weight. Good luck!

[Cookies7 in reply to Mcra]

Oh thanks that's good to know. I guess I won't be buying them soon then. Are tommie tippie a good brand to buy in general?

[Mcra in reply to Cookies7]

I'm sure it is. I use MAM bottles for occasional expressed milk bottle (baby is 16 weeks), but I've heard no bottles are better than the other, all anti colic claims are not proven. The main thing is if you're breastfeeding to use slow flow teat and pace feed. And don't express until breastfeeding is established (6-8 weeks) unless there is a medical reason for it.

Since I had a baby I also found out that if you have to top up feeds you can use a cup instead of a bottle, so I'd choose that. It's to not confuse your baby and make sure she latches on the breast. You can look up videos to see how it's done and it's so cute.

But think positively. Most women can breastfeed straight away and don't need to introduce formula. But not all hospitals have proper support so do your research now, watch videos about deep latch, go to classes, read. The more you're prepared, the more likely everything goes well. Good luck!

[Cookies7 in reply to Mcra]

Ok thankyou I will do some research. I am abit nervous as its my first time doing any of it but I guess practice will make perfect eventually, well here's hoping 😌

[Mcra in reply to Cookies7]

I'm sure you'll do great

[zarazara1985 in reply to Seb9]

I wish someone told me this before when I had my son years ago ,I always thought it was the opposite (more feeding lees milk supply)so I started giving him formula as I was thinking he wasn’t getting enough milk but with this baby due soon I wouldn’t do the same mistake

[Seb9 in reply to zarazara1985]

I did 16 months with my first, then I got pregnant again and am now feeding my 4 month old, I just feel really lucky that I had friends who had breastfed and gave me the low down on what to expect.Any tips and advice I can give you in happy to share, there's also a really great group on Facebook called breastfeeding UK which is really helpful xx

[zarazara1985 in reply to Seb9]

Thank you so much ,I really appreciate it xx

[Twiglet2]

Breastfeeding didn’t work for me after about 4 days but I had on hand the little premade bottles of milk that come with the teat to screw on top and a couple of tomee tipee ones I just boiled and it got me through the 48 hours until Amazon delivered a steriliser and mam anti colic bottles (we found these much better than the tonne tipee and can be quickly sterilised in micro if needed). Good luck xx

[Cookies7 in reply to Twiglet2]

Thanks for the tip

[0629]

Hello, congratulations!

You may try Mam bottles and they come with self sterilisation option. If you are planning to pump or formula then you can buy microwave sterilisation box . All the best.

[ANONYMOUSBABY]

If you intend to use bottles at any stage , I really really recommend introducing from the start even if they have expressed milk. I made the mistake of not giving one consistently and now I desperately need to use one. My little one is almost 12 weeks and will not take a bottle! I’ve tried so many brands and all the tips - still no luck!

[Mcra in reply to ANONYMOUSBABY]

Have you tried cup feeding?

[ANONYMOUSBABY in reply to Mcra]

I don’t think I can right? as she’s only 12 weeks, and will be 3 months next week! Grateful if you know otherwise!

[Mcra in reply to ANONYMOUSBABY]

Google newborn cup feeding, you should find videos showing how it's done. It's different to drinking from a cup by older babies. I didn't know about it when it would have been helpful, but I wish I did.

[ANONYMOUSBABY in reply to Mcra]

Thank you so much!

[Peony85]

I ended up doing a combination of breast and bottle as I never produced enough and my baby lost too much weight in the first few days. I had bought the pre made bottles with screw on tops like Twiglet mentioned, and had bought one pack of Mam bottles. She took to those well so then I bought more and a steriliser once I knew that we were going down that path. The plastic Mam ones are convenient as they can be sterilised in the microwave, but I moved over to glass as I wasn’t comfortable with using that much plastic with my baby especially when heating the bottles.

One thing you can do to not fall into the “top up trap,” if you do go down this path is to express after breastfeeding to get any last bit and simulate cluster feeding. Then give this after the next breastfeed before any top up formula. The idea being that this simulates more demand so increases production. It was recommended to me by a midwife. To be honest though, I was so tired in those early newborn days that the idea of breastfeeding, expressing, bottle feeding, and cleaning pump and bottles was too overwhelming for me and topping up gave me some sanity.

[Cookies7 in reply to Peony85]

The sterilisation in microwave that alot of women have mentioned is that the only method of sterilisation?

Thanks for the tip about the feeds. All this info will help me alot

[Peony85 in reply to Cookies7]

There are several sterilization methods I know of - may be more. Microwave sterilization - can either put a specifically designed container for sterilization with water or bag with water in the microwave. Mam specifically makes bottles that you can sterilize by just putting water in the bottom and assembling in a certain way, so you don’t need any other equipment to sterilize the bottle in the microwave, which was really handy at first for me. Steam sterilization machines that create the steam to sterilize the bottles - some even dry them (this is what I have) but these take up counter space. UV sterilization - I like this in theory but the instructions for my pump parts said specifically not to use so I didn’t go this route. Cold water sterilization with special tablets - I didn’t do this so afraid I don’t know the details.

[Cookies7 in reply to Peony85]

Ok thanks for that. 😀