Q If you plan to FF

are you using powdered or ready to feed? does it matter which brand?

Message edited 5/25/2012 1:47:09 PM.

Re: Q If you plan to FF

if i decide to FF ( i am still going back and forth on BF or FF) I will probably do the ready to feed just because i wont have the patience to get the powder perfect Each feeding... thats just me though

Re: Q If you plan to FF

powder is cheaper but more work since you obviously need to mix it yourself. I'd probably choose that though since i'm a cheap @ss

Re: Q If you plan to FF

I use the powder. For me its easier, although i know others feel the RTF is much easier.

Re: Q If you plan to FF

I use the powder. The RTF are super expensive. It takes only a few seconds to mix it- no biggie.

Re: Q If you plan to FF

The hospital gave us similac advanced when i needed to supplement. After a while i noticed he was having tummy troubles so the ped switched us to enfamil gentlease.

Re: Q If you plan to FF

i plan on using the powder, my sister did with my nephew and it was never an issue

Re: Q If you plan to FF

We started with the enfamil newborn because that's what the ped gave us when DD was losing a lot of weight after birth. At first we had the RTF little nurser bottles because I got a case for free. After that, we used the enfamil newborn powder until she was 3 months, then went to enfamil infant powder (the yellow container). I used the RTF glass bottles when we went away for the weekend or on trips, or sometimes the RTF cans just because it was easier when we were away from home. Usually I mixed a day's worth of formula with the powder in the Dr. Brown's formula mixing pitcher and used that for a day, then would start over the next evening and mix another day's worth (I always kept track of what time it had to be used by or dumped since you only have 24 hours to use it if you mix in advance). It worked out well for us.

If you use the powder, get gas drops (I always get target store brand) and you can put one squirt (which is like a quarter of a dose) into the bottle after you've shaken the formula to kill all the bubbles immediately. DD never had problems with the bubbles because a friend taught me that trick.

Re: Q If you plan to FF

theres pros and cons to both.

with powder you can mix it with room temperature or warm water so the bottle doesn't need to be warmed separately.

with RTF you have to warm the bottle (unless you are OK with giving it cold) since it has to be kept cold once opened. but it is instantly ready, no mixing.

when DD was very little we used as much RTF as possible, she would get gassier from the shaking/mixing of the powder bottles. however once she got past maybe 4-5 months or so we started using mostly powder since it was cheaper and digestive system was more mature. after that we used them interchangeably and she was fine.

my only advice is, don't make that decision now. get samples and see what your baby likes/will tolerate. thats a good rule to have with most newborn things (except the big ticket items like strollers and swings). things like diapers, binkies...etc.. the baby will let you know what they prefer pretty quickly!!!

Re: Q If you plan to FF

I started on Similac - my ped wanted me on Enfamil brand b/c of the low levels of DHA in similac - so we went to gentlease. With my 2nd we went right to Enfamil newborn then to the yellow one.

Re: Q If you plan to FF

I'll probably start with rtf since it's easier and switch once they eat more and begin eating me out of house and home.

Re: Q If you plan to FF

If I have to FF I'm definitely doing powder again. SOOOO much easier than keeping a RTF bottle cold then warming it up. When I went out with the powder I had the pre measured cups and just poured them in the room temperature bottles and mixed it.

Re: Q If you plan to FF

I have alsways used the power. I keep a bottle of water on the counter and mix as we need. It is not difficult and I can even do it in the middle of the night with no issue. With RTF you have to warm a bottle and to me that is more of a PIA than to mix a bottle. Mixing took less time for me than warming.

Re: Q If you plan to FF

thanks all!! do you just get bottled water to mix, or do you boil water and then bring it down to room temp before using?

Also w/ the gas drops, can you give these to newborns?

Re: Q If you plan to FF

Re: Q If you plan to FF

Re: Q If you plan to FF

We used both. RTF initially because DD was on a special formula that did not have a powder option. Once we could go back to a regular formula we used powder when we went out and RTF at home.

Re: Q If you plan to FF

I'm planning on powder. If you use the ready to made, just be careful of the packaging. There is BPA in the lining of the cans to prolong its shelf life. It was on yahoo the other day.

Re: Q If you plan to FF

My sister used powder for a bit but after my nephew was born she used the ready to feed since it was easier she also said that her son did not like the powder. If you use the RTF its a little cheaper if you get it from a bulk discount store like BJ's they also take manufacture's coupons