Quick q. re frozen breast milk - update

Replies

• maxnjacksmummy

  Jan 13, 2009 2:42PM

  OK - What you've done with the milk sounds FINE perfect in fact (gold star for you!)
  
  I was advise by hv to offer baby half their lb weight in oz SO if lilly is 10lbs something then offer 5oz - I generally put an extra oz in bottle as I didn't want Max to want more and not have it (generally he only had bottle if I wasn't there so there would have been no more to offer - sorry waffling now!) He very rarely finished all that in fact I think I only remember him draining a bottle once!
  
  If she starts the bottle and doesn't finish then you MUST tip the rest away (depressing after all the work you put into making it) but bacteria from her mouth and from the milk will breed away together - YUK and dangerous! If she refuses all together I am not sure - you could maybe keep it till tomorrowbut not sure I would want to - don't have advise on that one??!
  
  HTH

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• Poz

  Jan 13, 2009 2:44PM

  That sounds ok. If she doesn't finish it or refuses it (but has had the teat in her mouth) you will need to chuck it as once it has been 'contaminated' with saliva it won't keep. So I would only put an ounce or 2 in the bottle to start with, that way if she doesn't take it you can keep the rest and try again tomorrow.
  
  A good rule for how much she will take is to halve her weight in pounds, so at 10lb she should take roughly 5oz.That has always worked fairly well for Beth.
  
  I hope she takes to it well!

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• PinkToothbrush

  Jan 13, 2009 3:42PM

  Thanks girls. CC, I remember you've told me that about halving baby's weight before but I couldn't remember it - have committed it to memory now.
  
  Good tip about only offering a few oz to being with so as not to waste it - thanks Poz. (Am ridiculously chuffed by the little pots of milk and would hate to throw it away! - also, expressing is so BORING and don't want to have to do it any more than I absolutely need to).
  
  **slaps gold star on forehead where everyone can see it**

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• hollysmumbump

  Jan 13, 2009 4:43PM

  i was gonna repeat what the others have said!!good luck,hope she takes to the bottle xx

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• PinkToothbrush

  Jan 14, 2009 9:18AM

  Well, she was not impressed with the bottle AT ALL! Took about an oz (looking very unimpressed indeed!) and then flatly refused any more - until I offered the boob, when she fed for about 20 mins :evil:
  
  What do you reckon I should do? Keep persevering with small amounts? I really want her to accept it as I want to know it's ok for me to go out and leave her with daddy from time to time :roll:
  
  I was using newborn teats but the flow still seemed too fast for her, it kept coming out of her mouth (this could be because she wasn't really sucking properly - her lips weren't clamped).
  
  My HV said if she's hungry enough, she'll drink it. She also said try getting hubby to do it, as if she knows it's me she'll know there's a boob not too far away, whereas if it's someone else offering she might settle for it.
  
  Any advice?
  

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• maxnjacksmummy

  Jan 14, 2009 9:28AM

  Defo leave the room about 10 mins before and let daddy get on with it and try to stay away for as long as poss.
  
  I hate to say it (and I know the official advice says otherwise) but I really think that lo's need ot be offered a bottle earlier than you have - I know that me and 3 others who were bf gave bottles of expressed before 6 weeks (we had to with max blah blah blah won't go into that again!) but I know another 3 who didn't offer the bottle till after 6 weeks and 2 of those were unsuccessful at EVER getting lo to take a bottle - sorry depressing I know.
  
  I would say keep trying daily - anyway you could try not the last feed of the day incase she is tired as well as hungry?
  
  ummmm will think what else ....

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• EnglebertW_nkface

  Jan 14, 2009 9:32AM

  If it were me I would try a different bottle. I never managed to get Millie to take a bottle (although I'll admit I didn't try that hard) Barney took a full 6oz feed, from me, the first time I tried (at 16 weeks) The only difference was the bottle, TT for Millie and an Early Years Breastflow bottle for Barney. they have a special 2 part teat that lets them suck in exactly the same way as when they are bfing so it is easier for them.
  Good luck,
  xx

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• Poz

  Jan 14, 2009 9:36AM

  I would keep trying, maybe get your husband to do it next time, as your hv said. With your oh it would be a completely new experience, whereas with you Lily is probably thinking 'Why doesn't she stop messing around and just feed me?!'
  
  Don't be too discouraged though, she did take some milk and I'll sure she'll get used to it with practice.

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• PinkToothbrush

  Jan 14, 2009 9:44AM

  Ok, ta. Will try getting hubby to do it, will try different time of day, will stick at it in the hope she just needs practice, and if all else fails will try a different teat )
  
  If none of those things work will resign myself to never going anywhere without a baby on my boob ever again

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• maxnjacksmummy

  Jan 14, 2009 9:49AM

  Oh it's not that bad yet PTB
  
  I have never heard of those teats Bedhead - sounds great though!!!!

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• EnglebertW_nkface

  Jan 14, 2009 10:09AM

  Think you can only get them from mothercare, they are really clever, Barney latches onto it in exactly the same way as he does to me.
  xx

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