Formula Feeding... best options

[Marcimama]

So we may be adopting a baby who will need formula for a time, because he is malnourished and I assume that formula is better than cows milk in fat and nutrient content, even if it isn't equal to breast milk.

But, this friend showed me this video about making your own formula and she mentioned that ALL formulas are put in BPA lined cans... even organic brands. Is this still true?

Also, what brands are considered "the best" or the most like "breast milk"?

I have NO knowledge about formula, bottle feeding and I need some education on the subject.

If I thought re-lactating was an option I would jump at it, but he will be about 8 months old by the time he gets home and I am not sure introducing breastfeeding at that age with be successful at all.

So please, any resources, info, etc... 

[GoBecGo]

Initially at least i'd stick with whatever formula he's used to, and at 8 months he will need formula until he's 12 months at least.  You can choose organic if you tend to go that way with foods, but honestly one formula is much like another.  It's around 20 calories an ounce and so is whole cows milk, which you can switch to from 12 months if you wish.

I had to FF DD1 when my thyroid broke and my supply bombed.  Honestly, they are much of a muchness.  There is no "most like" breastmilk option (a lot of them advertise on the can they are closest to breastmilk!).  There are those which contain pre or pro biotics, but nothing i read proves that they make any effective difference in protecting kids from infection.

Depending on his malnourishment and his ability to eat you might be able to help him gain by giving him calorie rich solids - avocado, nut butters, fattier cuts of meat roasted and then ground with the fats, adding oils to veggies, that sort of thing.

WRT the BPA thing - it lines metal parts of tins.  If you go for brands which use mostly card packaging it's less of an issue, and try to go for powdered rather than liquid formulas.  Nestle CLAIMS they don't use BPA lining in their powdered formula tins, but i can't find any evidence of what they use instead which is a bit suspicious to me....

Congratulations! :)

[BananaBreadGirl]

I donate breastmilk to an adopted baby through Eats on Feets. She is 1 month old now and has been 100% breastmilk fed since the time her family took her home (not all from me). I know that's know the info you were asking for but I just wanted to make you aware of that option!

[RedOakMomma]

The best formula out there is the formula your baby will eat and like.

It's that simple. :)

If your baby is flexible, then definitely...go for the powdered organic stuff in tins.  But if not, then try things like Nestle GoodStart (which is supposedly sweet like breastmilk, from what I've been told).

Dd came home at 9 months with a lot (!!!!!!) of issues that we thought might be related to switching formulas.  It was only after months of stress, tears, and almost no sleep that we were able (through the help of a friend on this board) to have some of her original Korean formula shipped to the States.  Shortly after that, many of her sleep issues went away.  I can't say for sure it was the forumla, but needless to say we valued that stuff more than gold.  Toward the end we started stretching out our supply by mixing it with GoodStart, and dd tolerated that.

It's great to research the formulas and find out which one you think is best, but be prepared to throw all that out the window and stick with whatever formula your little one likes best.  The last thing you want in a new relationship is to mess up the potential bonding time that bottlenursing can be.  That was the reason we gave adoptive nursing, actually...in the end it became too much about me trying to push breastfeeding and her actively refusing it.  Rather than have that kind of conflict in our early weeks, I just dropped it.  For us, for our situation, it was the best thing I could have done.  Bottlenursing was conflict-free, and tender, and all the bonding and more that breastfeeding could have been (because dd already knew and enjoyed bottle-feeding, and had had that secure/cuddly relationship with former caretakers).

Oh...and the make-it-yourself formulas, I've heard, are not nearly as complete in their nutrition as the store-bought formulas.  There are just too many micro-nutrients that do-it-yourself mixes miss.

[rebecca_n]

http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/319-recipes-for-homemade-baby-formula.html#vgmf

[Polliwog]

As someone who has fostered two babies, I say stick with the formula the child is using. They are all basically the same but I've heard Good Start recommended a lot. My daughter came to me needing liquid formula (a lot of babies tolerate it better than the formula) so I bought their the liquid concentrate. When she was drinking milk instead of formula she wasn't gaining weight so I supplemented with an organic toddler formula but it's really expensive.

It's ok to use formula.That may not be a popular opinion here but it's reality. I wouldn't make a homemade formula

[GoBecGo]

Originally Posted by Polliwog 

As someone who has fostered two babies, I say stick with the formula the child is using. They are all basically the same but I've heard Good Start recommended a lot. My daughter came to me needing liquid formula (a lot of babies tolerate it better than the formula) so I bought their the liquid concentrate. When she was drinking milk instead of formula she wasn't gaining weight so I supplemented with an organic toddler formula but it's really expensive.

It's ok to use formula.That may not be a popular opinion here but it's reality. I wouldn't make a homemade formula

Just to clarify what i said, it was ONLY in reference to the BPA thing (apparently it gets into the liquid concentrates easier), not in reference to the quality/worth of it as a product.  ITA that the formula that the baby is using is the best option, be it powdered, liquid, organic or soy.

[Polliwog]

I wasn't referring to you at all. Just the general tone around MDC (for good reason.) My daughter didn't do well with powdered formula in her previous placement (which would have been a lot easier) and I had no reason to doubt the former foster mother and the pediatrician.

[Marcimama]

So yes... I am totally new to this. Milk comes out of me... I feed it to my baby. That is literally the extent of my experience. haha!  

ROM... yes yes yes. That has go to be right. I haven't yet considered that that is probably the BIG deal... what they will eat is what will be best. Now here is the deal, he is in a nation that I think he is getting a huge hodge-podge and I am even fearing they are watering it down. :-(  He isn't gaining well and I just have NO idea what is happening. Hopefully that will change in the next few weeks as they get him in a foster home. 

But either way, all your thoughts make sense. 

I have looked at the "westonaprice" link... that is the recipe I have... it seems good, but a bit complicated. 

Thanks... it gives me something tothink about.

Oh, also, does anyone simulate nursing by using a podi or bottle feeding in a nursing position? Any thoughts on that?

One thing I did notice from the photos we got of him was the caregiver was feeding him facing out and it was with a sippy cup... he is 3 months old. :-(

[queenjane]

My son came to me at three weeks old (foster care)...i had not given a baby a bottle in years (before i had kids), my bio son never had one. I didnt even know how to make a bottle.

I almost always "bottlenursed" him...i held him in a nursing position and held the bottle...i also "nursed" him to sleep, he'd lay next to me right next to my breast, and i'd prop the bottle up on a folded cloth diaper or on my breast between us and feed him til he fell asleep. He "weaned" from bottlenursing when he was about 15 months old, when i got a new foster child, a VERY independant 11.5 month old who would not let me hold her bottle or hold her while she ate (various other things she did suggested she might have some attachment issues)...it had not even OCCURRED to my son before that he could actually hold it himself, but once he saw her he pretty much stopped the bottlenursing. I continued to give him formula til he was over two yrs old, as he liked it but would not drink regular milk (still wont, he just turned three.) I continued to give him bottles til he was over two, if i recall.

I started out with name brand formula provided by WIC but chose to stop receiving WIC and ended up buying whatever store brand which is essentially the same as the name brand but half the price. Walmart, Target, Meijer all have store brands, and i think i paid something like 11.99 for a large can (powdered, he didnt tolerate the liquid well at all.) Im not really a person who worries too much about what my kids eat, what the can is made out of etc, though i understand why others do.

[marsupial-mom]

Another vote for sticking to what he's used to. It can be very upsetting for a baby to change formula abruptly.

I prefer the organic soy formulas. So if he were my baby and he was used to a formula that was dairy-based or hard to find or very expensive, then I'd get a month or two's worth of it and I'd transition to organic soy.

[RedOakMomma]

Dd came home at 9 months old and we bottlenursed...I always held the bottle tucked up close to me, with her cuddled/laying in my arms, so that she could bottlefeed and we could look at each other.  I don't think she held a bottle on her own until she was almost 18 months old!  Dh and I always used feeding times as an opportunity for bonding time.  It was great to cuddle up with her, and very much like nursing.

I know what you mean about being used to breastfeeding and finding formula completely confusing/bizarre.  At first I didn't like formula, but that changed once we got dd used to taking room-temperature or cooled bottles.  It's so easy.  Put powder in bottle, add water, shake.  It hardly takes more time to bottle feed than it does to nurse.

We were not very strict about all the sterilization you're "supposed to" do.  We did sterilize the bottles the first time, but after that we just washed them out with a good bottle brush and soap.  We also put unused formula (in the bottles) back in the fridge, then added more formula and water later to make a full bottle.  As long as we washed the bottles once a day, or after it'd been sitting out for a while, it was fine.  We did not use expensive, fussy bottles.  I think ours were Gerber brand...$2 each, BPA-free.

....and bottle-feeding on the go?  SO EASY.  Put the powder in the bottle, head out, and all you need is a water source somewhere.

Best of luck to you...bottlenursing really is one of the sweetest ways to spend time. :)  I miss it a lot!

[Marcimama]

Such good ideas! I am actually getting a bit pumped up about this! :-) 

I am glad you (ROM and Queen Jane) have felt like bottle nursing has been a good alternative to breast feeding as far as bonding goes! Thanks for sharing the good tips and how you did things!

[azgirl]

Just my two-cents sinceI have had to go the formula route even while thinking "breast is best" and our baby needed extra nutrition! My preemie was started on breast milk mixed with formula* in the NICU. When we brought him home we immediately started switching over to Baby's Only Organic formula along with breast milk. I was more comfortable using that formula for a lot of reasons including the ethics of the company and the actual ingredients. Our kiddo had no problem transitioning even though he was a severe reflux baby. Have you lactated before? I would consider induced lactation even if only to pump a little and bottle feed. I made close to zero milk on my own (possibly because I didn't hold my baby for weeks after birth etc) and I relied on a lot of the induced lactation info out there. I ended up pumping a crazy amount and took high doses of Domperidone. Overall, forcing my body to make milk when it didn't want to was hard but very rewarding :) From what I understand, though, if you have had an adequate milk supply before, inducing lactation may be easier! *breastmilk and regular formula have 20 calories per oz. We added formula to breast milk to increase the calories to 26 calories and mixed his formula to 26 calories. You can do this with any formula. If baby is malnourished it's something to consider! You could talk to your pediatrician about it also. We also used higher calorie breast milk/formula past a year as a supplement to solid foods. I would think that even a little bit of breast milk would be beneficial to a baby who has had a rough start since it has immune-boosting properties and is easier to digest and absorb nutrients from.

[soso-lynn]

Originally Posted by marsupial-mom 

Another vote for sticking to what he's used to. It can be very upsetting for a baby to change formula abruptly.

I prefer the organic soy formulas. So if he were my baby and he was used to a formula that was dairy-based or hard to find or very expensive, then I'd get a month or two's worth of it and I'd transition to organic soy.

Soy formulas are very dangerous and should only be used if the child is allergic to everything else.

[geminima]

I saw someone post something about "Eats on Feets" It seems like breastmilk is totally out of the question, but it should be an option even if they were fed formula before. I think all babies should have a chance to get the most from human food. Now there is an option for babies to get that. Lactating women are willing to give their extra milk for babies in need. Its time to take back what women have stood up and done for centuries. Just try and going on their facebook page...I am not trying to put down formula and realize a lot of people use it because its convenient but we are talking about already made breast milk here...with great properties that formula can't even touch. So just think about it, research it...they have a facebook page where you can look up and hook up. Tell your friends. We are all here to help each other, but lets just get back to women are meant to do. Feed our own children, whether it be from breast or bottle.  

[SGVaughn]

Originally Posted by RedOakMomma 

Dd came home at 9 months old and we bottlenursed...I always held the bottle tucked up close to me, with her cuddled/laying in my arms, so that she could bottlefeed and we could look at each other.  I don't think she held a bottle on her own until she was almost 18 months old!  Dh and I always used feeding times as an opportunity for bonding time.  It was great to cuddle up with her, and very much like nursing.

I know what you mean about being used to breastfeeding and finding formula completely confusing/bizarre.  At first I didn't like formula, but that changed once we got dd used to taking room-temperature or cooled bottles.  It's so easy.  Put powder in bottle, add water, shake.  It hardly takes more time to bottle feed than it does to nurse.

We were not very strict about all the sterilization you're "supposed to" do.  We did sterilize the bottles the first time, but after that we just washed them out with a good bottle brush and soap.  We also put unused formula (in the bottles) back in the fridge, then added more formula and water later to make a full bottle.  As long as we washed the bottles once a day, or after it'd been sitting out for a while, it was fine.  We did not use expensive, fussy bottles.  I think ours were Gerber brand...$2 each, BPA-free.

....and bottle-feeding on the go?  SO EASY.  Put the powder in the bottle, head out, and all you need is a water source somewhere.

Best of luck to you...bottlenursing really is one of the sweetest ways to spend time. :)  I miss it a lot!

this absolutely!!!! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I formula fed two of my babies exclusively ,one serious tongue tie and I had no support so didn't know what was wrong, one because she was a preemie and I was discouraged from breastfeeding and frankly her smallness terrified me

third was an easy to breast feed baby but she did et formula as well by the time she was 6 months old

they both always had room temp bottles and powdered was a lot easier to use. pre-measure the powder into dry bottles when they need to be used add water and shake

hold exactly like breastfeeding for bonding and to keep formula out of their eustachean tubes...when you wean off of bottles or let them hold their own is up to you

for more info about why formula isn't poison check out fearless formula feeders

I totally agree breast is usually best but sometimes thats just not feasible ..like I had no idea raynauds could cause problems with it...anyway

 stick to whatever the baby is used to for formula and if you want to switch it do it slowly...little bit of the new mixed with the old progressively replacing the old with more of the new ovr a couple of days

nestle good start is sweet! and not very un-tasty...I've even thrown it in my coffee by accident and drank the cup anyway...lol

[Momofjames]

My son is adopted and I transitioned him to Baby's Only organic formula, because #1 what the hospital put him on was causing him to throw up in curds half of what he drank and #2 Since I couldn't breastfeed him I wanted to at least give him the best and safest nutrition that I could.

Babies Only formula comes in steel cans with no BPA liner and no chemical/artificial ingredients and it is organic. He did wonderful on it and when he got older we switched him over to goats milk. He is extremely healthy and even now at 2 he still loves his goat milk and will ask for it specifically.

[Polliwog]

Originally Posted by geminima 

I saw someone post something about "Eats on Feets" It seems like breastmilk is totally out of the question, but it should be an option even if they were fed formula before. I think all babies should have a chance to get the most from human food. Now there is an option for babies to get that. Lactating women are willing to give their extra milk for babies in need. Its time to take back what women have stood up and done for centuries. Just try and going on their facebook page...I am not trying to put down formula and realize a lot of people use it because its convenient but we are talking about already made breast milk here...with great properties that formula can't even touch. So just think about it, research it...they have a facebook page where you can look up and hook up. Tell your friends. We are all here to help each other, but lets just get back to women are meant to do. Feed our own children, whether it be from breast or bottle.  

Please remember this is a forum for adoptive parents and that convenience usually doesn't come into play a lot of the time.
 

[soso-lynn]

Originally Posted by Polliwog 

Originally Posted by geminima 

I saw someone post something about "Eats on Feets" It seems like breastmilk is totally out of the question, but it should be an option even if they were fed formula before. I think all babies should have a chance to get the most from human food. Now there is an option for babies to get that. Lactating women are willing to give their extra milk for babies in need. Its time to take back what women have stood up and done for centuries. Just try and going on their facebook page...I am not trying to put down formula and realize a lot of people use it because its convenient but we are talking about already made breast milk here...with great properties that formula can't even touch. So just think about it, research it...they have a facebook page where you can look up and hook up. Tell your friends. We are all here to help each other, but lets just get back to women are meant to do. Feed our own children, whether it be from breast or bottle.  

Please remember this is a forum for adoptive parents and that convenience usually doesn't come into play a lot of the time.
 

I believe this was in relation to acquiring free donor milk being inconvenient, not a general statement about why people here would use formula.