https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 26 Apr 2026 03:17:17 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2187606 Fri, 22 May 2015 22:36:18 +0000 Kemma 2187606@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: such a great update, hope things keep improving for you!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2186702 Fri, 22 May 2015 04:03:29 +0000 miramira 2186702@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: that is wonderful to hear! It's draining, I know, but you are doing so well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2184490 Wed, 20 May 2015 12:48:05 +0000 jetsa 2184490@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: yay that is awesome! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2184404 Wed, 20 May 2015 11:48:33 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2184404@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: that's great!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2184384 Wed, 20 May 2015 11:22:14 +0000 macintosh 2184384@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wanted to thank everyone for their suggestions. I got 2 dr browns bottles and I really like them. I also cut back to 2 oz due to suggestions about over feeding (my ped agreed). I've tried putting E back to the breast if he still acts hungry after the 2 oz, and that seems to work most of the time.</p> <p>E is spitting up much less and nursing more now. Sometimes he even nurses exclusively without needing the supplement! I plan to work on more frequent nursing now that we don't have any house guests for a week. Thanks, all! :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2181768 Mon, 18 May 2015 12:04:24 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2181768@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: I know you've got a ton on your plate, but I would look at some bottle feeding techniques. It sounds like thats a lot of milk/formula and the spit up could be from that.</p> <p><a href="http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding-tools/bottle-feeding/" rel="nofollow">http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding-tools/bottle-feeding/</a> </p> <p>- Hold baby upright<br /> - Alternate sides mid-feed<br /> - Use slow flow nipple to lengthen the session<br /> - Encourage frequent pauses</p> <p>We ended up using the MAM bottles after some bottle strikes. They are wide base nipples, with a shorter tip, and a kinda flatter tip. Very much mimics the nipple. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2181744 Mon, 18 May 2015 11:46:29 +0000 Mrs.Someone 2181744@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: I know LCs sound expensive, but they should be at least partially covered by insurance, and if they can help you get your supply up, you'll save on formula costs :) Good luck, its a rough road! You're doing great though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2181287 Mon, 18 May 2015 03:57:56 +0000 tequiero21 2181287@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used Medea and dr Browns and playtex drop ins. I do think it sounds like you are over feeding baby. Breast and 3oz? At 16 days, I think 2oz without the breast was sufficient for my big baby. I did find that he spit up more when I over fed him. Especially when I pressed his stomach.</p> <p>Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2181286 Mon, 18 May 2015 03:37:05 +0000 Kemma 2181286@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: so obviously I'm not an expert, just a Mum who has worked through her own bf'ing struggles so feel free to ignore my rambling thoughts!</p> <p>Milk intake for a newborn should be around 20-24oz so supplementing with 3oz every three hours is more like a full days worth of milk which means that your LO is possibly not even hungry for breast milk. If your aim is to get baby back to the breast full time then I worry that baby won't be providing the demand side of the partnership.</p> <p>It's completely normal for a newborn to want to spend lots of time at the breast, it's part of building supply and meeting a biological and instinctual urge to suck. Allowing free access to the breast and spending plenty of time skin to skin are both great ways to increase supply!</p> <p>Will you be meeting again with your LC to review and reassess your feeding strategy? I can also highly recommend the breastfeeding forums on the La Leche website if you want some more advice - the ladies over there are amazing!!</p> <p>Hang in there, Mama - you're doing great!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2181284 Mon, 18 May 2015 02:38:36 +0000 miramira 2181284@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: I was told to offer the breast every 3 hours initially, too, but it turned out LO needed it more often. His blood sugar would dip from lack of food and he'd be too tired to latch on or he'd be too worked up from hunger to latch on. He also had a tongue tie and jaundice. Scheduled feeding can hamper supply; try feeding on demand if you can.</p> <p>Sorry, I know this isn't what you were asking about in your initial post, but I had such a rough time with bf at first as well and I want to help others overcome these obstacles! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2181200 Sun, 17 May 2015 21:09:42 +0000 gingerbebe 2181200@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We got Avent Naturals gifted to us but they were too fast for DS. We used Nuk bottles at first because he was such a slow eater and they were REALLY slow. Then we switched to Dr. Brown's around 2 months and stuck with those, as much as I didn't want to, because they trapped less air in DS and he burped easier. Just buy 1 Dr. Brown's bottle and try it. The washing isn't really terrible - you just get used to it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2181066 Sun, 17 May 2015 18:30:07 +0000 blackbird 2181066@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used the playtex ventair bottles and always fed E sitting upright. DH set her on the counter and held her propped up. The bottle is designed for upright feeding </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2181057 Sun, 17 May 2015 18:07:27 +0000 sapphire 2181057@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>3+ oz is a lot for that age. Might be comfort sucking and if you can satisfy that urge in a different way after giving the bottle he might not need that 3rd oz. You could try putting him back to the breast or a pacifier once he is doing better with breast and bottle. You might try starting with preemie flow nipples as they are good for starting out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2181032 Sun, 17 May 2015 17:20:17 +0000 macintosh 2181032@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lemong: good point, I didn't realize it was covered!</p> <p>@Kemma: I guess I should explain how we got to where we are. E had a tounge tie at birth, which was clipped before we left the hospital. His latch got much better after that, but he was a very fussy nurser at first. He would get so worked up that he couldn't calm down to latch on. He was also very sleepy and would sleep through feedings. </p> <p>At day 4 he had lost 10% of his birth weight and was jaundiced, so the ped and LC said he needed supplementation. They also wanted me to pump after nursing - I would only get about 15ccs at first. I couldn't keep up with pumping so I've been nursing and supplementing with formula (2oz at first, now 3oz) 8x a day or every 3 hours per the ped.</p> <p>This afternoon he nursed for about 50 minutes and seemed really satisfied, but still ended up taking 3 oz of formula shortly after that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2180971 Sun, 17 May 2015 15:01:34 +0000 lemong 2180971@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LC visits should be covered by Obamacare now. I'd check with your insurance company! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2180964 Sun, 17 May 2015 14:56:13 +0000 macintosh 2180964@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Charm54, @Anagram: you guys convinced me, I picked up a couple of Dr. Browns from target to try.</p> <p>@jetsa: I didn't realize that pumping output could be so different. We have a ped appt tomorrow so I'll ask about a weighed feed. My hospital has LCs, but so far they haven't been very helpful to me.</p> <p>@2littlepumpkins: good to know. Thank goodness for the dishwasher.</p> <p>@Mrs.Someone: I could look into a different LC in the area. I can't afford to spend a lot of money on that, though.</p> <p>@Rockies11: I try my best to keep him sitting, but it doesn't always happen that way. My husband is disabled and can only use one of his arms. Plus, E usually falls asleep immediately after eating. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2180928 Sun, 17 May 2015 14:06:31 +0000 miramira 2180928@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kemma: good point about comfort sucking. My little guy used to get upset after a feed because he couldn't comfort suck at the breast while awake for some reason (only while drowsy or asleep!) I used to think he was still hungry but it turned out he just needed to suck. We used to give him our knuckles or pinky to suck. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2180921 Sun, 17 May 2015 14:00:43 +0000 Kemma 2180921@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just wanted to throw it out there that 3oz is more like a full feed rather than a top-up and maybe baby just wants to suck rather than drink more milk? My little guy will often display hunger signs but would rather suck on my finger than be put back on the breast.</p> <p>How often are you nursing in a 24 hour period and what signs of low supply do you have? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2180901 Sun, 17 May 2015 13:30:32 +0000 miramira 2180901@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with @mrs someone and @rockies11: pumped output is an unreliable indicator of your milk production. Maybe a silly question, but are you offering both breasts at every feed? Definitely see a lactation consultant if you can and offer baby the breast very often (maybe every hour or more often, in these early days) to stimulate your supply.</p> <p>As for bottles, we found this one to be good. It has holes in the bottom which supposedly help reduce the baby's intake of air: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EM5CLDI/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?qid=1431887378&#038;sr=8-6&#038;pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&#038;keywords=mam+colic+bottles&#038;dpPl=1&#038;dpID=31K5vM4bj5L&#038;ref=plSrch" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00EM5CLDI/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?qid=1431887378&#038;sr=8-6&#038;pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&#038;keywords=mam+colic+bottles&#038;dpPl=1&#038;dpID=31K5vM4bj5L&#038;ref=plSrch</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2180895 Sun, 17 May 2015 13:19:05 +0000 Foodnerd81 2180895@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't know you had your baby- congrats!!! </p> <p>The Medela bottles were too fast for my LO. I had been gifted a set of Tommee Tippee ones so that's what I used and she had less of a problem with them. </p> <p>Have you tried paced feeding (<a href="http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding-tools/bottle-feeding/" rel="nofollow">http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding-tools/bottle-feeding/</a>). Basically you just slow dow how quickly baby is swallowing the milk, which can help wth spitting up and allows the baby to realize when he is full. But if it's already taking a long time, that may not be that helpful for you. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2180867 Sun, 17 May 2015 12:05:25 +0000 Rockies11 2180867@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>have you thought about a weighted feed so you can determine his bf intake? Pumping isn't a good indicator because they are more efficient at nursing than the pump is at removing milk. As far as spit up goes, have you tried sitting him upright after feeds? My 3 week old was spitting up a lot until we started doing that. We do it for about 15 or 20 minutes after a feed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2180864 Sun, 17 May 2015 12:03:51 +0000 Mrs.Someone 2180864@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: How much you pump (especially early on) isn't a good indication of how much you're making. Though if he cries out in hunger, then definitely give him more. Have you seen a LC? Sounds like it would be a big help... (Make sure to see an IBCLC, they have a lot more training). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2180856 Sun, 17 May 2015 11:46:31 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2180856@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think the difficulty cleaning them (dr Browns or any bottle really!) is worth how well they work. At some point we started just putting them in the dishwasher. For awhile I soaked the dirty ones and then washed them all at once (we had a bunch though!) and boiled the pieces in a big pot of water. I know it's a lot of work with a newborn though. If we do this again ill probably do dishwasher plus boiling at least the small parts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2180854 Sun, 17 May 2015 11:40:27 +0000 jetsa 2180854@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@macintosh: we used dr Browns and liked them. I didn't think they were hard to clean either. Pumping is absolutely not an indication of supply. I'd see an LC and do a 24 hour weighted feed. I always had to give a bottle or two of formula for daycare but never supplemented at home so I know for me pumped milk doesn't equal what he got at the breast </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2180850 Sun, 17 May 2015 11:20:54 +0000 macintosh 2180850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs.Someone: I know, I think he's getting close to an oz from nursing (based on the few times I pumped) but he'll cry out of hunger if I only give him 2 oz. Bottle feeding him honestly takes forever, especially at night. He seems to get sleepy instantly and I have to keep waking him up.</p> <p>ETA: he's also a big baby, probably over 9 lbs at this point. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2180849 Sun, 17 May 2015 11:20:20 +0000 Anagram 2180849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We always used Dr. Browns and I didn't have trouble cleaning them. They come with a brush but I usually just rinsed them immediately after using (didn't let the milk sit in the bottle to get filmy/crusty and never had trouble with mold or anything. I usually didn't even have to use the tiny brush.</p> <p>Some kids just spit up a lot though--and as long as they are happy, it's no big deal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2180848 Sun, 17 May 2015 11:18:52 +0000 Charm54 2180848@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used the Avent natural in the beginning for DD with supplementing and really liked them. She didn't have problems with spit up, though. When she went through a fussy phase at 4months I was worried about gas and bought a couple Dr Browns. I don't know if they helped but she did get happier. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2180847 Sun, 17 May 2015 11:18:23 +0000 Mrs.Someone 2180847@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used Dr Browns with a premie nipple. 3oz is a lot after BFing, try feeding him while he is sitting up so he has to do the work of sucking, not just swallowing what drips into his mouth. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/bottle-for-supplementing-and-spitup#post-2180841 Sun, 17 May 2015 11:06:26 +0000 macintosh 2180841@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DS is 16 days old and we are supplementing with formula due to my supply being low. At each feeding I BF first, then he'll take about 3 oz of Enfamil Newborn.</p> <p>He is a fairly slow eater and I do my best to get him to burp, but he seems to spit up a lot now that he's eating more. I've been using Medela bottles and he doesn't have trouble switching between the bottle and breast, luckily.</p> <p>I need to pick up some more bottles so I'd love to hear what has helped others with spitup. He seems like a happy spitter, but it sure is messy and stinky! I'm wary of Dr. Brown's because I've heard they are hard to clean. I like the idea of glass bottles, but wondering if they are worth the extra cost. Thanks! </p>