Does anyone use ready-to-feed formula?

Colgate1

Does anyone use ready-to-feed formula?  I have a few questions about it generally and would love some input.  

1) What do you consider the best brand?  Why?

2) Do you prefer it over powder?  What are the downsides to ready-to-feed?

3) I don't really understand how the little ready-to-feed bottles work.  Are you supposed to just attach a nipple to the formula can/bottle thing and feed the baby that way?  or do you pour it in to an actual baby bottle and feed the baby with a regular bottle?  I don't think I've ever seen anyone just feeding a baby from the similac bottle or whatever, but the descriptions for the formula cases say you just snap a nipple on, so I am confused.  

4) Do they have to be refrigerated?  

5) Since if you don't refrigerate them they are room temperature, does that eliminate the need for a bottle warmer or warming the bottle in the microwave?  

Help!  I am so confused by this! (FTM obviously)

Thanks ladies  

crogers19

Brand wise it depends on your baby. I had horrible bf supply issue and started using enfamil. My ds had horrible gas issues so we tried the gentle mix which still didn't help. Finally I weaned him on to similac and he did great, no more problems. So it's hard to recommend a brand since all babies are different.

As for the ready  to go nursers, they are nice to keep in your bag so if your out and LO Is just starving you pop on the nipple and let them go to town. They only need to be refrigerated once opened. Ds never had a problem with room temp formula. At home I always use  powder because it's much cheaper than the nursers per oz of formula.

cole2144

I came home with a bunch of ready to feed Gerber Goodstart bottles from the hospital with DS. I saved those for night feedings and used powder during the day. They are ready to go at room temp so they made night feedings a breeze just pop on a nipple and feed. We are planning to use the same with this LO if she cooperates. We always used room temperature formula and had no problems at all.

tokenhoser

RTF is much more expensive than powder, which is why most people don't use it all the time.

LnR70707

1) What do you consider the best brand?  Why? We used Enfamil or Similac simply because that was what the hospital gave us.

2) Do you prefer it over powder?  What are the downsides to ready-to-feed?  Not really...they were nice when DS was really little and we were out, but larger sizes get pricey and going through 2 a feeding was a bigger PIA than powder.  They also stunk more than powder when DS spit up.

3) I don't really understand how the little ready-to-feed bottles work.   We fed straight out of the container then tossed them.

4) Do they have to be refrigerated?  No.

5) Since if you don't refrigerate them they are room temperature, does that eliminate the need for a bottle warmer or warming the bottle in the microwave?  We never warmed any formula.  We kept a Brita filter on the counter and he got room temp even with powdered. 

Colgate1

Okay, that is really helpful ladies!!  Thank you!  I guess I'll start with the ready-to-feed mini-bottles and see how it goes.  Seems like with those, there's no reason to buy actual baby bottles...

 

jchytil

You can just put the nipple on the little bottles. Then throw them out when done. After we used the ready to feed bottles we switched to liquid similac. With the liquid you mix it with water just like the powder. We chose this because powder formula is not sterilized. Liquid is. I just felt safer buying the liquid and I actually got some in bulk for a very good deal cheaper than the powder.

amandamays88

Colgate1:

Okay, that is really helpful ladies!! nbsp;Thank you! nbsp;I guess I'll start with the readytofeed minibottles and see how it goes. nbsp;Seems like with those, there's no reason to buy actual baby bottles...nbsp;

My SIL is a NICU nurse and she said it is not recommended to give LO powdered formula until a certain age. I want to say 4 weeks but I'm not 100 I'd have to ask her again. She helped me register and we put some RTF on there and then also the powder for after a few weeks old. I plan to BF but wanted to have some handy just in case.

janneann1127

The RTF bottles seem very convenient but not very cost-effective and environmentally unfriendly. There were times we wanted to use them but they were way too expensive.

atoz625

1) What do you consider the best brand?  Why? We used Similac Organic only for a few feeding right after birth, and then for a few weeks around the time LO turned 1.  I chose Similac because it was made by Abbot, and I had a coworker that used to work there- I knew all about the company, so I trusted it.  I also had coupons to sweeten the deal.

2) Do you prefer it over powder?  What are the downsides to ready-to-feed?  We never used any powder.

3) I don't really understand how the little ready-to-feed bottles work.   I think a nipple from the Medela pumps fits right on the bottles from the hospital.  Actually, I think the hospital formula we had was enfamil, not similac.

4) Do they have to be refrigerated?  No, only after they're opened.

5) Since if you don't refrigerate them they are room temperature, does that eliminate the need for a bottle warmer or warming the bottle in the microwave? I don't recall ever warming it.  In fact, when we used it around the 1 year mark, I tried to give it cold so that we could get LO used to cows milk.  BTW, I don't think you're supposed to put BM or formula in the microwave.  The water with which to heat it can be, but not the milk itself.

rissa06

Colgate1:

Does anyone use ready-to-feed formula?  I have a few questions about it generally and would love some input.  

1) What do you consider the best brand?  Why?  

We used Silimac RTF and that was what the hospital was in.

2) Do you prefer it over powder?  What are the downsides to ready-to-feed?  

For both kids, we had GI issues and so, ready the feed worked better.  It was digested easier by both kids.  Also, to travel, it was convenient to just pop in my bag.  The downside, it is expensive.  

3) I don't really understand how the little ready-to-feed bottles work.  Are you supposed to just attach a nipple to the formula can/bottle thing and feed the baby that way?  or do you pour it in to an actual baby bottle and feed the baby with a regular bottle?  I don't think I've ever seen anyone just feeding a baby from the similac bottle or whatever, but the descriptions for the formula cases say you just snap a nipple on, so I am confused.  

We poured into a regular bottle, what we needed,  We didn't really use the bottles with the nipples. 

4) Do they have to be refrigerated?  

yes, only once they are opened. 

5) Since if you don't refrigerate them they are room temperature, does that eliminate the need for a bottle warmer or warming the bottle in the microwave?

I used a bottle warmer to heat up cold formula, not for the bottles I just opened.  My kids did have a problem if the formula was too cool. 

Help!  I am so confused by this! (FTM obviously)

Thanks ladies  

FeetFirst

You have already got a lot of great responses, but wanted to add, when we started using formula, we gave it to him cold from the fridge and he never had a problem with it. I recommend tring to give it cold if little one will take it, as it made life super easy! no bottle warming ever and we bought the Dr.Browns mixing pitcher and we could make up a whole days worth of bottles in the morning and not deal with it all day.

Colgate1

You ladies are awesome, thank you so much for all the responses.  I feel so overwhelmed with the formula choices and delivery options, I guess it takes a few weeks to see what works for the baby and you and then you fall into a good habit. 

 I guess we'll try the RTF small bottles, room temperature and just stick a nipple on them in the beginning.  Although most of them look like they're only 2 oz, which seems like too little (don't newborns drink closer to 4 ounces?) but we'll see how it goes.  

Thanks for helping!  I printed out all the responses I got so I can keep it with me when trying to choose/organize myself.