Question About Powdered Formula...

schmoodle · June 2011

We never used it with Toodle, only RTF, but our grocery store doesn't have RTF Good Start and Toodle is already having fits so he doesn't want to make another stop. Do you have to use special nursery water, or is any bottled/purified water ok?

(Yes, already having nursing issues at the ripe old age of 2 days. Good times. She hasn't peed in a day and a half, that we can tell, so we need to give her some formula to make sure she doesn't dehyrdate until my milk comes in - if it comes in - and we can tell how it is coming in. I'm not going to freak out about it this time - nor do I need nursing advice about how this will mess things up further - as I'd rather have to supplement with her long term, as I did with Toodle, than starve her for 2+ weeks like I did with him in the interest of EBF which I couldn't do regardless, despite trying practically every single method known to increase supply and having them all fail. I'm just not made for breastfeeding).

OrangeSmoke · June 2011

I buy nursery water (Beechnut) simply because our tap water doesn't have flouride in it. Otherwise even tap is fine. But check the nursery water, some of them don't even have flouride!

Sign, a paranoid mama who has always used bottled water.

ETA: No BF guilt from me! I couldn't even make more than 10oz a day. I chose a well fed baby over MY need to BF.

oct11bride03 · June 2011

We used regular water. Nothing special.

somethingchangd · June 2011

No idea, but don't feel for one second like you have to explain yourself. Lord knows I'm a fan of BFing (becoming the "crazy" lady who nurses her 2 year old) but if it doesn't work for you you have every right to do whatever does. No mommy guilt allowed here!

And yay for being home!!!

KYRN · June 2011

We always used tap.

futureMrs.Eanes · June 2011

Tap water is fine. (And yeah for you for doing what is best for your baby!)

GuitaristsGirl · June 2011

I'm not made for BFing either. We stayed away from nursey water because it (at least the stuff I found at Target) has things added for flavor. It tasted really odd, and I didn't want him to end up requiring that every bottle be made with it because he got used to the taste. We use filtered. I personally don't think purified is necessary after a while unless there's health issues. If you want to do purified, though, I'd just boil. So glad you're home!

naflmj · June 2011

filtered or bottled tap water are perfectly fine. We didn't start formula feeding until almost a year so I never bothered boiling but I probably would have done that or at least used a brita if we used it for a newborn. The nursery water has flouride but most town tap does too.

ladychicago · June 2011

We used tap with a Brita filter. Or sometimes straight from the faucet. Pedi said Chicago water was just fine.

perry7285 · June 2011

somethingchangd:
No idea, but don't feel for one second like you have to explain yourself. Lord knows I'm a fan of BFing (becoming the "crazy" lady who nurses her 2 year old) but if it doesn't work for you you have every right to do whatever does. No mommy guilt allowed here!
And yay for being home!!!

ditto! every mama here knows that sometimes it's best to supplement. i hope that the BFing experience is less stressful this time around now that you're supplementing from the beginning and know what to expect. good luck with whatever FFing/BFing combination works, and yay for being home!

Ali212 · June 2011

With my older daughter, I used purified tap water for her formula (I only gave powdered formula when she switched from BF at 5 months b/c I have a weird aversion to prepared foods so RTF grossed me out....I know, I'm strange). With my younger daughter, we've used bottled water but that's b/c right now we don't live in an area where the tap water is good to drink. Either way, I don't think there's any need to use special nursery water.

preheatedoven · June 2011

oct11bride03:
We used regular water. Nothing special.

This!

kme930 · June 2011

Our pedi is fine with regular tap water. So regular bottled water would be just fine!

So glad you are home - we were just reminiscing today about how a year ago we were coming home today, so I guess that makes sense! Good luck with the great adventure of two little ones!

LakeGenevaBride · June 2011

We used the filtered water from our refrigerator. And, CONGRATULATIONS!!!! BTW, we used Good start powder and if you continue with it you might want to invest in a formula pitcher since it seems to take more time to dissolve than other powdered formula (we tried them all).

LucyPevensie · June 2011

I know you're crazy like me so I will share with you that I used filtered, boiled water. That I filtered AGAIN after I boiled it...

I would get some RTF when you can, it's often easier on them when they're super little (fewer bubbles, etc.)

OrangeSmoke · June 2011

LucyPevensie:

I know you're crazy like me so I will share with you that I used filtered, boiled water. That I filtered AGAIN after I boiled it...

I would get some RTF when you can, it's often easier on them when they're super little (fewer bubbles, etc.)

You just totally cracked me up.

Schmoodle - if you want to save a few bucks, get a doctor brown's mixing pitcher. bubble issue solved!

dundasgirl · June 2011

LucyPevensie:

I know you're crazy like me so I will share with you that I used filtered, boiled water. That I filtered AGAIN after I boiled it...

I would get some RTF when you can, it's often easier on them when they're super little (fewer bubbles, etc.)

Schmoodle...I hope your first night home with the family is fantastic! You are going to do great! I think not stressing about breastfeeding is the best thing you can do for yourself and Boodle. You just had a baby! Not everyone's milk is there right away!

emmyloustu · June 2011

To answer your question: You want to use FLUORIDE FREE water for mixing formula. Floride is not recommended for babies under 6mo old. I always bought Gerber Pure.

As far as the rest of the post: (((HUGS))) I can commiserate with you on the BFing/supply issues. I remember spending many hours of our first 2 days home freaking out about E getting dehydrated, analyising her pee, her poop, her lack there of, the wetness of her mouth, etc.... When I called my pedi in tears, she urged me to to supplement and relax. You do what you have to do, no worries, no guilt. I hope your milk comes in ASAP and your supply is sound, but if not, do not beat yourself up. (((HUGS)))

sliz · June 2011

I just use bottled drinking or spring water. Hugs on the feeding - so nerve wracking

ESTH2000 · June 2011

somethingchangd:
No idea, but don't feel for one second like you have to explain yourself. Lord knows I'm a fan of BFing (becoming the "crazy" lady who nurses her 2 year old) but if it doesn't work for you you have every right to do whatever does. No mommy guilt allowed here!
And yay for being home!!!

ditto and we used tap! Welcome home!