FF babies, what is your night routine please?

Daisy is FF and at night we feed her between 10.30-11 I then set my alarm for 2 where I'll make a bottle and have it ready for when she wakes between 2.30-3. We only leave it for the recommended time of 2hr then it's gone. I then gauge (sp) when she'll need another and do the same.

This was fine while she was in a pretty good routine but now she wakes a lot! Are there any tips on how to make it easier for us both? She'll scream pretty much as soon as she wakes for food and it would take a while to cool it if I do it when she starts to stir. Any suggestions? TIA xx

i go with the making up in advance and storing in the fridge thing - there is a bit in the NHS book that says this is okay providing you cool them and keep them in the coldest part of the fridge.  That way you're not getting up for ever.    I do nuke my bottles in the microwave to reheat them as it's faster than waiting for the kettle to boil and then heat up.

I know this goes against some of the guidance but it works for us and I'm very careful to make sure I chuck my made up bottles after 24 hours.  It's in the bit of the birth to 5 book about feeding outside the home.  It makes life much easier.  I was sick of trying to 2nd guess when she was hungry as a teeny baby as you're right they go from content to 110% hungry within milliseconds.

I will probably get flamed for the above but my sanity is important too.

 

Great name (i've got a Daisy too!).  I'm afraid I was/am very lazy and no way was I going to set an alarm on the off chance that they'd wake up and need feeding so I just took bottles with cooled boiiled water to bed with me and added formula if they woke up and needed a bottle and then gave at room temp so no faffing.  (I know its no following the guidelines but its how most people I know do it and it worked for us). 

Could you use ready made cartons to save you getting up beforehand? Just open and use?

Is she starting to teeth and that's why she's waking? Would a bit of gel on her gums help her#?  Does she need milk each time she wakes?  Is it too early to try and give her water and see if that soothes her enough?

I think M is roughly the same age as Daisy (2/7/10) and I do the same as I Love Cake. He has been waking a lot more the last couple of weeks but he only takes an oz or 2 if I try to feed him so I don't think he's hungry. I only offer a bottle as a last resort now because I don't want to get him back in the habit of eating during the night if he doesn't really need it.

The last few nights he's settled back down with a pat and a shh. I think it's his teeth so bonjella is resident on my bedside table!

x

We make up the bottles of water before bed then add formula as required. They sit on the side at room temp so no need to heat or cool down.

 

I did the same  as some of the others, took cooled boiled water in bottles up to bed with us along with pre-measured formula in one of those Mothercare divided tub things, no way would I be setting an alarm to make a bottle!!!! It was so easy, add powder to bottle and shake, serve at room temp :-D

Do you think she would drink more formula at that 10.30 bottle, it may fill her up just that bit more so she doesn't wake? How many ozs does she drink at the 2am feed?

 

I would make the bottles up with water take them upstairs with me and then add in the required amount of formula (aleady measured out in a pot) and add it as and when she needed it. 

I used to take 2 bottles up with me: both with freshly boiled water in but one in a bottle warmer in case she woke later in the night.

We do the same as Sparkling as like Daisy, Ruby screams blue murder when she gets hungry!

I wouldnt be setting an alarm, just let her wake naturally. I know it's a faff in the night (we're still doing at least one night feed on demand and made the fresh feed hot water way) but to me it didnt seem that much quicker in all honesty with warming up cold feeds when we used cartons sometimes. Would she drink these? It's what we used before she started sleeping longer periods and she is happy to drink them at room temperature so doesnt need them warmed anymore.

I still make up her feed as I do in the day, we store hot water that has been cooled for 30 mins in a flask and use that so you're not waiting for it to boil or cool, add powder and then cool it. If she cries in the mean time she cries, I cant do everything and even if you did it the other way she'd still be waiting a couple of minutes surely.

Thanks ladies! Some good ideas there. I like the water in warmer for later on. We do have cartons on standby too :) I only seethe alarm for me- I won't intentionally wake her- it's the only time she's quiet!! She has 150ml (5oz?) at 10.30 if we are lucky, she won't drink more. I might try just comforting her to see if she'll settle without. I'm just scared she won't drink enough in the day then! Babies eh?!? Xx

She'll let you know if she needs more milk, dont worry. I understand why you were setting an alarm - to make up the feed fresh and boil the kettle etc but it means you'll spend half the night awake! We often try a cuddle with E first but if she's gone a few hours without a feed and seems like she isnt going to settle we make a bottle. You'll soon work out whether she's hungry or just wants you x

We just took bottles of cooled boiled water up and added the formula as and when needed.  no way in a million years would i be setting an alarm. 

Another who took water to bed and pre-measured Formula and she had it at room temp. With this one I plan on doing the same but I also have a bottle warmer in case he prefers it warm x

DD2 would open her eyes and scream blue murder until that bottle was in her mouth.

We went against guidelines and made up 6 bottled of cooled boiled water and left on the side then when she woke I would change her nappy and DH would go downstairs pop the water in the microwave, add milk powder and bring back up to us.

I know your not supposed to put it in the microwave but we were happy to do that and check it properly before feeding her.

Neither of my girls would take their milk at room temp no matter how much we tried!

I would either:

 

Take up boiled (still warm/hot) water in a bottle warmer and then add the formula if and when she woke up

 

or

 

Use cartons at night, heat it up before bedtime, store in a bottle warmer thing and give it to her whenever she woke.

 

 

You can also get those portable bottle warmers from asda dirt cheap. Could then have it all ready, press GO if and when she woke up and feed her that way.

 

Sawyer has started waking up more often now too. I think he's just a week younger than D x