Feeding with bottle during the night?

Question

I would rather breastfeed mostly during the day but feed by bottle at night. What is the best way to do this without getting out of bed? Not lazy!! Just want to do this without getting up & going downstairs & turninig on lights. Has anyone used those bottle warmers & are they any good??
Also if left out at room temp they say milk lasts 10 hrs -has anyone tried leaving fresh breast milk out all night by the bed?

Answer 1

You can indeed leave fresh breast milk out for up to ten hours without it spoiling. (See first website below) Fresh breast milk "keeps" a lot longer than other perishables because it contains anti-infectives that fight bacteria - the same anti-infectives that boost your baby's immune system. Besides, it won't be out that long anyway - your baby isn't sleeping through the night yet.

Your best bet is to leave the milk by the bed, assuming your baby will drink room temperature milk. Bottle warmers take forever (up to 5 minutes, depending on how full the bottle is) and microwaves can destroy the breast milk if you aren't careful.

If you really want to avoid a hassle in the middle of the night, have you tried breastfeeding your baby while laying down? It's called the Side-Lying hold and it's a godsend for tired moms everywhere (See second website below).

Answer 2

I use bottles at night, but I use formula. I wouldn't suggest leaving any milk out for longer than an hour or two. Bottle warmers work okay, but take a long time if the milk is frozen. As a suggestion, maybe you should just breastfeed at night and substitute a bottle for a feeding or two during the day.....

Answer 3

Old-fashioned bottle-warmers are a royal pain in the tuchas - I suggest getting an inexpensive small microwave oven for the express purpose of dealing with the bottle. A tiny microwave takes up very little space, and can be tucked away in an inconspicuous spot in your bedroom. It warms the milk a LOT faster than the bottle warmer - they take about 5 minutes, and when a hungry baby is screaming at 4 a.m., that can be an eternity. You might see if you can pick up an old one at a garage sale or on Craig's list. Do NOT leave breast milk out at room temp for more than a couple of hours; instead, put it on ice, and heat it for your baby.

Answer 4

I hear ya! With my daughter, I would pump before going to bed. Leave the bottle out at room temp. She usually woke up within 4-6 hours and I would just give her the bottle. I never had any problems. When she was off of breastmilk, I kept a can of formula in the bathroom. At night I would bring up my 6 oz bottle with water, and at night when she would wake up, I would simply add the powder formula to the bottle and that was that. My daughter and son both never liked warm or cold milk, room temp for them, made it easy for me. The bottle warmers take 4-5 minutes to heat a bottle....that was too long for me.

Answer 5

it is so complicated isn't it! I in basic terms began my infant on formulation each week in the past and that i could no longer have self belief how strict the classes are. So i'm meant to allow my hungry new born infant cry for 30 minutes mutually as they anticipate their bottle to chill out?! this could be ok for older babies because of the fact often they have extra of a feeding ordinary so which you will possibly be able to understand as an occasion, that they are going to % feeding at 4am so which you additionally could make up a bottle in basic terms until now. such as you, I went on the internet and that i found that relatively, very few mothers follow the regulations on the lower back of the formulation packing boxes. I boil the water and then I placed it interior the sterilised bottles perchance making up 4 or 5 at a time. I then go away the bottles sealed (with the teat and lid on) at room temperature. I upload the formulation in while my daughter cries to be fed. there is no ought to heat to formulation. some babies like it yet room temperature is relatively fantastic on your infant.

Answer 6

I couldn't really give advice on formula feeding at night, but as for leaving breast milk out all night, don't! It shouldn't be left out for more than 2 hours, due to bacteria that can start to grow quickly in a warm inviornment. I honestly found breastfeeding at night very easy, and I never had to get out of bed. You might try keeping bottled water next to the bed and having formula premeasured in the bottles next to the bed, if it is the kind that can be left at room temp.

Answer 7

Breastmilk shouldn't be left out for more than a few hours. Don't push it, bacteria can grow easily on breastmilk, it's really sweet. I totally understand not wanting to get up in the middle of the night- it hurts. But it's only for a few months. Work towards getting the baby to sleep through the night, not on shortcutting the handling of breast milk.

Answer 8

I'm not sure who you've spoken to, but the laziest way to feed your child during the night IS to breastfeed!
Bottlewarmers are problematic as the can over-heat, make hot-spots, and cause fires (bad cord connections).
If you Really wanted to warn a bottle without going to the kitchen, put a bottle in a lunchbag with an icepack by your bed, and in the night if "baby" needs it, Warm it by running hot water over it with the bathroom tap.

Answer 9

breastmilk shouldnt be left out more than an hour. if you dont wanna go downstairs..get a mini fridge and a bottle warmer..put is in ur room and keep the milk in it till baby wakes up and wants it.

Answer 10

I totally understand where your coming from. I too am breastfeeding and I don't want to go up and down my stairs either. So I tried using a bottle with formula at night. And personally I just found it easier to breast feed him. Hope this helps.