Finally here to introduce myself!

Hi everyone! Jumping over from the expecting board finally. My babies were born April 29th, at 30 weeks do to pre-E. It's been a crazy NICU journey but they came home last Tuesday. They went to the doctor Friday, and we go again this Friday to make sure theyre gaining weight. Umm..We go to the eye doctor tomorrow, which I am REALLY not looking forward to. They said I will have to go every 2 weeks until their eyes mature. It's gonna be a nightmare. The doctor is 90 min away, and we have to put 2 eyedrops in each eye at 90, 60, and 30 minutes. Then the whole exam process...Ugh I'll probably cry more than them! Then they can't eat for 4 hours afterwards which I think is ridiculas to do to an infant on breastmilk. I'm still pumping, but the pump rental runs out July 3rd, so Im trying to wean off that. They will latch for a minute, and then get frustrated. I know its all a learning process and if I commited to it we could work it out more than likely, but right now life is too hectic and the thought of having to do that is too much. So we'll be using the frozen milk, and then formula. It was a hard decision that I spent alot of time crying over, and being upset about, but for us and our family, right now that's whats best overall. DH is in the military and finishes bootcamp July 3rd, and then we have to be in GA by July 15th. This first week has been really difficult. Im adjusting to them, and theyre adjusting to me, but every day it gets better and Im starting to have moments where I really ENJOY them, and enjoy being a mom. Life is crazy right now with loads of paperwork, and trying to get ready to move. I think I'll feel better once DH gets home, and then we move and settle into our own place. I'm living with my parents right now, theyve been great and my mom played husband when they were born. Lol, shes a wonderful support. I look forward to getting to know all of you, and learning from you all as well.
I did have a quick few questions for those of you who might know..
How much on average do you think you spend a week on formula?
What type of bottles do you like best?
This whole bottle business is new to me, my mom breastfeed all my brothers and sisters, so I dont have much experience with them Oh, and here's a recent pic!
http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd74/js...icture022-3.jpg

 

Welcome! they are adorable! glad they're home!

 

:sign0016:

Your babies are beautiful! So glad they are HOME!

I mostly BF my babies, but when they do get bottles, I use Playtex Drop-Ins. They're GREAT!! Hardly any clean-up, and the drop-in liners aren't too expensive if you get Wal-Mart or Target brand (they fit...and I like the Wal-Mart brand better). I also have a couple of Avent bottles we're using because they're bigger.

Just an FYI (and not to complicate things) - you can most likely get a good used pump for cheap. Check out craigslist or a local consignment shop.

Becky

 

Welcome to the FY forum! Your babies are adorable! Good luck with the eye tests..it sounds terrible.

We use Walmart brand formula and 1 can lasts 3 days at 12.00 per can...
We are using Gerber bottles..they are OK..nothing spectacular about them though.

 

:sign0016:

Your babies are so cute and so little! I miss having little bitty babies, they grow so fast! I FF mine and they are on a brand that does not have a generic :angry: so I spend about $50/week on formula but that lasts me for a little bit more than 1 week. We're going to try to put them on a "regular" (non AR) formula once they are sitting up on their own, so hopefully we can start getting the generic! Try to get generic formula if you can, it's exactly the same but way cheaper!

Oh and I use Dr. Brown's bottles, and they have a lot of parts but they are really good bottles. My babies don't get any air at all, they don't even have to wear bibs when they eat, there is no spit up whatsoever. I don't know if that's neccessarily from the bottle or the formula though. The one thing I really like about Dr. Brown's as opposed to other bottles is that you can buy replacement parts for Dr. Browns, you don't have to buy a whole new bottle each time if you want to change out the nipples to a faster flowing nipple or if part of it breaks you can just purchase a replacement part (for cheaper than new bottles.) If you get Dr. Browns don't waste your money on the 4 ounce bottles like I did. Just buy the 8 ounce bottles from the beginning.

 

:sign0016: over to the First Year!! I'm happy to hear the babies are home!! They are absolutely precious.

It sounds like life for you is pretty hectic right now. That's great that you have mom and dad for support right now. Take all the help you can get!!

We averaged about $260 per month on diapers and formula the first year. I had good success with the Playtex Vent-Aire bottles.

 

Welcome to first year!! Your babies are adorable! Good luck with the move and enjoy the babies.

We have had good success with avent bottles and nuk nipples. I already had the avent bottles and the nuk nipples fit them which is what they were on in hospital.
We use President choice formula we run about 2 and a half large cans a week about $35

 

Congrats and welcome!

I really don't remember (blocking it out, perhaps) how much we spent on formula. But we had bordeline colicky babies, and used Dr. Brown's bottles and loved them.

 

Congratulations! They are beautiful! I used Dr. Brown's bottles with the twins, and Playtex Drop-ins with my other 3. I honestly don't remember how much formula was!

 

Welcome. I have pre-e, NICU grads that were born at 32 weeks. They are doing great. I remember the whole eye doctor process. Good luck. Congrats on your beautiful babes.

 

:sign0016: to FY! What little pumpkins you have! Thanks for sharing the pictures! SO glad they are ok!

 

congratulations on your beautiful babies. we also used drop ins from the start and they have worked great for us. i breastfed and gave expressed bm for the first 7 months, so no help in the formula department here....good luck at the dr's!

sandra

 

Formula was about 25 a can at Target, 2 cans per week?

It may be cheaper to buy a pump if you think you can do it....but formula can be easier.

We used Dr. Browns and Playtex drop ins. Due to the scares with BPA, i would consider staying away from Dr. Browns, unless they introduced their new bottle which is bpa free (at least i think they are introducing one). We also had some gerber bottles, which are good.

one word of caution on the playtex, it's difficult to tell how much they are eating, with preemies, you may need something more accurate. Did you get the little nicu/2oz bottles? We used those a lot.

the kids are adorable, congrats on bringing them home.

 

Josalyn... yay! They are home with you- how awesome! They are so cute. It sounds like you have a busy month ahead of you. Did you know you were going to Georgia? How long will you be there?

We use Dr. Brown's bottles and like them. Not sure if they really make that much of a difference with them sucking in air, but they work for our girls. We get our formula at BJ's and a big can is just under $30. At this point it lasts us 5 days, I think.

When we were in the AF we were able to get WIC. When you get to Georgia you should check into it.

Lisa

 

Welcome to FY! Your babies are adorable!!!

 

Congrats!

I don't understand the eye doctor thing. My girls were born at 30 weeks also. They saw the eye doctor twice. Not fun, but we survived. They only put the eye drops in once when we got there (we live 3 hours away) and they ate right there in the exam room before we left. It's ridiculous not to let them eat. Poor babies.

We use Playtex Drop-Ins.

 

:sign0016: To the first year forum. There are some great ladies here. I am so glad everyone is home. Since your DH is military you should qualify for WIC. They will give you free formula for the first year and if you are breastfeeding they will give you a pump to use. They will also give you milk, eggs, cheese, peanut butter, and juice if you are breastfeeding. I breastfeed DS and formula feed DD so they give me enough food for her every month plus the milk and all that. Now they even give us rice cereal and oatmeal and juice for the babies. I would check into that b/c I know there is no way on my DH military salary that we could not afford formula for 2 babies on our own.

Take care and enjoy the babies. You have some beautiful babies.

 

QUOTE(moontwins @ Jun 11 2008, 08:19 AM) [snapback]821070[/snapback]
:sign0016: To the first year forum. There are some great ladies here. I am so glad everyone is home. Since your DH is military you should qualify for WIC. They will give you free formula for the first year and if you are breastfeeding they will give you a pump to use. They will also give you milk, eggs, cheese, peanut butter, and juice if you are breastfeeding. I breastfeed DS and formula feed DD so they give me enough food for her every month plus the milk and all that. Now they even give us rice cereal and oatmeal and juice for the babies. I would check into that b/c I know there is no way on my DH military salary that we could not afford formula for 2 babies on our own.

Take care and enjoy the babies. You have some beautiful babies.


The pump from WIC may be only for military or specific to your state. MN will not give you a pump to use. I do get formula that I need to fortify my breast milk. I also get carrots because I am breast feeding. I'm not sure why carrots, but I know you don't get them if you aren't breast feeding. I also get tuna, dried beans, and cereal in addition to what is listed by Moontwins. When we start solids, the babies will get cereal as well.

 

First, get all the 'free' formula you can...your doctors office and the major companies usually give free samples or coupons to multiple's moms if you call. We didn't take as much advantage of that as we should have. Once the girls were a month or two, we switched to generic formula. We found the wholesale clubs to be a little cheaper for formula and diapers.

We used playtex drop-ins at first (the generic drop-in liners work just as well as the platex also), then switched to Dr. Brown's to help with Madison's reflux. Even though they do have a lot of parts, I really liked using them.

 

glad to see you home...

elizabeth

 

Welcome my friend! I am glad to see everything is going well! It is so fun to have been here long enough to follow someones pregnancy and birth! We used Dr Browns when we first came home..... no air! Now thye are a little older we only use Dropins cause they are so easy. Are you moving to Ft Benning? My brother was stationed there when my niece was born. Again welcome to FY!

 

Glad to see your babies came home. Mines came home last Thursday after being born at 35 weeks on 5-30-08. The best of luck with everything here on out.

 

Just wanted to say Welcome! I am so glad your babies are home with you!!!
Remember we are here - this site was such a help to me during the first few months (and still is.... ;-)
Congratulations!!!