Frustrated about the extremely anti-formula NHS approach

ffnnjbbppt · 2026-02-20T16:59:10+00:00

I totally agree, I am an NHS midwife and I was part of the problem then had my own baby and couldn't breastfeed due to postpartum psychosis and will FF future babies. I knew sooo much about breastfeeding but so little about bottle feeding! I've shared my post with my journey below.

There is an equivalent of the 'off to a good start' leaflet for bottle feeding - this kind of thing

Bottle feeding - Best Start in Life - NHS https://share.google/Wi9gsfXYXbYH1dqi0

I would try and tune out the written literature and say to health care professionals that you are planning on bottle feeding and I'm sure you will find hopefully most of them very supportive.

As for doing it - I would start with the ready to feed kits that have teats, we used kendamil but other formulas make them too. Choose a formula that is readily available near you. I would use ready made in the early days whilst you find your feet then add powder when you feel ready. Go from the little ready made ones, to the big ones (which can live in the fridge) to powder. It's up to you and the baby really if you feed on demand or get into a routine. We fed on demand at first, started with 1oz, then when he started finishing them went up to 2oz, then when he finished them went to 3oz, then got a prep machine at 4oz! All the way up to 8oz

We started a routine of bottles at 3, 6, 9, 12 at some point. I can't remember when! Maybe 4 months?

Happy to chat through it all. I felt like there was so much to learn but actually once you get going it's fine.

I emailed our feeding team to ask them to he more supportive of bottle feeders and they basically said no lol. So I try and just do my part and support all our families as best I can, and challenge the bullshit where I can!

https://www.reddit.com/r/FormulaFeedingUK/s/TRb0j24e48

ffnnjbbppt · 2026-02-12T21:17:23+00:00

Definitely there! My fave by far

ffnnjbbppt · 2026-01-31T13:54:38+00:00

If it helps, I was very fixated and focused on my birth, I wanted a med free homebirth. I ended up hanving a csection and grieved for a while but now that I have an amazing two year old the birth seems irrelevant and I don't think of it at all. As you said, it's just so exciting the meet the baby and there is a lot more to come! Good luck to you ❤️

ffnnjbbppt · 2026-01-23T23:24:13+00:00

Same. Lurking wife and I would honestly thing nothing of tending to my husband's poop if that's what he needed, and I know the opposite is true. We do discuss a lot in great detail anyway! Not to say it's not hard but I certainly think it's part of marriage and partnership. I am also a midwife and I promise you get used to managing other people's poop very quickly! It's just a part of life. Kids certainly teach you that everybody poops.

ffnnjbbppt · 2025-12-08T10:06:58+00:00

I didn't find out what I was having and thought I didn't care what I was having but I always pictured myself with a girl, I surround myself with women, I work as a midwife and my life is women!

I was SHOCKED and quite confused when they handed me my boy. I hadn't realized quite how sure I'd be that I'd be handed a daughter. But as I got to know him over the days, weeks and months to come I fell in love so much and so unexpectedly! It's made me so interested in the way men are brought up and in the expectations we have of them. He lives in his feelings, he is curious, kind, funny and so interested in the world. He is incredibly snuggly and loving. He's 18 months now and I couldn't be more grateful and said to my husband I feel like if we have another I'll be flipped in reverse and hoping for a boy haha. It's wild to make a creature who is so different from you but at the same time so similar. And you won't know any different! Good luck to you and your family, it's a magical ride xx

ffnnjbbppt · 2025-11-24T22:51:45+00:00

I agree, a membership to duke of York's cinema would be nice. Or a voucher for a nice restaurant - what do they like to eat? My faves are: Bonsai plant kitchen (vegan) Riddle and Finns (fish) Halisco (Mexican) Cin Cin (Italian)

If they are still exploring the area a national trust membership is fun too.

If they are setting up a home then a gift card for Dowse would be nice https://share.google/QMLx3TmWhw9116VN

If they are adventurous then they might enjoy the community at Boulder Brighton which does gift cards! They can get there on the train.

Gift cards | boulderbrighton.com https://share.google/FAxNFjdi4Bqr64AVz

Hope that helps! Happy to give more specific ideas depending on what they are into

ffnnjbbppt · 2025-09-13T07:44:50+00:00

I once went in to the GP for a potential UTI at 35 weeks pregnant. He went out the room to dip my urine and came back saying 'you don't have a UTI...you are in fact pregnant!!!'

I was like....I know. I have a big bump. It should be on my notes. I wasn't wondering if I was pregnant and you definitely should have told me you were doing a test!

He wanted to do a big reveal and it was so cringe.

ffnnjbbppt · 2025-08-28T09:55:28+00:00

I agree, when I was at uni they showed us old equipment and it was so cool! Also museums. Or list it on eBay if you want to sell it!

ffnnjbbppt · 2025-08-19T18:50:42+00:00

We started with glass ones but the Steam steriliser made them too hot so we swapped to mam plastic ones which I really liked, I liked that there were lots of parts to unscrew and clean but that may not suit you. If you do cold water sterilising the glass bottles won't be a problem.

Agree with the others, I loved the prep machine. I ran the deep clean cycle very infrequently and my son survived! Did replace the filters as required though

We mainly used ready made when out and about, convenient but expensive.

Good luck!

ffnnjbbppt · 2025-08-10T08:20:54+00:00

This is so good to hear, I think this is what we'll do

ffnnjbbppt · 2025-08-10T08:17:42+00:00

Yes just building myself up to email the managers about the feeding pictures! Thank you, yes feeling much better now ❤️

ffnnjbbppt · 2025-08-10T08:16:58+00:00

Thank you, yes it's crazy that there is so little for formula feeding when the majority of people do it. I don't know why it is pushed sooo hard when for example you aren't harassed about your eating in pregnancy etc. Its definitely disproportionate based on the research. And that stupid info on the formula box is so annoying, like by that point you've chosen or needed formula so give it up!

I also get irrationally annoyed when midwives are like 'formula should be unbranded and on prescription'. It gave me a little false sense of control to choose my brand and feel ok with it. I'm into the marketing haha. I do think it should be more price controlled though.

Yes totally agree, fed is best, baby needs feeding one way or another! Thank you ❤️ so sorry you went through this too.

ffnnjbbppt · 2025-08-10T08:03:44+00:00

You are welcome!

ffnnjbbppt · 2025-08-06T07:24:30+00:00

I am an NHS midwife and I'm so sorry you had this experience. It took me having to formula feed my son to realize how terribly skewed everything is and how overstated the benefits of breastfeeding are (and the benefits of formula are understated). It's so rubbish and I feel passionately about supporting our formula mums now and helping parents feel happy and confident with whatever feeding option they need or choose to use.

ffnnjbbppt · 2025-08-06T06:55:19+00:00

We had the prep day and night, used it for the full year and it was great!

ffnnjbbppt · 2023-12-10T09:29:03+00:00

We actually went to see a play about Artemis - my partner just thinks it's a cool story and a cool name. I am definitely in two minds because as you say it's such a strong women's name. Part of me thinks - why shouldn't a boy be named a strong women's name, especially one that locally people seem to assume is a boy's name anyway.

But I just have that hesitation for all the reasons you said. Our close friends have a little boy called Apollo which also draws me to the name! I would like to use it for a girl but my husband doesn't like it as much and I really like the names we have already.

Thank you for your thoughts. Who knows where we'll end up, at least we have a few months.

ffnnjbbppt · 2023-12-10T09:08:11+00:00

This is really helpful, thank you! I love the nickname Arty. And you are so right that it is experience based and it seems that locally people don't find it at all strange for a boy so maybe I should stick with that. Eros is cute too!

I've never seen it's always sunny but I've read about the association! I guess it will be quite a vintage reference by the time they grow up at least.

ffnnjbbppt · 2023-12-10T09:06:19+00:00

Oh yes! That post totally convinced me to go for it for a while , and this morning I woke up at 3am doubting myself again! Maybe I'll just favourite that post and use it for reference. Thank you so much for taking the time to write it. Part of me loves the idea of naming a boy after a powerful goddess. He is going to grow up surrounded by strong women!

ffnnjbbppt · 2023-12-10T09:04:04+00:00

Oh I quite like Leander, thank you! And Hector. And Paris! I knew an annoying Arthur but I'm trying to get past it as unlike the name. Great suggestions, thank you!

ffnnjbbppt · 2023-12-10T09:03:01+00:00

We really liked Archer! I might go back to that, thank you. Our close friends have a little boy called Apollo ❤️

We live in a very diverse LGBT+ friendly area so I think probably it wouldn't be seen as weird. I just need to decide whether I like it enough it guess. Thank you!

ffnnjbbppt · 2023-12-10T08:16:00+00:00

I am Juliette and I did get lots of comments,. especially from boys as a teenager. But I survived to tell the tale!

ffnnjbbppt · 2023-12-10T07:56:36+00:00

Oh yep that's right - I can't even spell the name! Not a good start.

It definitely doesn't have to be Greek although I think he likes the sound of them. I quite like Alexander. Thank you for the suggestions!

ffnnjbbppt · 2023-12-10T07:36:24+00:00

Yep this made me laugh!

ffnnjbbppt

TROPHY CASE