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I've given bottled breastmilk to my son for almost a year while my wife worked. Breastmilk can be kept at room temperature for up to 6 hours. I usually had a

I've given bottled breastmilk to my son for almost a year while my wife worked. Breastmilk can be kept at room temperature for up to 6 hours. I usually had a bottle ready for an hour or two before my child was hungry. Also since it lasts for so long, if the baby doest finish it at that point I can usually give it a few hours later with the second batch. But I usually wasted 20-30ml a day, as I preferred to err on the side of my baby not being hungry. Getting a child on a schedule, or close to it, is very possible and relieves all.the problems you mentioned, except when he is on a growth spout, but thats a problem even with breast feeding.

prostoalex 9y ago
Yeah, schedule brings some method into the madness, but the counterparty still likes to throw a curveball or two by refusing to follow the schedule, spilling the bottle, etc.
ad_hominem 9y ago
Not every mother produces adequate supply where you can just leave extra milk out and if the baby doesn't drink it, say "oh well" and toss it out. Not every baby gets on a predictable schedule either - my 6 month old didn't fall into a regular nightly feeding schedule until he was about 4 1/2 months old. That said you make a good point that with careful planning and measurement, and with an adequate supply of milk, you can do a pretty decent job. But it still doesn't equate with my wife's no-muss no-fuss ability to roll over at 3AM and pop the crying baby on her breast, or the oxytocin she gets from the experience.
- Illniyar 9y ago
  Not every mother can breastfeed either, if she can't pump enough (which happened to us with our second child) then you'll have to consider mixing with formula. My wife was usually pretty mad at me for wasting even the little I wasted, but the alternative is to warm up only a bit at a time- that gets the baby angry very quickly. Frankly the nights are extremely hard with bottles, but my wife breastfed in the nights, so it I didn't get to experience that part much. That said it doesn't have to be bottles exclusively, just when the mother isn't home.

prostoalex 9y ago

Yeah, schedule brings some method into the madness, but the counterparty still likes to throw a curveball or two by refusing to follow the schedule, spilling the bottle, etc.

ad_hominem 9y ago

Not every mother produces adequate supply where you can just leave extra milk out and if the baby doesn't drink it, say "oh well" and toss it out. Not every baby gets on a predictable schedule either - my 6 month old didn't fall into a regular nightly feeding schedule until he was about 4 1/2 months old. That said you make a good point that with careful planning and measurement, and with an adequate supply of milk, you can do a pretty decent job. But it still doesn't equate with my wife's no-muss no-fuss ability to roll over at 3AM and pop the crying baby on her breast, or the oxytocin she gets from the experience.

Illniyar 9y ago
Not every mother can breastfeed either, if she can't pump enough (which happened to us with our second child) then you'll have to consider mixing with formula. My wife was usually pretty mad at me for wasting even the little I wasted, but the alternative is to warm up only a bit at a time- that gets the baby angry very quickly. Frankly the nights are extremely hard with bottles, but my wife breastfed in the nights, so it I didn't get to experience that part much. That said it doesn't have to be bottles exclusively, just when the mother isn't home.