How we do it: Formula

I have gone to great lengths to make sure that Lulu does not have to drink formula and can continue to get breast milk.  Since the breast milk must be thickened (aspiration and reflux), it takes twice as long to make her a bottle.  I must heat the milk for about 5 min and then I add an amazing thickener (GelMix) to the milk.  It then has to sit for 5 min to thicken.  The whole process takes over 10 min and in the middle of the night, I do not have any extra time!  Just heating a bottle for a hungry baby seems like an eternity and I definitely do not want to sit around waiting for the bottle to thicken at 3am!  So, if she wakes to eat during the night she gets formula.  It works best for our family and I'm ok with it.  We give her formula that is pre-thickened with rice starch so that I don't have to add thickener.  I make it 3/4 thickened formula mixed with 1/4 plain formula to lessen constipation that she can get from the rice starch.

I use an awesome product by Dr. Brown's called a formula pitcher.  I start by adding the water to the pitcher (usually I make 16 oz just in case she's extra hungry- I like to be prepared). 

I then add the formula (usually 6 scoops thickened and 2 scoops regular).

And finally I put the lid on and mix.

I keep the pitcher in the fridge and then I can just pour out how much I need right into the bottle and it's ready to go- well, it has to be warmed but no mixing formula!  Also, the mixing pitcher keeps air out of the formula which reduces gas.

Update:  We are no longer giving any formula!  If Lulu wakes in the night, I just make her a bottle of breast milk and add the Gelmix.  Since she's starting to feel better, she doesn't need it as thick so I can feed it to her right away and it thickens as she drinks it.  It's working for us!