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Infant feeding

Equipment phobe

8 replies

Jecca · 02/09/2004 10:41

A novice mother! BF has been easy so far, but DD is five weeks old and I've been advised that now's the time to introduce a bottle if I ever want her to take one... and that means buying equipment and I hate shopping at the best of times. I'm told Avent bottles etc are the best, but the Medela pumps, but it doesn't look like they are compatible. Can anyone advise what the bare necessities of pumping, storing, sterilising, etc are? If I buy a mixture of kit will I end up cursing that I'm forever teaming and pouring and would the Medela bottle fit in the Avent steriliser?

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tiktok · 02/09/2004 10:50

Jecca, please don't take any notice of people who say you have to introduce a bottle now! Experience varies hugely as these boards testify. Some babies take a bottle just fine at any age without ever having had one. Some babies take bottles perfectly, once every few days or whatever, and then start rejecting them.

Think about when and if you need to be confident he will take a bottle. If you don't think you will need him to have one until he is several months (5 or more), then don't bother....in an emergency he can have a cup or a spoon, or go without for a while once he is on solids.

In a 'mum held up in traffic while babysitter tears hair out' scenario, the baby can have thirst quenched at least with a spoon and cup....that may not be reassuring enough for you, though, and I do sympathise with mums who want to really know that their baby will be happy with a bottle if needed.

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hewlettsdaughter · 02/09/2004 11:13

tiktok - thanks for this post. My dd is 19 weeks and will need to take a bottle (or spoon/cup) from a childminder once she's 6 months. I haven't tried a bottle yet (apart from when I was having difficulties establishing bf'ing, in the beginning).
Jecca - if you do decide to introduce a bottle now I understand you will need to keep it up (ie give one every so often) or you can't guarantee dd will take one later.

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bundle · 02/09/2004 11:19

we did a bottle of ebm fairly early and dd1 forgot when we tried to reintroduce them later. eventually she did take the playtex teats (which also don't fit onto other bottles..)

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Jecca · 02/09/2004 12:44

More food for thought - thanks everyone. It's definitely reassuring if you think I can give her one later - takes the pressure off the 4-6 weeks target. Still it would be good to be able to leave her with DH a couple of times a week.

I was thinking about getting a microwave steriliser (as we rarely use the microwave for anything else and counter top is always precious!) and electric pump (though the hand/electric discussion makes me think that hand may be better after all). Is there any other stuff I need?

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beansmum · 02/09/2004 12:50

i've got the avent pump, bottles and storage cup thingys and a freezer full of ebm but too scared to try and give ds a bottle. He's 13 wks now and starting nursery at the end of the month. just hoping he'll take a bottle, i suppose he'll have to or he'll starve. The pump i've got is quite good. didn't want an electric one, will be expressing at uni and don't want to make any noise!

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tiktok · 02/09/2004 13:03

Interested to know - where does this idea of a 4-6 week 'window' come from? I have heard it a few times, without being confident there is any real evidence for it. I have also heard the window is three weeks, and eight weeks. I think some HPs make this stuff up, to be honest!!

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bundle · 02/09/2004 13:29

jecca, talk to motherinferior about pumps...she's the lactating queen

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Jecca · 02/09/2004 13:56

Thank you - I did notice that motherinferior certainly seemed superior on pump info! We were told 4-6 weeks at the breastfeeding workshop run by King's College Hospital (would strongly recommend it to anyone in the London area planning to breastfeed).

One of the women that came in with her baby to talk about 'real life' said she'd missed the boat and at five months was still feeding every two hours - I certainly don't want to be THAT tied to DD however gorgeous she is!

Beansmum, we were advised not to give the bottle ourselves but to get someone else to do it while we were well out of the way. It makes sure they don't start to associate you with the easy-flowing bottle and give up on taking the breast.