Wanting to breastfeed, should I buy back up formula just in case?

[loveulotslikejellytots]

I'm 31 weeks with my first, just getting a shopping list of equipment we still need together. I want to BF and DH is supportive of this. But he did ask if it was worth getting getting one tub of formula, one pack of bottles and a cheap stereliser, just in case? We have a 24 hour tesco 3 miles away, I sort of think having the above in the house will make it easier to 'give in' when it inevtibly gets tough. If we needed any of the above there is only a very small window on a Sunday that we wouldn't be able to buy it anyway!

What did you do? DH is very conscious of 'pulling his weight' and doing his fair share of everything (including night feeds), and if or when I feel able to express i'm sure he will. But did anyone manage to BF sucessfully with a bottle given during the night? Does it even work like that! So many questions!

[CMOTDibbler]

If theres a 24 hour Tesco close, then you don't need to purchase in advance.

[Quichey]

I would leave it and buy anything like that afterwards. I bf both of mine, one took bottle of expressed milk happily once bf established at around 8 weeks, the other is nearly 7 months and refuses all bottles! See how things go. With the first I bought pump, bottles etc after the birth once I could manage a trip to shops.
If you have a breastfeeding support group near you then you could visit while pregnant for advice and then you will have local back up ready should you need it once baby arrives.

[Duggee]

If I were you I'd not buy it as it might be tempting to give in. The first few weeks can be tough for some people but gets lots easier after that. 6 weeks plus and it's much easier than bottle feeding.

[Quichey]

Also your dh doesn't have to feel left out in the middle of the night, plenty of nappy changes, cuddles to be done early on ?? you feed, he does the bottom end I suggest ??

[loveulotslikejellytots]

Thanks for the replies. Quichey - I didn't realise you could attend before you had the baby. I'll look them up now and see where my local one is.

I agree that bf seems easier (all being well) than having to go downstairs and make up a bottle etc. but I'll see how it goes. I'll leave buying anything for now then, I can make sure DH knows where it all is in tesco and if he has to make a 3am dash it won't be as hard!

[loveulotslikejellytots]

Now I like the sound of that idea quichey!

[Fink]

There is definitely absolutely no need to buy formula if you're intending to bf. Plenty of chances to buy later if necessary.

I did manage to bf with sometimes using a bottle of expressed milk at night, but I personally found it wasn't worth the effort. Other people may disagree. You still have to get up in the night to express (unless it's a one-off) and you can hear the baby up anyway so it's not like you sleep through. Except for emergencies, like illness, I wouldn't bother. I asked ex-h to help out by e.g. getting up to do the nappy change & (once she was in her own crib) re-settle dd, meaning that I could do a night feed without actually getting up. He can also 'pull his weight' in other ways so that when you feel tired after night feeding he can pick up the slack in other areas, not necessarily by directly taking the night feeds from you.

[DulcetMoans]

As the others said, no need to get any in. My DS was given formula in hospital the first day which they provided, I expect most would do that.

You may want to consider getting a steriliser though, even if you do BF. I use mine for the breast pump, milk storage tubs and dummies.

[floooOoooatyfloooOooo]

I wish I had got some as back up when it was 2am and I couldn't get my hungry 1 day old baby to latch on after 4 hours of desperately trying. Was a flipping nightmare.

[Cavort]

I wouldn't get any formula feeding equipment for the reasons you mention. If it does turn out you need to formula feed then it's easy to pop to the shop. Only 5% of women are physically unable to breastfeed. There are many potential problems which can and do occur frequently, but with the right support you will be able to overcome any potential issues. The right support will most likely come in the form of a IBCLC, who have spent many hours on practical breastfeeding support and sat many exams, and will come to your house at short notice (usually for a fee of PS80-100) and resolve any issues you are having. NHS BFing support is a bit hit and miss so I wouldn't assume whoever is advising you even knows what they're talking about. Some do and some don't. Paying for support ensures you're getting the best. Find a IBCLC here. The Kellymom website is also full of great breastfeeding advice. //www.kellymom.com I also recommend you read a good breastfeeding book before the birth so you are aware of basic potential issues and have an idea of how to overcome them yourself. I thought The Food of Love was great and really helped me in the early days.
I hope it all goes well and good luck with your breastfeeding journey!

[PittacusLore]

I'm going to go against the flow here. My midwife advised me to get a couple of 7oz cartons of milk just in case.

I was very poorly after dc1 (emergency section) and very anaemic. Tbh, the first few weeks are a blur now, but I remember being so very grateful that dh could give her the odd feed while I had a sleep and rested my knackered body and shredded nipples. It definitely aided my recovery.

I did the same with dc2 and never needed to use them.

[NerrSnerr]

We had a pack of those ready sterilised bottles and were a godsend as I had such painful nipples and needed an occasional break. 14 months later and I'm still breastfeeding. The best advice I got from a friend was that a bit of formula won't harm, and won't stop the baby from breastfeeding.

[Quichey]

OP Yep the support group near us is very welcoming to pregnant ladies and the peer supporters really knowledgeable and keen to help whatever stage you are at

[outputgap]

Hi, I bf dc1 for a year and a half and dc2 for two years, so I'm a really keen breastfeeder.

But I had a bloody nightmare for the first few days of dc1. No milk, she wouldn't stay on the breast because she was hungry and tired. I had a few cartons in, and they were great. We fed her from a cup a few times. I wouldn't give a newborn a bottle - was too scared she'd never go back to the breast. It was a lifesaver.

For dc2 (and now a gestating dc3) I bought some special prepacked sterilised feeding cups. Can't find them now, but they look like this, just cheaper: www.amazon.co.uk/Orthofix-AXifeed-Baby-Feeding-Cup/dp/B00GREVVUQ?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[TheNumberfaker]

Why don't you get a small steriliser and one or two bottles in advance. You'd definitely use those anyway if you need nipple shields or dummies and if you decide to express or mix feed later on. But don't get any formula in, then you would have to make the effort to get some in.

[TheNumberfaker]

I bought this one and it comes with a bottle already! www.amazon.co.uk/Tommee-Tippee-Closer-Nature-Steriliser/dp/B001U3XVMA?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[DriverSurpriseMe]

I bought into the "don't have any formula in the house because you'll be tempted to use it" crap. Like using formula is the worst thing you could do when you're struggling to BF.

Worst mistake I could have made.

At 2am, when my newborn was six days old, and I had an epiphany that she was getting NOTHING and it had been that way since the start, I really wish I'd had formula in the house because we had to starve her for another six hours until the supermarkets opened.

So I recommend a couple of ready made bottles. Or even the newborn starter kits that come with miniature bottles and sterile teats.

[BeeMyBaby]

You don't necessarily need to buy formula but I would recommend buying around 5 syringes from boots incase you have delayed milk production or baby loses more than 10% of birth weight as boots is not open 24hrs a day and using a syringe if necessary means there is less nipple confusion unlike a bottle. They cost less than £1 each and just ask at the pharmacy counter.

[MangosteenSoda]

There's nothing wrong with being extra prepared and a quick 10 min trip to Tesco will feel about 20 hours long if you are desperately waiting to get some food into a screaming newborn.

My milk came in 72 hours after giving birth and my baby decided that colostrum would only tide him over for the first 18 hours. He wanted to suck constantly and the midwives made me feel terrible about wanting to give him formula to tide him over. He was latched on for 6 hours at one point. Screamed hysterically every time he unlatched. I was in pain, exhausted, hungry, needed the loo etc. when I got him home, I gave him bits of formula from a cup after being shown how to do so from a midwife who visited me at home.

He is now a bottle refusing 8 month old. Why make even a few hours of those stressful first days even harder than they need to be? Like an above poster said, a bit of formula won't hurt your baby (or indeed a lot if formula, as plenty of babies thrive on it).

[loveulotslikejellytots]

Some great replies, thank you! Will read properly and reply in a little while, but thank you!

[Skiptonlass]

'Nipping to the shops' is not exactly easy with a newborn! Plus, you're more likely to be knackered and at a low ebb at 2am when the shops aren't open or you're in your pjs...

I got a couple of cartons of ready mix formula and a couple of bottles, in case I needed/need them.

You don't need to shell out for a steriliser yet - those microwave steriliser bags or just a pan of boiling water will do just fine.

I don't like the idea that 'you'll crack and give them formula' - bf ing is great but formula isn't poison and if you need it or want it then it's best to have it.

I'm bf ing my five week old - I've not used formula so far but j will without hesitation if I think I need to. It's a comfort to know it's there when I'm struggling in the night (hopefully you will take to it like a duck to water but I certainly haven't, I'm finding it tough.)

[Boosiehs]

Utterly agree with the posters who said have a carton spare.

I bought a couple just before DS was born. I didn't need them in the end as he BF and we managed to ebf for several months.

However I wouldn't have like to feel like I was alone in the middle of the night with a starving baby if for some reason it didn't work.

Oh and the 5% statistic is b*llocks if my friendship group is a sample size. I can think of at least 6 close friends who have had trouble BF.

[villainousbroodmare]

I bought the bottle feeding basics and like pps, use the Milton bucket for breastpump stuff and bottles, but never needed the formula.
You'll kick ass.

[DriverSurpriseMe]

and the 5% statistic is bllocks if my friendship group is a sample size. I can think of at least 6 close friends who have had trouble BF.*

Agreed, but the lactivist approach is always to say only 5% (I usually hear 1% or 2%) physically cannot BF.

I dislike the subtext, which is to say that being physically unable to produce milk is the only acceptable excuse to not breastfeed. It also cunningly bashes all women who use formula (because it's obviously WAY more than 5%) because, clearly, they gave up breastfeeding for some sort of unacceptable reason, like not trying hard enough.

Ahem

[babyconverse]

4 day old here- I am breastfeeding, it's tough and it's reassuring to have the basics in in case we need to formula feed-him getting enough food is the priority. We haven't touched it yet -or come close-but it helps to feel prepared. Also we've been so tired that there are times i wouldn't have been happy with dp having to drive to pick anything up -especially in the middle of the night. I really think if can't hurt