Breast feeding - where to start! HELP!

[clf2105]

Hi everyone.
I'm an expectant first time mum (10 weeks to go) and this is my first time on a forum like this... I am after some advice/tips on breast feeding, I'm finding it all a little over-whelming!! My plan is to breastfeed my newborn, but I also want to express so that my DH can get involved too.

I think I've found the breast pump I'd like to use (Medela Swing Electric Pump) but I've got a few questions and was wondering if any of you could help... I am sure many of you will think I'm pretty dim for asking such questions!!

Who has used this pump?
How was refrigerated/frozen milk heated up?
Can the Medela pump and save milk bags be heated in bottle warmers?
Does the milk need to be poured into another bottle for feeding (I know Tommee Tippee can be used directly)?
What bottle warmer is compatible with the Medela products? Medela don't appear to have their own one.

I know every mum is different and suitability of products vary from one person to the next but all help and advice would be very welcome!!

[positivity123]

I'm 3 weeks in and I've got the same pump as I intended to express as well however I haven't used it yet. Since DD was born I've been feeding her on demand and it really seems like my supply has been dictated by what she eats so I haven't wanted to interrupt the establishment of a good supply. I've been to a couple of support clinics and their advice has been to give it about 6 weeks before you express when your production is at the right level.
Also I've found it a bit harder to get her to latch than I anticipated so I haven't wanted to risk confusing her.
Sorry I'm not answering the questions you've asked but I wanted to share what I've found so far as I'm the same as you and didn't really know what to expect.
If your DH is keen to get involved can he be 'chief post feed cuddler'. A feed in the early weeks can take over an hour so it's quite nice to hand them over when they are drowsy so you can grab a shower or a bit of shut eye.
Best of luck with it all. I'm going to keep an eye on this thread as I want to know the answers to your questions as well for when I start to express in a few weeks.

[LittleSausageFingers]

I have that pump and a 9mo BF DD so hopefully I can help. It's a good pump, I also have a Medela manual pump (for popping in my handbag when out and about and away from DD) and the electric one is better. When the milk has been in the fridge or freezer it does develop a bit of a soapy aftertaste, which didn't bother my DD, but she would only have the milk quite warm, which does seem to counteract the soapiness. I've gone by the rule of 6 hours at room temp, 6 days in the fridge, 6 months in the freezer before the milk needs chucking.

You can express directly into the Pump & Save bags or the Medela bottles. You will need to transfer into another bottle (unless of course you're using the Medela teats, then you can just screw teat onto the Medela bottle). FYI, Boots own brand standard necked feeding bottles also fit onto this pump, and are a couple of pounds for 3, whereas the Medela bottles are about a tenner each .

I wouldn't bother with a bottle warmer. A Pyrex jug with boiled water in will suffice. Also, you may have to try different bottles before you find one your baby will accept, so a bottle warmer for one specific type of bottle may be a waste of money if your baby won't have it.

I would echo PP that pumping may not be the best idea in the early weeks before BF is well established. Plus you could end up upping your supply massively and leaky huge boobs are not fun!

I hated pumping to be honest, I found it extremely time consuming (sterilising, pumping, washing up...), I didn't get massive amounts (although I have a good supply), and my DD didn't like having a bottle (but would if I wasn't there). I did it because I needed to be away from my DD at 3 months old for a hen do, which was just one day, but I had to pump for ages each day for about a week beforehand to make sure I'd have left enough milk. After the hen I never pumped again! It's nice to get your DH involved in the feeding, but there are loads of other ways to get him involved (nappies, baths, burping, cuddling, fetching you cups of tea while you feed ).

Good luck with your baby

[RedLemonade]

Hi and congrats on your pregnancy!

I have the Medela swing and find it great but agree that pumping is a PITA and I never bothered doing it for the sake of letting DH feed her- only for getting some time out and then when I went back to work!

That said, Kellymom.com has brilliant advice on storing EBM and pumping. Also reassurance re the amounts you may pump (I'm one who only ever got small amounts out- DD was just waaaay more efficient than any pump! But she only needed about 2oz for a feed given she BF every 2 hours.)

I'd store for max 3 days in back of fridge, 6 months in separate freezer. I just took the chill off by putting the bottle in a cup with boiling water for a few mins. PP above mentioned a soapy taste to her EBM after freezing- I think that has to do with lactase enzymes in the milk (?) but it doesn't happen to everyone's milk. Mine froze without any change in taste.

I used separate bottles as DD struggled with standard teats. We used Nuk latex teats (same as her dummy) and the corresponding little bottles. I found boots milk storage bags very good- I'd defrost milk in them then decant to bottle to warm.

Didn't use specific bottle warmer or pump and save bags.

I agree with PPs too in terms of holding off on pumping for the very earliest weeks as you'll need baby to be stuck to you basically all day long to get your supply up to lively bountiful levels!

Best advice all round I can give is to read as many articles on Kellymom as possible and spend your pregnancy hanging out on this board so you become familiar with all the pitfalls and have realistic expectations. By the time I had DD1 I could answer pretty much any query on this board despite never having BFd before! Reality was s not different of course and I found the first 2-3 weeks very draining- literally and figuratively! But I'm pretty certain I would have struggled to continue were I not armed with so much information. So read read read! Best of luck

[TheABC]

To echo the posters above, do lots of research and find out where your local breastfeeding group is before the birth (not after, when you are knackered, tearful and feeling a little overwhelmed). Get your supply sorted first and get used to being the centre of the world for your baby.

Regarding the pump, I tried a medulla and a Phillips the first time around, but ended up using a manual pump as the fastest way to express. I just decanted directly into milk storage bags and stuck them in the fridge or freezer as required.

Second time around, it all feels like a big faff, so I have only expressed when absolutely necessary (e.g. long motorway
journey) and kept the baby by me as it's generally quicker to feed her and get back to sleep/food/chasing toddler than to express. Using a sling and co sleeping has helped massively with this, but I appreciate it's not for everyone.

Congratulations on your pregnancy. :-)