Bf and sterilisers

[MrsF81777777]

I intend to breastfeed but do I need to buy sterilising equipment/bottles before the birth just in case or can this wait?! If u think I should buy - do you have any recommendations?

Thanks

[CreatureRetorts]

I would wait. You can always get stuff quickly online or bottles/formula in a shop if desperate.

[BedHog]

You can get a microwave steriliser for about a tenner, so it won't matter too much if you don't use it! I had a tommee tippee one. I think most people will use a steriliser at some point, even if it is for breast pump components or dummies.

[FadBook]

I brought Milton liquid and it was in the cupboard untouched for several weeks The pump I brought came with two small bottles (avent) and that was all I needed in order to give the odd expressed milk when I went out. I intended to exclusively bf for 6 months.... we're still bf'ing at 21 months which wasn't planned

[FadBook]

You can use Milton in a tub of cold water for 20 minutes. The expensive sterilisers are these hot water / steam ones which never appealed to me. I believe they're quicker

[MrsHoarder]

Milton tablets are useful once you get to having bath toys anyway.

[Startail]

And school drink bottles left at school for days

DD2 never got the hang of bottles and I can't express for toffee

[Thumbtack]

I hardly touched the stuff I bought!

[Seff]

I managed to find a sterilizer on ebay for 99p whilst pregnant so although I never needed to use it, I didn't feel like it was too much of a waste of money.

I had 3 or 4 bottles, just in case, as I figured if I needed more I could get some.

[QTPie]

I did buy sterilser and bottles and a breast pump because I always intended to express if I BFd (and I did - 1 bottle a day from 4 weeks - have us much more flexibility...). I also did buy an emergency tub of formula "just in case": I know it sounds defeatist, but didn't want to be scrambling for emergency formula at midnight on a Sunday... As it happened, we never needed it (but it was reassuring to have it).

Do get some Lansinoh: I applied after every feed and never had any problems with blistering/cracking/bleeding etc.

Good luck :)

[MrsF81777777]

thanks everyone - your advice is much appreciated!!

[AnathemaDevice]

I bought a pump and a bottle, just in case, when I was pregnant with DC1. 4 years and 3 DCs later the bottle is still in the box. I used the pump once, just to try it out.

[maybunny]

I use the medela microwave bags - they are about £10 for 7 (each one lasts 20 uses - prob could stretch it out to more). I bf both mine but they were handy for sterilising the expressing equipment when I needed to. They are great as they aren't bulky should you not need them.

[CityDweller]

I've just sterilised by boiling (dummy, breast pump parts, etc) in water in pan for 5 mins. But we have a tiny kitchen and no microwave...

[Alanna1]

I would get a steriliser and an electric pump. I breastfed DD1 exclusively to 7 months and also expressed milk, so that OH could give her a bottle daily. It meant I could go to bed earlier. And, later, go away for the weekend etc. Expressing is easy if you do it every day and if you do it from the first week or two, your milk just establishes at a higher level.

[AmandaPayneNeedsANap]

I wouldn't buy a steriliser in advance. It's a lot of money and a lot of space if you don't use it. You can boil sterilise bottles and teats if you need to.

Some people buy a tin of formula and a couple of bottles. Personally I'd jsut check out what's available easily in local shops.

[GTbaby]

I didn't buy bottles/ steriliser etc before birth as I was so set on bf.
however LO just would not feed.

Personally I found it stressful (emotional was a wreck anyway at feeling like id failed at bf) as I didn't know what to buy , which was best, the different types. Pro cons of Electric, microwave, cold water tablet things.
Or what formula to buy.

So my recommendation is to choose the method. Then product. Know where to send P to get it ICE.

Sry, totally off topic. But wish someone had said this to me. if you are a first time mum research any problems you MAY have. My issue was flat nipples (and a MW who didn't care about promoting bf at all) I didn't know you could use breast shells a few weeks before due date to try mk shape of nipples better.
There was a lot of things I found out to late as I took for granted that bf was going to be easy.

Sry to go off topic slightly.

[whatshappeninghere]

I would wait and see how you get on. BFing can be hard at the start and it would be easy to crack in a moment of stress (which there will be many) and regret it. I was pressurised a lot to give a bottle in the beginning from various friends and family. As we didn't have one, i couldn't cave for which i am now grateful for didn't feel like it at the time though

[Alanna1]

Other thing that occurs to me is lookon gumtree for a steriliser. I use the avent steam steriliser one and you can fit loads in it. I also use avent bottles. They do a starter set which includes 2 big and 2 little bottles, a newborn dummy and a brush for £10 on amazon. You probably don't need newborn little bottles though - by 6 weeks you'll prob be using big bottles! I also use the medela mini electric pump as it was cheaper than the swing.