Do you need to buy bottles?

[Nousername2015]

I'm looking for everyone's experiences please. This will be my first baby and going to give breastfeeding a try. The question is though, do I need to buy any bottles? I'd like dh to be involved in feeding too so weighing up expressing too, what kind of equipment would I need for this? There seems to be some great offers on in mothercare at the moment but I just can't work out which kits seem to be for formula feeding and you might need for breast milk. Help!!

[thegiddylimit]

Three children and all BF so never used a bottle. I'd say don't buy now, wait and see if you want them. I think there's an element of if you buy bottles before the baby is born you will end up bottle feeding. If you don't buy them and get on with BFing great, if you decide to bottle feed then supermarkets are open 24/7 and sell everything you need. Those packs in Mothercare make you buy way more equipment than you need however you feed.

Maternity pads on the other hand you will need more than you think.

[Oysterbabe]

I've been pondering this too and decided not to buy any. I figure I'll be feeding my baby as and when it needs it and my body will adjust accordingly. I don't want to confuse things by pumping.

[goodnightdarthvader1]

I've read recently that you should wait about 6 weeks before attempting to express to avoid "nipple confusion" while BFing is getting established. I'm also in 2 minds about buying bottles 'just in case' it all goes tits up (ha) and I need to FF. Don't really want to wait for an Amazon delivery of anti-colic bottles while trying to calm a screaming baby.

I may buy a starter pack just in case - it's only £20, if I end up not using I can always ebay them.

[Alb1]

I didn't buy them, breast feeding started to fail and DH just went out and bought what we needed, only took him an hour so wasn't a problem. What I would recommend is buying a barrier cream for your nipples, I honestly couldn't see a need for it when pregnant but by the end of the first day I was crying at every feed cos they hurt so much! When I eventually got the cream it helped loads but we were already moving on to bottles by then (I no, I failed easily). This time il have it right from the start and won't be bothering to get the bottles back out unless we absolutely need them

[Runningupthathill82]

Even speaking as someone who ended up pumping first time round - don't buy bottles before the baby is born, and don't be swayed by what seem to be good offers. Offers are always on. In fact I wonder if its even possible to buy a full price Tommee Tippee bottle set.

Just wait to see what you need (if anything), what breast pump works for you, what type of teat your baby might need, etc etc. I wasted near on £100 on a shite tommee tippee pump and bottles kit which I never used because I needed to hire a hospital grade pump. And I didn't have that money to lose!

[acquiescence]

I am planning on breast feeding but have some (around 6 ) bottles in as I plan to express after bf is (hopefully) established so will need bottles anyway. I have a manual and an electric breast pump (both lent by friends). I think it makes sense to have some bottles in either way.

[louise987]

I had the same question when I was expecting my now 7 week old DD. I bought a new Tommy tippee complete starter set (£60ish) and a few of the cartons of readymade formula 'just in case'. I didn't need the formula but felt safe knowing I had it nearby if I needed it!

I think it also depends on budget, I was of the opinion that if I didn't use the bottle set I could sell it, but also that at some point down the line I would use it with DD. (I am and always planned to EBF)

With regards to pump, I got a Tommy tippee electric pump, second hand. I know some people are 'eugh' about this but let's face it, we sterilise it before each use so I don't see the difference of having a second hand on one! Also, as I didn't know how I'd get on with that particular pump (see others people's posts about different people preferring different pumps) I didn't really mind shelling out only £20 for it. Thankfully it's worked really well, and I have been expressing and getting DH to do a bottle of EBM a day, which is great for bonding, and also reassuring that DD can take a bottle so that when the day comes for me to stop BF I know she won't be flustered.

If you can afford it I think go for it, but if not or you are unsure/tight for space leave it and don't stress about it, shops are always available and online shops often do next day delivery in case you change your mind with your little one! Best of luck xx

[ODog]

I bought a 6 pack of ready made formula from boots. The formula is ready made up in pre-sterilised disposable bottles. I never actually used them but I loved the idea that if I wanted to stop at any point then I could without a mad midnight dash to asda with a screaming newborn.

Re:expressing. I fully intended to do this a lot and bought a pump after a few weeks when I knew I wasn't going to switch to formula any time soon. In the end I think I expressed twice as it is such a faff for such small reward. It's a false economy as it takes longer to express than the time you save by having your DH do a feed. Also newborns feed A LOT so there's barely a gap to actually perform the bloody operation.

Your DH can get involved by changing/winding/bathing/endless rocking/babywearing etc etc. although in all honesty my DH did feel detached for a long time as BF did exclude him a little and it knocked his confidence for a long time. He did hit his stride in the end though and actually the intense BF period is so short in relative terms with the benefit of a great deal of hindsight .

[MrGordo]

Obviously going against the grain here but I would absolutely.
BFing was much harder than I anticipated. There would be nothing stopping you just buying one or two then if you don't need them great, if you do they're ready to go.

[sepa]

I have bought some as annoyingly OH sister is getting married 3 weeks after Bubs is due and no kids allowed after the actual wedding so I will need to express for mum to babysit.
Tommy tippee has the essentials kit on offer in Argos at £65 at the mo which has bottles, steriliser, warmer etc.
I also have arthritis so not sure if I will need to stop bf.

I think you should wait and see. Bottles can be bought if you need them from a 24hr Tesco/asda

[Queazy]

Sepa - surely they will let you bring a 3wk old if they want you there at the wedding? If baby doesn't take to a bottle, I'd take them along! I had a similar story myself, which is why I picked up on your post!

I bought some formula and that's how we diagnosed my dd's dairy allergy so early. It was awful. I had bottles to mix expressed milk with gaviscon to give for her reflux too. I ebf until 14 months, but very open minded that it might not be like that with dc2 due soon. In fact, I wish I had been able to introduce a bottle earlier, so they will come in handy even if you use them from 6 months +. I don't agree with the nipple confusion or 'if you buy it, you'll cave and stop bf' theories. One thing I do think tho...there's a perception that bottle feeding is easier by some...all that sterilising, mixing formula etc etc and always having it to hand? When they move to only 4-5 feeds a day it's a doddle in comparison!!

Sorry long post. I just remember asking the same 2yrs ago and really appreciated different perspectives

Good luck with your lo xx

[happytocomply]

I'm EBF a 6 month old. Brought a Medela manual pump and some bottles before baby came. Only about £20 and very effective but i hardly ever bother to express. Once breastfeeding is established it just tends to be less faff and quicker to feed baby via your boobs rather than any other way. Most breastfed baby's start to space out their feeds too after a few months so you can leave them for a few hours if you want. DP doesn't feed DS but I have encouraged him to do bathtime every night and they have a play and a cuddle at this time too. He couldn't love/be bonded with DS more.

[Nousername2015]

Thank you, I really do appreciate all of the different views, that's why I asked the question! I think I'll hold off on bottles for now until he's here but I think having some of the ready made bottles in might not be a bad idea. My sister really tried her hardest to bf but her milk never really came in and ended up almost having a breakdown over it. Having seen the 3am supermarket run first hand it's stress I'm keen to avoid if that particular situation arises. We are invited to a number of weddings next year and so expressing will come in useful for those, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Thanks again for the insights.

[Marmite27]

To all saying supermarkets are open 24/7 we were caught out on a bank holiday, they close at 4pm, same as Sundays.

We had to phone round petrol stations asking if they stocked formula for my nephew when my SiLs milk hadn't come in and he lost 14% of his birth weight.

Due to this I had bottles and ready made formula in the house. BF hasn't gone so well for us, so I've expressed most feeds for the last 6 weeks.

[Quodlibet]

'Essential starter kit' wrt bottles are a total rip off, as are sterilisers IMO. A microwave steriliser does the job and is maybe a tenner. You don't need loads of bottles unless you are exclusively FF.

Don't scrimp on a shit pump though if you are planning to express. It will give you the absolute rage as there's nothing - nothing - more dull and infuriating than spending your precious free time unproductively bent over a breast pump. It's worth hiring one first to see if you get on with it IMO, as different pumps suit different people. Saying that I've heard lots of recommendations for the medela swing.

I expressed from the get go with my daughter because I needed to do bits and pieces of work when she was little. I went with the advice to get her adjusted to the bottle within the first few weeks to avoid her rejecting the bottle, and I think she had her first expressed feed at about a fortnight. There was no nipple confusion whatever.

We ended up BF except for occasions when I had to work, when DD had expressed milk that I froze and defrosted. A four-pack of tommee tippee bottles and a microwave steriliser did the job.

[Dixiechick17]

I had an electric medela mini pump that my Aunty gave me and by day seven I was so grateful for it as my nipples were so sore that I nearly gave up. Instead I expressed some milk and my DH gave it to her in a bottle, which we did for one feed a day for the first few weeks to give my nipples a break. Five months on I am still breastfeeding, I wouldn't have wanted to send DH out in the middle of the night and was glad I had bottles and emergency formula on standby. I wasted money on tommee tippee bottles which she disliked, she preferred the breastpump bottle teats and now will only drink from MAM bottles.

[sepa]

Quezy I don't think they will change their mind. OH sister is really selfish and she seemed pissed that we would have a baby for her wedding (so much for the excitement of a new niece or nephew)
I have told OH that I will try but if I have to leave then so be it. I won't be made to feel guilty about leaving for Bubs.

When I decided on bottles and steriliser I just want for what the other mums I know have. Made the choice of never ending choices easier.
My other thing is with them, as I am still at work I can afford a £60 set. I'm not sure how easy it will be when I'm on mat leave

[WheresMyBurrito]

I bought a manual pump and bottle set in advance (a Phillips Avent one) because it was reduced and super cheap in Mothercare.

I've since bought an electric pump (a Spectra) for when I go back to work because the manual pump makes me hand hurt and squeaks like nothing on earth

DD doesn't have a bottle that often but it was nice in the early days to have the reassurance that she could have one if needed.

But - like everything - you can always buy some once the baby's here if you decide that you do want to express. And there's always hand expressing and cup feeding as well.

[wetsnow]

That's really stressful Sepa... We had to take 3 week old dd to a wedding. She slept the whole time.

I didn't buy bottles but a set came free with a magazine with a steriliser.
Didn't need them luckily... and when I did leave dd for the first time at 4 weeks see drank from the bottle fine for my mother in law. She hardly had a bottle at all so glad I didn't buy them.
So the free set did the job!

[Frazzled2207]

Hold off on all the expensive stuff. However I do recommend you get one of those newborn starter sets - £8 ish for six mini bottles with pre-sterilised teats. With both my dc I had a panic at about 3am on day 4 when baby was properly hungry and my milk had not yet come in.
I would NOT have fancied sending dh to 24 h tesco whilst I dealt with a screaming infant at that stage!

[NotMrsTumble]

The nipple confusion 6 week advice I followed with pfb meant she would never actually take a bottle and led to lots of heartache trying. Dc 2&3 had at least one bottle of expressed milk from the day my milk came in. Dc2 was mix fed from about 6 weeks, as yes, expressing, especially with a toddler in tow is bloody difficult hard work. Dc3 was ebf to six months and didn't have any formula till he was nearer a year old. Obvs you can't tell any difference between any of them now, my advice would be to go with whatever works for you and your family, but that in my case having a couple of bottles and cartons of formula in reserve actually took the pressure off me and meant I was more relaxed about breastfeeding.

[wonkylegs]

Um - supermarkets round here aren't open 24/7 (rural area close to market town), it was a bit of a surprise when we moved here from a city.
DS turned up quite early so was a bit of a surprise on the being prepared front and we mixed fed from the start as I was quite poorly and struggled to hold DS at times (existing medical condition) so although I'd researched what pump I wanted I hadn't looked at anything else, DH dashed to Mothercare to get other things and ended up with a load of time tippee stuff we never used.
In the end DS would only take expressed milk from the cheapest basic bottles from Boots, we had a tommee tippee steriliser that broke and I ended up using the microwave steamer bags and then the dishwasher from 6mths. I had a medela electric pump (little one) which was fab and I will use it again. We went on to adding formula in the mix when I was too tired. We never had a problem with nipple confusion or supply and DS wasn't bothered whether it was breast or bottle as long as he got food. I think possibly because it was a mix from the start it didn't faze him. I preferred breast as I liked the snuggling but it just wasn't possible to do it all the time.
If I were to do it again I would research everything and write a list then when baby comes you know exactly what you want and can get it with little hassle but if all goes well there's not a load of stuff cluttering up the cupboards (looking at you 7yo TT bottles in original wrapper)

There is no right way to do these things, whatever suits you and your baby will work out in the end.

[Boosiehs]

I had some formula and a couple of bottles in from the start. As pp said, I didn't want to have to do the midnight dash with a newborn.

DS refused a dummy but had no problem with nipple confusion when we added in bottles of expressed milk after a few weeks.

I wanted to reduce stress as much as possible. BF was actually easier than expressing due to no sterilisation, but I needed a rest at night after a while (DS had a tongue tie and nursed ALL THE TIME).

Oh and buy Lansinoh nipple cream - it is a life saver!

[Beautifulbella]

I bf my lo, but did indeed buy bottles. I had brought a sterizlizing kit from tommee tippee, so my OH could feed the lo after we had got the hang of bf. In the kit, was six bottles. I also brought the tommee tippee electric breast pump, this was fantastic but a bit pricey, if you wanted you could buy the manual pump which cost around £15.
I know supermarkets are open 24/7 as others had said on here. But if you have no transport or no one at home, I would not suggest you leave the house at 1am with a newborn to buy bottles. That to me seems ridiculous. Even if you had transport or someone home and needed the bottles due to lo needing a feed, and be is not going well. Your lo would have to wait for someone to go out and purchase these then return and make a ff. it's all too time consuming. Safe yourself the energy and buy now, not much though only the minimum to see how you go. Good luck