Breastfeeding.. to take formula into hospital as well?

[bluefpg]

Hi everyone, FTM here.

27 weeks pregnant today and I've been thinking about how I want to feed baby.

I really want to try to establish bfing as soon as when he is here but I want to ask more experienced mums, do I need to pack formula milk and bottles in my hospital bag also in case it doesn't work out?

I've seen those ready made bottles that they do at the supermarkets, is it worth buying those at first?

I honestly have no idea what I'm doing or what to expect lol, so I would appreciate some of your experiences and how breastfeeding went for you.

Thanks!

The hospitals normally have formula as a backup for people who are trying to establish breastfeeding but struggling. If you went in intending to formula feed you bring your own but in your case you should be fine.

My midwife advised me not to have any on me or in the house as it makes it too tempting to use it, especially during the cluster feeding a few days in... Depends where you live, but we're in London and you can always get it at the little 24h shops if necessary. I only had two separate occasions where I was telling DH maybe we should try just one bottle... but in the end DS is 12mo and was ebf til weaning.

Hospitals in our area are very reluctant to give out milk and expect you to take your own even if the problem is a struggle to establish bf

I wanted to bf DC 1 and didn't even cross my mind that I couldn't. Anyway it did not happen they gave milk at the start whilst we tried but by the next day DH had to run out and buy bottles and milk.
With DC 2 and 3 I took bottles and ready made formula just in case but thankfully didn't need it.
Good luck

I didn’t bother- felt like it was setting myself up to use it (just a personal feeling).
Establishing breastfeeding was really hard and super stressful, and I’d have used the formula if I had it.
As it is, I’m glad I didn’t. We breastfed for 2 years in the end, and it helped us through some really difficult periods of DS being unwell.

If you are unable to feed then they will provide milk.

Thanks all, I think I'm going to avoid buying any then.

Really want breastfeeding to work for me but understand that it's not easy, here's hoping!

Take a little spoon, your milk doesn't come in for 3 or more days, you can hand express colostrum and spoon feed it to the baby while you sort your latch.

If you want breastfeeding to work, I'd really recommend doing a bit of research beforehand about different positions, how to latch, common problems, normal infant feeding patterns etc, so that you are a bit better prepared when baby arrives. If there is a local breastfeeding support group you could try going along, most of them welcome pregnant women wanting to learn what to expect.

I didn't take any formula to hospital as I didn't want the temptation there if things weren't going well. If DS had been getting sick due to struggles with feeding, I'd have sent DH to the 24 hour supermarket, but thankfully it wasn't needed.

I’d check with the hospital. They may provide some, if necessary. It may be (God forbid) something happens to you after the birth and you’re not available for a bit (or longer). It might help a stressful situation a little if whoever is left holding the baby has an easy way to feed them if necessary.

The first 3-5 days of breastfeeding can be exceptionally difficult, especially if you've had a traumatic labour and milk takes a little longer to come in. Baby may feed almost constantly for the first few days. This does not mean anything is wrong necessarily (although always seek advice if concerned), it is just that baby needs to put its order in for milk. It's also the best way baby knows to be close to you as he will have been in your warm and cosy womb up until then.
It's very VERY tempting during this time to give bottles, especially overnight when you're feeling exhausted and hopeless. But this can cause a slippery slope as then your breasts will miss that session of being stimulated and production may drop. So it's best not have any in the house. It's good to remember that shops don't shut when you give birth. If you really do end up needing it for any reason someone can pop out and get it.

Oh, I’ve just remembered! Have a google of “laid back breastfeeding”. It saved my bacon! Was a really successful technique for me, where you basically lie baby on you and let him/her find the nipple and latch. I was sceptical that a tiny baby could manage it, but it made the latch soooo much more comfortable.

I'd go against the grain a bit and say that having one pack of the instant bottles in your hospital bag/cupboard at home doesn't hurt.

I was very keen to BF but had to have an emcs as both DS and I ended up with an infection. It took my milk a while to come in and DS wouldn't latch because he was sleepy and poorly.

DS did have some formula as a result otherwise he would have starved! He was tube fed initially.

I pumped every 3 hours 24 hours a day to get my milk supply going and kept working on the feeding. We transitioned to entirely expressed milk and then fully onto the breast by about day 14. DS was bf exclusively from that point on until 18 months.

Obviously the vast majority of people have a much smoother experience but if you are keen to bf I really don't think having the milk there will tempt you. Equally if you do really need it I wouldn't have wanted DH off searching for an open boots to buy things at an already stressful time!