I think this is how you make one?
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Birth clubs
glitterglitters ·
27/06/2017 07:55
With regards to pumping I've got a basic tommee tippee manual pump. I've got the microwave steriliser as well.
Also, with breast milk, you don't actually need to sterilise. The reasons for sterilising is usually to kill off any bacteria in formula powder. Hot, soapy water should suffice. 
Also a good kit is Mam bottles. These you can actually sterilise in the microwave by themselves as well. So great for travelling and if you want to use them for both without the need for a bulky steriliser.
I've just bought a manual pump based on dc1 being a bottle refuser. The pump is mainly for pumping a bit off during engorgement (as they can struggle to latch when they're too full) and also to give a little bit of expressed milk once a day to see if I can get this one not to refuse.
I'd personally, not bother with an electric until bf is established, or exclusively pumping or if you're planning on returning to work. However it is great for building a stash up.
Medela swing is good and I used the ameda
Lactaline last time which is a closed system so you can buy it second hand. I also sacrificed an old bra so I could shove the flanges through and, voila! Hands free pumping.
Check out the Hakka for something quite lo-tec. You may find when you feed for the first few weeks/months both your breasts leak. This saves any excess milk from being wasted.
Also very relieved about the huge amount of extra involved relatives. I bet we'll end
Up just as bad one day hahaha!
They do definitely come in useful.
@mynameisntLinda genius. Wish I'd done that now!
@ButterflyFree your mil and sil's sound lovely! The photo thing made me giggle! 
glitterglitters ·
27/06/2017 11:56
Anybody else getting hot flashes? I had them post birth last time but I'm getting them every few hours now.
It's not very ladylike 
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mynameisntLinda ·
27/06/2017 13:46
@spindelina yes thats what i meant. Maybe not articulated well. Ive known a few women who believe that they "have no milk" or "dont make enough milk" or "baby was too hungry" that reluctantly switch to formula when really its just that their expectations of how often a baby should feed are skewed or people advise topping up with formula which then results in low supply.
Not that theres anything wrong with combi feeding (or bottle feeding) its just sad when the misinformation, often from well meaning family memebers, results in an end to breastfeeding.
My nan told me numerous times that i musnt make enough milk because my baby always wanted to feed, or that i should gjve a bottle because my boobs werent making enough milk because they should be full.
She cant believe that my 2 year old still has boob in a morning because i cant possibly still be making milk 
she is of the camp that think a baby shoukd be fed every 4 hours and any crying and attention outside of that time frame makes them soft.
glitterglitters ·
27/06/2017 14:24
I've seen and heard a lot similar to you @mynameisntLinda
I was always very surprised at the limited amount of knowledge my local hv clinic had as well in comparison to the bfn group I attended.
I've found It really is the luck of the draw on the knowledge you are able to access and the type of information you receive. Also the support network you have is a huge factor.
I was very, very lucky that one of my best friends is a peer supporter for the BFN and all my family and my husbands family breastfed their children till at least 2.
Also I think being at a midwife led unit helped me as they didn't check any bloods or do any tests etc before we were discharged. All my friends who went to the "big hospital" were told this was wrong, that was wrong, top ups were essential and given some inconsistent advice. If that had been me I would have switched pretty much immediately if I'm honest.
Even my friend who is a nurse was completely befuddled by the whole experience and was given conflicting advice from several sources.
It's not an easy thing to do, whether it goes to plan or not, and each comes with its own sets of pros and cons. It's ultimately down to your own experience and needs and important that you own that decision and not feel any guilt. At the end of the day you'd only be making that decision for the benefit of your children. Nobody can question that 
Having a baby in general is bloody hard work in general anyway without all the other stuff.
@nat2311 that's the view I had. I'd give it a try but wasn't going to beat myself up over it.
Dh is very keen for this one to receive "the same" as dd but different babies have different things and I'm fully prepared for all eventualities. Also it's my body and if I don't want to do it nobody can make that decision bar from me.
For me It's just about taking it one feed at a time and building a support network. My online groups were invaluable to me as well as my irl network.
Groups on Facebook Like Breastfeeding Yummy Mummies and The Breastfeeding Network were great. Happy to send links to anybody who wants them as well.
I wouldn't mind a bit of freedom this time though. 
I used to envy my friends who ff would be out with their partners for date nights and all sorts but it did eventually even out (...and then I immediately found out I was pregnant hahah!)
So ill get off my soap box now and I'm happy to answer any questions anybody has. I'm not peer trained but I spent many many hours of the night trawling the web for the silliest of questions with my first.
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