Breast feeding - clueless!

[CLM123]

Hi ladies,

So I am 31 weeks pregnant and kind of set on breast feeding my baby. First time mummy so not sure how it will work out but hoping to definitely do it. However I will be returning to work after 12 weeks only for 6 hours a week at first then slowly upping my hours until I am part-time (own business so essential) whilst baby will be with her Papa. So was wondering what bottle set to buy?!

We have some normal 0+ Tommee Tippee Bottles and have just ordered the steriliser starter kit with the electric steriliser and all the other goodies it comes with. But given that I will be breast feeding what would you ladies recommend for expressing milk? Looked into both electric and manual breast pumps and both have mixed reviews along with the different makes too.

Also would you recommend that I start baby on bottles from newborn to get her used to them, even if its just once a day or so and the rest on boob?

To add to my questions too, I want to avoid demand feeding, is this even possible?

Thank you x

I'm not sure its possible to avoid demand feeding for a newborn. They're designed to feed as and when they like

I think of advise to get feeding established and then maybe use a cup rather than going to bottles? This maybe better initially.

I would advise a electric pump, especially for later on if you're needing to return to work, mYbe hire one from LLL and see how you get on?

The only other advice I would give at this stage is to not expect too much of your newborn in regards to feeding / routines. It can sometimes cause you more stress trying to form routines in the early days.

Good luck!

Don't use bottles front he start. I never got on well with an electric pump - Avent Isis was great, once I got used to it. Not sure if there's a pump compatible with TT bottles. Talk to your midwives. When your lo is very small, find a local breastfeeding cafe and there will be people there to help answer your questions face-to-face.
Best of luck.

Thank you very much, rather helpful but a few of the other posts on here have now got me petrified ha!

Am I likely to 'dry up' I was under the impression I could just quickly express some booby milk before leaving for work?! Or am I just a deluded naive so and so? HA.

How long can you leave expressed milk? JESUS 1001 QUESTIONS HERE AND A USELESS MIDWIFE REALLY DOES NOT HELP!

Thanks for any responses :D

No, you won't dry up. Check out La Leche League for info on how long for everything - depends if it's in the fridge/frozen/on your own milk. And some women can express simper-fast, others take longer. Try not to focus on the going back to work time at this stage; take it one step at a time. There's loads of great advice on here.

Okay thank you will give it a shot, have been trying my best to be organised and a set plan but we're talking about a baby here, when do they ever become predictable? Lol. Will definitely look into that, seems I have a lot of researching to do, or maybe have the 'what happens, happens' approach 'cos it seems a whole lot easier right now!

Thanks for the responses!

also remember that feeding and your milk production will be different from when your baby is first born to when they are 12 weeks old, so don't think that what you are doing in the first week will be what your doing at 12 weeks, just go with the flow . if you are going to be at work for more than 2/3 hours you might want to consider getting an easily portable breast pump as you may find you need to take it to work to pump off some milk. I personally found an electric pump quicker to use than a hand pump as could take me 30-45 minutes to pump off 3 ounces,

breast milk can last 3 days in the fridge, 6 months in the freezer (according to my HV).

I introduced a bottle to my DS at 3 weeks old of expressed milk so my DH could help with the feeding, and I have never had a problem with nipple confusion. he is now 7 months old and still bf.

good luck!