Some breastfeeding questions

[Waggamamma]

I'm only 16 weeks pregnant with dc2. I tried to bf ds1 but failed after 14 days or so, I expressed for a few week after that with tommee tippee manual but never got much.

I'm determined to be more prepared with dc2 and give bf a better shot. I have a few questions I wondered if you could help...

• I'm looking to get a good breastpump so dp can share some feeds once baby is past 6 weeks. I'm looking at the ameda lactaline and medela swing, although they are pricey! Are there any others I should consider?

• Will I need to replace all my tommee tippee bottles (I have 14!!) with ones that match the pump?

• Best breast pads?

• I'm wearing m&s maternity bras just now, they have clips on the straps, will they be fine for feeding? Our new baby budget it tight!

• Are bigger babies harder to feed? DS was over 9lb and had a never ending appetite. He fed for 4 hours non-stop, slept for 30mins then would want fed again and still lost over 15% of his birthweight in a few days. This isn't normal?

• Any other helpful hints and tips?

• I have an Ardo Calypso pump and I loooooove it. Think it's similar enough to the Lactaline and better than the Swing. One caveat re the "sharing feeds" thing is that I personally find all the pumping/cleaning etc. takes longer than just feeding so it would never have saved me much time overall, though it obviously can be v useful.

• Nope, you can just pump into the bottle that comes with the pump and transfer.

• Depends on what you find comfortable: I like the Lansinoh and Avent ones.

• Should be fine for feeding if they still fit! I was very definitely a different size post-pregnancy, though the difference wasn't as striking second time round.

• Don't think bigger babies are harder to feed - DS1 was 9lbs 7oz and I had no feeding problems at all. The behaviour you describe sounds like there might have been some kind of milk transfer issue like a tongue tie? Though both of mine still went through relentless days when they were going through growth spurts, particularly early on.

• Try and think of feeding as your job for the first few weeks - so, if baby wants to feed all evening after DS1 has gone to bed, just plonk yourself on the sofa in front of a box set and get someone to bring you biscuits/small medicinal wine/etc. Get as much help from others as possible with all the other not-feeding stuff like laundry, cooking. Oh, and try and get to a local BF group, I found it invaluable.

Congrats on the little one. I'm currently bf DD (7months). Let's see what I can help with, I use an electric tommie tippie. It's fine, not brill but the price was right (think was reduced to £40 in asda) & I don't express much. It came with a bottle to express into, then I put it in the lansinoh storage bags in the freezer.
I think best pads are lansinoh, but I also use reusable bamboo ones if my tops not tight (they're bulkier but cheaper). Lansinoh cream is the best by far as well.
Bras with clips = good. I also use those crop top style bras at night. The £ shop had some at one point or primark.
The other thing I found really useful was finding the details for all the bf support groups & having a list ready to go.

Did your DC1 have a tongue tie? Feeding for hours non-stop and still losing weight sounds like he had some problem with feeding effectively - did you get any breastfeeding support with him?

-I have a lactaline and I think it's better if only because it's a double pump. It's also a closed system which means milk can't get into the tubing or machine. Google used Medela swing and there's a blog post where a woman took her used swing apart and there was mould in it. But I actually don't think you should buy a pump while pregnant, except maybe of you don't open the box. If you need a pump in the first weeks the hospital or HV can give you one but if you end up not breastfeeding you'll have lost some money on the pump you bought too early.
In addition to what someone said upthread, I never ended up sharing threads with DH because I just never got enough milk for a full feed. My supply was fine for baby, but some women just get less from pumps.

• Keep your bottles. You don't have to feed from the ones that come with the pump.

-I used cloth breast pads from boots because disposables made me itchy but most people seem to like Lansinoh. They stick well to your bra.

• Your bra size will change so I'd buy minimal nursing bras before baby arrives. There are kits on eBay to convert regular bras to nursing bras, if you can't find ones you like at a good price. I had to force myself to look at the nursing bras a baby expense, not just shopping for me. Use gift cards or baby gifts to buy the bras if you need to. The baby would prefer milk to toys and clothes anyway!

• Big babies don't necessarily need more milk. I would look up local bf support while still pregnant so you know who to call if you have similar issues with this baby.

I hope everything goes smoothly for you. Good luck with everything.

I never ended up sharing feeds with DH, of course.

Thanks for the replies, all really useful!

I'm not sure what the issue was with ds, midwifes all told me he was latched fine and lady at breast feeding group said feeding often in early days was normal. There was no explanation offered for the weightloss but to supplement with forumula which quickly turned into full time ff. I was also severely anaemic due to blood loss but my blood results went missing so this wasn't picked up until day 12 and no prescription until day 15. I'm wondering if this could affect supply or milk quality?

I want to be on top of all these issues a lot quicker this time to get the right support.

- I'm looking to get a good breastpump so dp can share some feeds once baby is past 6 weeks. I'm looking at the ameda lactaline and medela swing, although they are pricey! Are there any others I should consider?
I have used the Phillips electric pump and got on very well with it and I also have a manual pump too. Mustn't have done me too bad 11 months down the line.

- Will I need to replace all my tommee tippee bottles (I have 14!!) with ones that match the pump?
It depends on the pump, really. Some pumps have their own special bottles that you put it in then you tip it into your own bottles. To be honest you could do that anyway - as long as you clean the bottle you used to pump in every time.

- Best breast pads?
I was a bit of a numpty and didn't use them which was stupid because I dripped EVERYWHERE. Don't make my mistake...

- I'm wearing m&s maternity bras just now, they have clips on the straps, will they be fine for feeding? Our new baby budget it tight!
I'm sure that will be fine. As long as they fit comfortably and aren't likely to scratch babies face. Note: you might find that your breasts grow more towards the birth/even when the baby is born. I was a 38E at the end of pregnancy and now I squeeze into the things but sometimes have to wear a 38F and I've been BFing for 11 months. There are some good deals on. Perhaps get 2 bras for £20 or something like that which is what I did.

- Are bigger babies harder to feed? DS was over 9lb and had a never ending appetite. He fed for 4 hours non-stop, slept for 30mins then would want fed again and still lost over 15% of his birthweight in a few days. This isn't normal?
No, the size of the baby doesn't really correspond to how well they feed neither does the size of your breasts. Sometimes the babies are bigger because of hormones, or the amount you ate during pregnancy or because they were born later than 40 weeks - I have known some 6lb babies be little boob monsters, it really can depend. This is only from experience with one baby mind, so I am no expert.

- Any other helpful hints and tips?
Don't panic and relax. Easy to say I know, but getting stressed wont help. It's supposed to be easiest thing in the world but it isn't always easy. Just go with the flow and take cues from your baby - they will cry when they are hungry/pull off when they are finished etc.

-I've used a lansinoh breastpump and it's good but expensive new-around£100 but have a look on e bay- can probably pick one up for nearer £20- some hardly used as owner went to ff.
-Just replace the teats from the bottles and decant expressed milk into them
-Boots own breast pads are good and are often on 3 for 2.
-Top tips- Get your baby checked for tongue tie and insist on having it snipped early if one's found. Eat and drink properly- I didn't and it really didn't help bf at all. Relax if you can-bf is hard but made much harded when you're stressed!!! Good Luck