Do I need to buy anything else?

[squizita]

33 weeks, doing my pre-baby shopping.

Hopefully going to breastfeed.
Have bought a few bits in the babyshop sales:
-Some muslins and burping cloths
-A v shape pillow
-A couple of shawl/scarves
-A Phillips Avent hand pump (half price) which came with a couple of bottles/teats
-Own-brand sterilising kit for the above (again half price).

Do I need anything else (apart from bras!)? I was going to buy some nipple cream next time I'm in Boots.

What I needed most in the early days of feeding, actually, was clothing I could feed in.

Mostly I wanted "one up, one down" so a jumper or top to lift up and a vest to pull down. I used Primark seamless vests but you can get nursing ones.

Tops loose enough to feed in are regrettably few and far between. Find them now...!

I have a LOT of Primark stretch vests, will go through my jumpers/tops to lift up ad stock up on the top layer.
A few friends have said low/loose v necks are also good (in a size up)? thank goodness for the 80s/90s revival.

I can't think of anything else you would need, apart from lots of good TV to watch and some snacks

Washable breast pads. Try bamboo ones from
little lambs.

You can scoop your boobs out of the top of a deep v or scoop, but you tend to flash more feel more exposed, especially in the early days, and also the drips end up on your top (visible) instead of vest (invisible).

Also equip yourself with phone numbers for breastfeeding helplines, times/venues of bf support groups, etc. Watch YouTube videos of what to expect.

And read up on cluster feeding. So many women give up because they think they aren't making enough, because they've never heard of cluster feeding or growth spurts.

Buy/download The Womanly Art Of Breastfeeding, and read it before the baby comes. Keep it handy after the baby comes. It has almost all the breastfeeding answers.

Definitely Lansinoh nipple cream. I was surgically attached to mine! Tip - it's much easier & more confortable to put on, if it's warm. In this weather, fine. If it's cold, put the tube under your armpit or behind your knee for a few minutes.

I quite liked the Tommee Tippee milk feeding bibs, the ones with the extra thick collar. DD was very dribbly at first & they were very absorbent, saved lots of clothes changes!

Breast pads. Washable ones are probably better value if you do BF long term. Disposables are expensive!

Most essential. An insulated, lidded, plastic, hot drinks cup. Expect to be stuck to the sofa for long periods of time!

Lansinoh!!!

Tell your nearest and dearest that the only way to measure if the baby is getting enough milk is number of wet/dirty nappies and weight gain. Ask them to commit this to memory and remind you if necessary! Paranoia can set in during cluster feeding and growth spurts as a pp said.

It also helps to breastfeed in front of a mirror once or twice - you can see how little you can actually see when the baby latches on. It helps being confident feeding out and about.

Second the washable breast pads. The best ones I have are bambooby nights from the nappy lady. Boots ones are good for backup, they periodically have offers on.

It's worthwhile getting to bravissimo if there's one near you. I had some awful droop inducing nursing bras and it was a revelation to get properly fitted and have my boobs up where they belong. It wasn't that expensive either.

Nothing to add really but you could have a look out for shops that have a feeding room, for when you are out and about at first and want a bit of privacy. John lewis , marks and Spencer, boots and mothercare usually have them. Once you get the hang of feeding you probably won't mind doing it anywhere tho.

Definitely do the reading , look up latch and positioning. Find out if there is a breastfeeding workshop or drop in near you.

Kellymom website is good for info.

I second the insulated hot drinks cup!

Go to a breastfeeding support group NOW before you have the baby to be show how a good latch and position looks before you have your own!

Also maybe Some breast milk storage cups or freezer bags if you've got the pump what are you going to store the expressed milk in?

I had my v shapes pillow but what I missed initially was loads of normal pillows to get myself comfy. I needed them behinds back, under my arm etc. I just got some cheap ones with cheap pillow cases from tesco in the end as don't use them to sleep on.

Another vote for the womanly art of breastfeeding book. Also if you are on Facebook join your local La Leche League group...you can post questions at any time and you get immediate excellent responses. It was a life saver for me the first night back from hospital.

Another vote for stretchy vest tops and loose clothing - I needed 2 sizes bigger than my pre-baby size.
I wouldn't even try to express for at least the first six weeks or so, so I wouldn't panic about buying milk storage bags etc. (although if you do, Home Bargins do them for £1.99, much cheaper than anywhere else)
I remember sending MIL to the super market for little bottles of water -lunch box sized - and I could keep them tucked in to a dressing gown pocket or just next to me on the sofa. Easier than balancing a cup. And lots of chocolate.

I like disposable breast pads. Tommee tippee or Lansinoh absorb well. I have reusable boots own brand ones now it's settled down and actual at 6m don't really bother. At first you really leak although everyone's different. My non feeding side would soak on let down so I was forever replacing just one pad to stay fresh. Reusable ones would have meant lots of washing in the first place.

Another vote for an insulated cup with a lid, otherwise it will be months before you get a hot drink.

Another vote for an insulated cup with a lid, otherwise it will be months before you get a hot drink.

Lansinoh and to be mentally prepared for the cluster feeding. Suckling 6hrs + is normal and doesn't mean something isn't right and the baby is starving.
Good luck with it. It really is the most rewarding thing I have ever done.

Another vote for Lansinoh and I found Multi Mam compresses heavenly in the early days.

A good pint glass for all the water you'll drink :)

In the hospital I liked having Nature Valley oat bars (oats help with supply) to snack on during the night.

Have kellymom.com bookmarked on your phone!

Call your local LLL leader and if poss go along to a monthly LLL meeting. See mums bf, get some leaflets and get the phone number of a leader (bf counsellor) and call as soon as you have any concerns. Don't leave it for a few days/ weeks. Bf is not supposed to hurt!

Thanks all.

I have already got plenty of phone numbers, breast feeding groups etc' off my NCT group; I was more thinking of useful things I needed equipment-wise in those early days when limping with a crying tiny walking to Boots or Tesco would be an epic journey!

My DM has already warned me about the hunger/thirst/cluster feeding. She is quite matter of fact about both BF and FF (she did both in her time with different babies) so thankfully will be level headed whatever happens!

She suggested big bottles of water and pint glasses round every comfy chair in the house. She also poo pooed the weird advice from back in her BF day (no brocolli, strict routines etc') as 'lacking common sense' thankfully and her advice seems to tally up with modern books/websites.

We already have novelty beer fastival pint glasses aplenty in our house thankfully!

Have you got something like a stretchy wrap? I found my kari me wrap invaluable as dd liked being held closely.

You might also like to read up on safe co sleeping practices as a lot of mums find breastfeeding goes hand in hand with that.

In terms of 'stuff', if you are having an Autumn baby you might want to think about pj's or similar which button up the front. It can get shivery bfing in the middle of the night if you have to totally lift up your top to do it. Also useful if you co-sleep (although have you said on another thread that you won't be for medical reasons or am I mixing you up. If that's not relevant, ignore that bit, the other still applies).

I am not keen on v necks/low necks for breastfeeding because you have to scoop your whole boob out the top. That probably works better if you have small boobs as you aren't trying to cover up as much flesh.

Oh, on which note, think about maternity clothes you can bf in. In the first few days with DD1 I was a bit flummoxed. Normal larger tops didn't fit yet. Maternity clothes weren't easy to bf in until I got used to it. Some people say to hang out at home that whole period, but I liked getting out in the fresh air a bit.