Wanting to breastfeed, should I buy back up formula just in case?

[loveulotslikejellytots]

I'm 31 weeks with my first, just getting a shopping list of equipment we still need together. I want to BF and DH is supportive of this. But he did ask if it was worth getting getting one tub of formula, one pack of bottles and a cheap stereliser, just in case? We have a 24 hour tesco 3 miles away, I sort of think having the above in the house will make it easier to 'give in' when it inevtibly gets tough. If we needed any of the above there is only a very small window on a Sunday that we wouldn't be able to buy it anyway!

What did you do? DH is very conscious of 'pulling his weight' and doing his fair share of everything (including night feeds), and if or when I feel able to express i'm sure he will. But did anyone manage to BF sucessfully with a bottle given during the night? Does it even work like that! So many questions!

I would definitely advise not to buy anything just yet as hopefully you won't need it. I breastfed my eldest for two years and currently nursing 4 month old. If I had formula in the house I certainly would have used it for my eldest as nursing him was sooooo hard I would have given in and used a bottle. Breastfeeding for me was incredibly difficult at the beginning but once we got into the flow of it so much easier in my opinion than making bottles so I would say avoid avoid avoid.

It might be tempting to give in
It was comments like the above that mad me sob when I gave my daughter a bottle of formula from a starter pack at about 2 weeks old when I had a huge crack on each nipple and every feed was agony. With the help of one bottle of formula a day and nipple shields we are breastfeeding over a year later. I felt like I had failed at the time with all those crazy hormones. Turns out it was the best thing to do.

Oh and go on to thealphaparent.com for motivation when you feel like giving up, it is fantastic kept me going! Xxx good luck

Seriously? The Alpha Parent is one of the most hateful anti-formula blogs I've ever come across

Yes driver her tone is a bit harsh sometimes but the content I found very informative and encouraging

Encouraging if you're successfully breastfeeding I suppose, but I can't imagine it's very encouraging to a sad and vulnerable woman considering formula top ups. I am shocked by the hate and bile pouring out of her posts. I actually think she has ishoos.

No I wouldn't bother. If you really feel you must, get a single ready-to-use carton. A newborn can take this off a spoon / cup in an emergency. I wouldn't waste money on bottles etc.

No I wouldn't bother. If you really feel you must, get a single ready-to-use carton. A newborn can take this off a spoon / cup in an emergency. I wouldn't waste money on bottles etc.

I always planned to breastfeed, but I bought a 6 pack of little ready to use bottles of formula. I never used them as my DD took to breastfeeding like a duck to water but I was glad they were there. OP I definitely recommend staying away from The Alpha Parent- she nearly put me off breastfeeding!

It was the IBCLC who instructed my DO to go to the nearest shop and buy some formul for my 3 day old who was badly jaundiced and after feeding for 20 hours and me at the point of collapse. He could only find hungry baby milk which wasn't suitable at all but our only option at the time. Please please don't think if you have a cartoon you will stop breastfeeding! Please do think how it might save you. I have been driven to post natal anxiety due to this whole 1% nonsense and only now at 15 weeks have I forgiven myself for 'doing it wrong' and 'failing' - and I still put him to the breast and he gets a dribble even though he is practically entirely formula fed now!

If you want to BF and you are able to one bottle will not stop you but it could help you.

Argh sorry for typos! Hope it makes some sense! Obviously I am still all worked up about it if I am typing so furiously!

Thanks for the replies, I hadn't actually seen the cartons or ready made bottles. I think I'll get a pack of those, giving one of those if I'm shattered isn't the end of the world. I can then get more formula and stereo using equipment if it's needed, most stuff has a next day delivery option on amazon! I've never had a baby before, but I take on board that although tesco is only 5 minutes away, that would feel like miles away at 3am with a screaming hungry newborn for example.

I've found a local bf group, I might pop along in a few weeks.

Thanks for the advice though!

I would get one of the ready made bottles, so that you have a backup for 2am on a Sunday when the 24 hour Tescos isnt actually 24 hours. You dont then need to have a sterilizer/selection of bottles/huge tin of formula if you dont end up using it.

A 24 hour Tesco 3 miles away is very, very convenient - there will be no formula emergency that this cannot cater for!

Why not do a little reading on the board around the good advice and bad advice which can help or destroy breastfeeding success.

It's like anything - preparing yourself in advance gives you the best chance of success.

There will always be really lucky people who succeeded despite bad advice, but there will be more people whose chances are scuppered NOT because they didn't try hard enough, but because the bad advice they received sabotaged their chances.

Learn about skin to skin, demand feeding and good / bad latch positions. Watch youtube videos. Arm yourself against the deluge of crap advice about feeding on a strict schedule or timing feeds, or pumping to see if you have enough milk, or worrying about the content of your diet. Understand how to really know whether the baby is getting enough milk, and accept that it is normal for newborn babies to wake regularly to feed, and that in itself doesn't mean there is a problem.

Kellymom.com is a great website, Jack Newman has good videos, and these boards have some of the best support and information available.

Ask if you are confused or need something explaining. Congratulations on your pregnancy.

Personally, I'd wait.

I decided to buy a couple of cartons of ready made formula (the little ones) to keep in the cupboard "just in case" when DD was a few days old. I needed them there for psychological reasons, so that I knew we had something if I really couldn't cope. She's 5 months old now and one is still there. (The other, DH cracked open while I was sleeping in the early days. DD didn't like it or drink it anyway!)

But basically, you won't know how you feel about bfing until you do it. You might not need that back up. If you have a good solid support network then that's so incredibly valuable. Good luck OP!

Wrt night feeds specifically.
I have read that the night feeds are especially important for establishing and maintaining supply because of the hormones you get at night, so it might be worth reading around this issue and discussing it with your dp. It is easy to assume that the night feeds would be the most helpful ones to share, so actual information on the physiology might help.