What are your BF'ing must haves?

[m4rdybum]

Currently pregnant with my first and due in January. Would very much like to breastfeed, so starting to arm myself with info along the way.

What would you say helped you to establish breastfeeding successfully? Whether it be products, support or general day-to-day things.

So far, products on my list are;

• Breast pump (electric or manual best?)
• Bottles/sterilizer
• Nipple shields (needed?)
• Nipple cream (Lanisoh? Any other alternatives)
• Breast pads
• Feeding pillow

I've joined a locally run breastfeeding suport group on Facebook, who also meet once a week, for when the time comes. There's no La Leche League groups near me unfortunately, and I don't think I can afford to pay for NCT ones.

I'll also be buying a tub of formula to keep aside, just in case.

Yes yes to @Hideandgo

Non-wired breastfeeding bras.
Tank tops or tops with nursing access were essential!

Breast feeding is all about skin to skin contact, the relationship between your baby and you(r boobs) and how responsive you are to baby’s hunger signals. And that’s it. I’m currently feeding DC3 and wish I’d understood this with DC1. My strong desire for BFing to be successful led to me buying and using lots of things that actually undermined and sabaotaged feeding DC1. I finally understood this and rescued feeding with DC2 and am having great success with DC3.

If you over complicate things (with expressing, nipple shields, bottles etc etc) you risk things going badly. For example, expressing can create over supply, which gives the baby too much fore-milk (the watery milk at the beginning of a feed) which hinders weight gain, causing colic and disrupting feeding. So keep all these artificial things out of the feeding relationship for at least the first 6 weeks. Personally, I just accept that it’s between me and the baby (and nothing else) for 6 months. They are all inventions to ensure money can be made out of something that is actually free. But they will mostly disrupt feeding. As will midwives and supposed breast feeding consultants who wrongly encourage expressing to “top up”. A baby that needs topped up needs more skin to skin and more breast feeding.

That said, here’s a few things that help:

1. Start hand expressing colostrum from 37 weeks, just to encourage tiny pearls of it on your nipples. You’ll have much more success (and less weight loss before milk comes in) if you have prepared in this way.

1. Read The Womanly Art of Breast-feeding. Look at La Leche League International online. Use LLLI for advice and support if necessary.

1. Get a comfy breast feeding cushion like the widgey. Take it to hospital with you. Get someone experienced to show you how to get comfy and latch a baby on, practicing with a doll if you can before hand. First time around you find you use your arms a little differently than how you usually instinctively hold a baby.

1. Get a bunch of baggy tops and vests, and bras that unclip. When feeding you’ll unclip bra pull the vest down and the top up. Keeps your tummy warm and covered. It’s a handy BFing uniform. More complicated clothing can be a faff in public, and can also cut into your breasts (silly wee peepholes etc are useless if your breasts are large) causing mastitis.

1. Breast pads of any kind. Lansinoh are good. As is the cream if your nipples get sore.

1. Soft bras for overnight are needed to keep breast pads in place. Make these as simple as possible, just somewhat supportive vest tops really, ones that cross over in the middle but pull apart to release a breast.

1. Comfy, stretch bras for day time. Too rigid and they won’t change with variations in size (which can be massive when baby has driven milk production before a growth spurt).

1. An acceptance that it is a full-time job. If you can get your head around this and truly feed on demand 24/7, and just enjoy the quiet time with your gorgeous baby before they become an unstoppable toddler, you are more likely to be successful. Rushing to express, fix a routine, get others involved in feeding etc is likely to hinder success. Remembering the 4th trimester is important.

1. Eat oats! Having snacks to hand is good and things like oaty porridge bars or flapjacks seems to help milk production.

10. Lots of muslins for burping, folding and wedging babies head in position when feeds become long, you might even need them wedged under your boob if you want to be hands free (which is exactly what I’m doing now so I can type!)

11. Pain killers at first -breast feeding in the early days brings on toe curling after pains which can feel like mini-contractions.

Otherwise try to be sensible and stay sane. One unfortunate aspect of the breast is best campaign is conscientious women driving themselves nuts trying to maintain exclusive breast feeding in the face of adversity like illness or failure to thrive. If it does not go well, be prepared to accept that fed (of any kind) is best, and while BFing is natural so is high infant and maternal mortality and we can avoid these in the modern age. Formula is not poison.

Lots of good suggestions already
I found a triangle pillow for sitting up at night feeding essential
Also worth getting contact details of any breastfeeding support groups local to you

On a side note OP, be prepared for the boob spray.

Not even kidding.

When your milk comes in, if you move your boob it'll suddenly spurt in whatever direction your nipple happens to be pointing.

OH got a few sprays . Sorry love!

Haven’t read the whole thread so may have been suggested already.

Lansinoh cream is a must. Also make sure you sort out a breastfeeding wardrobe, especially if you’re self conscious. I have a couple of feeding tops/ dresses and bought lots of plain strappy tops so I can do one up one down to feed discreetly.

Plinkplink I didn’t get the spray until I was about 8 weeks in and left the baby for a couple of hours. It was terrifying though! 😂 I was so shocked and laughed/cried at the same time. Hasn’t happened since, I think I must have a fairly low milk supply!

Extra long charging cable for phone. Portable charger.
Batch cook meals.
Make lunch the night before. Sandwich in fridge etc

My must-haves (currently bfing my 4th child, and bfed other 3 for a year each):

Widgey feeding pillow - it's lovely and firm, so keeps the baby up by your nipple without you having to bend ovet and hurt your back. Always put a muslin (folded) under the baby's head to prevent the cushion getting covered in milky sick!

Breast pads - when you latch the baby on the first one, the other lets down a bit of milk too.

Lansinoh - essential! Apply a thin layer to nipple and areola after every feed, from day 1. Do not wait until your nipples start to crack!

Clothes - either breastfeeding tops, or breastfeeding vests which you can wear under another looser top.

Muslins - to mop up all the regurgitated milk.

Water bottle for you - to ensure you have a drink next to you at all times. You will get a raging thirst.

Bfing Cover - I bought a second hand Bebe au Lait one from Ebay. Good for feeding in public places where you feel self conscious, e.g. lots of teenage boys or old men around.

I wouldn't bother with nipple shields, pumps, bottles yet.

And remember cluster feeding. If the baby is fractious, never assume it doesn't need feeding because it has recently fed. If it is crying, always offer a boob first, even if it feels empty. This is how baby increases your milk supply. Sometimes they will do this all evening (and sometimes night). Far less stressful to accept and give in to it. Get DH/DP to do all the other stuff.

Good luck - it can be tricky at first (and for me it was quite painful) but for me things were always great by 6 weeks in. Thereafter it is so convenient.

Widgey pillow:

www.very.co.uk/widgey-breastfeeding-nursing-pillow/1600058169.prd?sku=sku18446260&cm_mmc=google--PLA+-+Generic--Nursery+-+High+Chairs+%26+Feeding+-+Feeding+-+Support+%26+Feeding+Pillows--PRODUCT+GROUP_p33751499386&utm_campaign=Generic_Seasonal+-+Nursery+-+High+Chairs+%26+Feeding+-+Feeding+-+Support+%26+Feeding+Pillows&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_term=PRODUCT+GROUP&gclid=Cj0KCQjwof3cBRD9ARIsAP8x70NgNyH3ZtcpX8tgvoOV3Wtl921WchERciIXK-AHs-j1mEMZc4JDAnQaAsY_EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=COnqgOy1wt0CFQWjUQoddekAeg

It's much better than using normal pillows.

@PumpkinPie2018

It's a bit of a shocker. Like some sort of milk geyser.

I got mine at 4 days in but I think that had something to do with my boobs getting up to an L cup. Didn't even realise they do that

Just boobs

Yes, yes to all the advice from @Aspergallus.

Place marking as due to give birth at the beginning of Feb!

Prepare yourself for the fact that most HCPs won’t have breastfed themselves, and even those ‘trained’ to help in hospital like Healthcare Assistants might only have attended a one day course.

My MIL is a retired midwife and breastfed both her children so I'm hoping she'll be a great fountain of knowledge for hands on support.

Get a flask so you can drink tea while it's hot without spilling it.

This seems to be mentioned a lot by everyone so will definitely make sure I have one! A nice hot cuppa with hopefully keep me sane.

Maybe look up breast pump sizes before the baby is born - basically you're supposed to pump a bit and then measure your nipples.

I didn't even know this size thing was a thing Can you buy pumps with a couple of different attachments or are they always extra?

Biscuits. Lots of biscuits

Haha I don't need much of an excuse for this

A my breast friend feeding pillow. Way better than any of the others.

Haaaka breast pump for the letdown on the opposite side you're feeding on you'll get a nice and easy collection of milk

Is it handy to pump the other breast while they're feeding? It doesn't affect the breast the baby is feeding from?

Boobs.
That's the beauty of breastfeeding.

Ok, pads are useful at the start.
You can use drops of breast milk at the end of each feed instead of any cream.
Shields only if necessary.
Expression gear likewise.

So much love for Lansinoh - shows that their advertising works!

OK so a few myths to bust...
No cream will stop your nipples getting sore, a good latch will do that!
Nipple creams are designed for moist wound healing should your nipples need it.
AND studies show that petroleum jelly / Vaseline works just as well as lanolin / Lansinoh and is much cheaper.

My top tip? Find out where your local breastfeeding support group is and go and visit them before your baby is born.

Netflix and chocolate!!!

Also any support from friends and family you can get, someone to bring you tea and toast, chat to you and keep you company, pass you things as you are likely to find yourself glued to a chair with the baby for hours and support in the early weeks is so important.

Good luck, it’s not always an easy journey but so rewarding in the end and some really special moments with your baby.

My baby looks his most beautiful when he’s latched on to my breast.

A good breastfeeding pillow, lots of muslins to leave around the place, a large water bottle as it makes you thirsty, lots of snacks which are way to eat whilst feeding.
Great you've found a BF support group. I found the one I went to a life saver.
It might be worth working out where is good to BF if you're out and about. John Lewis tend to have a room which is handy but often found other places were rubbish. Cafes etc. I found the seating in some wasn't great for a comfy feeding position so could be worth sussing a few out.

Can I put in a shout out for reusable breast pads. There are some lovely soft ones I got from Amazon that were made of some sort of bamboo fibre. Really absorbent and wonderfully soft. Can't remember what they were called - sorry!

And muslin cloths. You can get some really gigantic ones which are just great. DS had a spectacular habit of drinking too much and then instantly bringing it all back up, and a giant muslin can be a godsend.

Lots of muslin
lots if chocolate dates and nuts and steak would be healthier.

You only really need a pump if you will bottlefeed the breast milk or otherwise freeze it, if you aren't planning to feed for so long. My midwife explained to me that as pumping increases supply, using a pump when you have a blockage or oversupply makes the matter worse the next day. She taught me how to manually extract the oversupplied milk, (basically milking yourself!) and how to massage blocked ducts and guide the “stuck” milk out. Apparently the manual squeezing doesnt increase supply as pumping does. Had this today and was very painful but managed, with baby's cooperation, to get it all out. no idea how i managed with DD1 without knowing this I also find Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding covers all this very well.

And nipple shields can adversely affect latch and thus supply, so only to be used temporarily and when really needed.

And the Chicco Boppy pillow.

www.chicco.co.uk/products/8059147055956.boppy-pillow-with-cotton-slipcover.html

Echoing what @Bert2e has said - I started off using Lansinoh when my nipples seemed sore, but rapidly discovered that rubbing my milk into sore nipples seemed to work just as well at providing some relief. I think the key really is getting the latch right. You'd think that a baby would be somehow pre-programmed to know how to latch on effectively, but they really don't (at least, my DS didn't!).

I've heard that frequent use of Lansinoh may lead to an increased risk of nipple thrush, but - as with so much else in the realm of pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding - there don't seem to be any reliable scientific studies on this.