How to Prepare for Feeding Before Baby Arrives?

[Wanderlust20]

I'm unsure if I want to breastfeed or bottle feed. I'm pretty relaxed about it though, and I'm well aware that BF'ing just doesn't happen for some people - as long as baby is fed, that's the main thing!

My question is, if I'm unsure/open minded about it all, then how the heck do I prepare?! By that I mean, what should I buy? I'm a FTM (24 weeks) and starting to get bits and bobs in. I don't want to buy lots of unnecessary kit (e.g. sterilisers, breast pumps etc) if they're not needed. But equally, I don't want to be unprepared?!

Can some kind soul give me a wee shopping list to cover me in the first few days/weeks? Just the essentials? I'm guessing things like good bras and pads are essential whatever ends up happening but I'm so clueless...

Thanks in advance!

and I've realised I don't need to be that prepared when it comes to buying things - much better to be prepared with info!

That's because companies who can profit from baby feeding are very keen to convince you that you need to buy a lot of equipment, however you feed your baby

Kellymom is/was a very useful website even when bf was established as their behaviour changes over time.

Things don't always go to plan so I would agree that the mini bottles are helpful. Better than a severely jaundiced baby if your milk hasn't come in at any rate.

Newborn bottle teats have a slow flow rate. They need to be cleaned very carefully or "slow" turns into "no flow"

I mixed fed two babies for different reasons; emcs and no milk followed by prem/failure to thrive with tons of milk. So I could express most of it with the second.
Both of them happily mix-fed up until weaning then became total formula refuseniks. Solids and bf was enough. Deeply inconvenient as was returning to work on both occasions at 8 months.

So my view is do what works for you. Let it evolve and adapt or you will stress yourself up to the eyeballs setting imaginary standards for yourself. Keep them well fed me alive and you and they will be happy.

Bfing becomes, no disposable nappies, becomes organic baby led weaning; becomes who has the first teeth/crawl/ walk. Only with hindsight do you often get perspective and realise had you given less of a shit about other peoples opinions, you'd have been a much happier person.

If you want to mix feed you can either do a small formula top up after some BFs or give a bottle a day at a time that suits you (if a partner can give it that gives you a chance to get a block of sleep in). Your milk supply will still be stimulated, it just won't be as much as if you were EBF, but that doesn't matter if you're planning to mix feed. You can do that as early as you like (the advice to wait six weeks is crap as loads of women then find baby won't take a bottle!).
It's easier early on to stick to the same time of day for the bottle, the longer you BF the more flexibility you get.
I did 50/50 BF/FF for first year and BF to 3.5 years. It's a lot easier after a few months (I only did 3-4 BFs a day from 3 months onwards).

I have done one bottle a day from day one. My other half gives it at around the same time everyday (tea time so I can sort the older one after nursery/have some one on one play time). Your body will just adjust your milk supply around this if you stick to the same time everyday. To be honest that little break everyday probably kept me BF for longer as I think I would have got touched out quite quickly from all the feeding and a toddler climbing over me all the time even though it is lovely it’s also a lot!

[quote Wanderlust20]@terriblecustomercervix please tell me your secret to mix feeding! If I'm being honest, even though I'm pretty laid back, this would be my preferred method. But so many people have told me it's tricky or not possible...[/quote]
Honestly I was just very lucky and introducing a bottle didn’t mess up my supply too much.

I tried EBF for the first few days and after falling asleep with dc2 on my chest in bed, I scared the shit out of myself and realised I NEEDED to have the chunk of sleep that a bottle would allow.

Lots of skin to skin, plenty of water, making sure you’re feeding overnight and staying relaxed about it. I had bottlefed dc1 and saw formula as something that helped us, so felt zero guilt or disappointment when I didn’t fancy EBF.

The Kellymom website is a good shout, but mostly try and take things as they come and do what’s right for you and baby!

I didn’t buy anything in - I figured I could get it pretty quickly if I needed it, and I didn’t want to waste money on equipment I might never use!

So my recommendation - fill your freezer with meals you can eat one handed. Establishing breastfeeding takes time, and in the early weeks you may spend a lot of time sitting on the sofa. It was a godsend to me to have pasta bakes etc which could be defrosted easily and eaten with one hand while holding a boob with the other!

Agree with lansinoh cream and a starter pack of pre made formula as an insurance policy

Nursing bras
Nipple pads
Lanisoh nipple cream
Easy access boob tops
Couple of bottles (we’ve got tommee tippee)
Pack of formula
Bibs/muslins. We only use bibs for bottle feds

This is all I had 🙂 got a pump on Prime during week 2 as they’re expensive!

I’m also mix feeding now (all be it baby is only 3 weeks old and only been doing it a week 🤣) and I love it!
Here’s what I did:
Breastfed for 2 weeks. I did this as I was hoping to just breastfeed but it is hard in the first 2 weeks (nearly broke me several times!) but by day 10 I thought I should get to week 2 for supply 🤷‍♀️
Got a breast pump and did 1 bottle a day (afternoon) pumped milk- I pumped one boob in the morning while baby fed from other as they were super full then
Partner does one bottle formula (might switch this to pumped BM if I get a good stash) late evening before our bed. I’m trying to pump just before quick as well to build freezer stash. But I get to go and unwind for bed while he feeds and settles our son = relaxed me
Like someone else said ive heard night feeds build supply the most so I’m still doing those but having the option to go to bed early has helped. I’ve also heard you should try keep the bottle feeds roughly the same time each day so your supply isn’t too effected.
It’s only been a week but we’ve had no issues with confusion so far and I’m much less anxious than weeks 1 & 2. Plus my partner loves helping with feeding. Hoping it continues to work for my little one!
Good luck with whatever you end up doing !

Thanks @piccalily19, glad to hear the mixed feeding is going so well for you!

Being completely honest for breastfeeding - bring prepared it will hurt like the bejaysus for possibly the first 6 weeks - BUT then it gets so much easier, and it’s amazing, less cleaning, sterilising and mixing etc when out and about, just you/boob needed. I’ve done every which way of feeding and breast feeding (for me) was by far the best (once we both got the go of it). Kellymom is a good site to peruse.
Also nipple cream!
Long charger cable for phone
Panadol and ibuprofen - I had vasospasm and pain relief stopped me crying from the searing pain circa week 2, - also helped with vagina swelling from the birth...
Snacks with oats in them - good for milk production.
A biggggg water receptacle within arms reach.

If you get in a sticky spot (no need to pre order) silver koala cups are a good shout for stopping grazed nips from clinging to breast pads etc and if you get any cracks the medala wound gel pads are amazing.