I thought long and hard about whether to post these questions, because I know in the past such posts have tended to spark a breast v bottle debate (yawn). Please may I say before I begin that I breastfed my dd for 19 months, in fact I have only just stopped since I found out I am pregnant again. So, I know what it is like to breastfeed. I know what it is like to breastfeed for quite a long time. However, since becoming pregnant again, the thought of going through it all again is making me feel weary. The breastfeeding was okay, I didn't love it, at times it got on my nerves, but I did it for 19 months. I just wanted to make it clear, that I'm coming at my idea to bottlefeed this time as an informed and experienced ex-breastfeeder, so please no trying to get me to change my mind! Anyhow, my decicion isn't a final one. I may well decide to breastfeed again once the baby is here. I just feel that maybe it will be easier for me emotionally and physically to bottlefeed this time ( the pregnancy was unplanned and I'm struggling with the two children I have already ). So, explanations and justifications over with, on to the questions:
- If I don't breastfeed, what can I expect to happen to my boobs once my milk comes in? How long will they be engorged and painful for? Am I likely to contract mastitis?
- Do I need to buy the little 4 or 5 oz bottles to begin with, or can I get away with the large ones from birth ( worried about all the extra air in the bottle, I guess ).
- Bottle recommendations please. I'm not fussed about Avent - I think the silicone teats are too hard.
And if you have any other words of wisdom regarding bottle feeding, I would appreciate it. Thanks.