What bottle/teat to buy for a newborn?

[LuckyC]

Hello all - advice appreciated.

Do I need to buy bottles + formula for newborn in case breastfeeding does not work out?

What kind of bottle/teats should I buy?

Thanks

No, you really don't need to have formula or bottles in the house. Best not to really.

Should you need them you can buy them then.

I'd buy them and then if you don't use them it doesn't matter. I gave DH gave expressed milk to DD at 3 weeks from a bottle and she accepted it no trouble. Many friends waited until the recommended 6 weeks and their kids refused the bottle. Read Clare Byam-Cook's book on breastfeeding. I wish I had before I started.

I wouldn't buy them in advance. It's so easy to get them should you find you need them.

Mmmmm. But if you have formula and bottles in the house it's much easier for 'people' to pressure you into giving formula when BF is, in fact, going fine.

I'd agree about reading up on BF but I certainly wouldn't recommend Clare Byam-Cook. The books I read were in Dutch, so not a lot of use to you...

I wouldn't bother getting any in. You can buy baby bottles from any 24 hour supermarket, garage, chemist, corner shop, nearly anywhere! Although saying that I had a couple that I could use with my breast pump, but I didn't need them in the early days at all. Definitely don't get formula in unless you need it - it can be easy at 3am to give in to the bottle where you probably would have coped until morning if it wasn't in the house.

And definitely would not recommend Clare Byam Cook! Her book is full of myths and bad advice that will make you paranoid (like saying that expressing is a good indicator of supply - it's not.) If you want a good book to read try Kate Evans' The Food of Love.

Agree with the advice not to bother buying bottles.

Just go in to breastfeeding knowing where to get lots of help and support from.

If you go in to it thinking it might not work out - it probably won't.

There's been a thread on here recently about breastfeeding book recommendations. I think the Food of Love and Ina May's Guide to Breastfeeding came out well.

Be positive and you'll be fine.

if at some point you want to buy bottles /teats then tommee tippee are soft so easy to feed with.

Dont go for the expensive brands they are quite hard and difficult for lo to get the hang of.

the point on not having formula in is a useful one because it will be 3am when you cave in.

Agree with buy as and when you need.

I bought the whole kit and kaboodle - steriliser bottles teats you name it when pg with DD1. have only used them about once, DD1 is now nearly 3, DD2 is 8 months.

Save yourself the cash, if you find you need something the shops and internet are always there. I wish someone had told me that when I was pregnant!

Thank you all very much. Very good point about not having formula in as I would totally cave.

Next question (sorry!) - so, judging by responses, I don't need bottles but should get a breast pump anyway?

Disclaimer: I've not actually had my baby yet

I would say no to the breast pump too - if you need one after the birth in hospital then they will provide

You can also hand express

You can pick up breastpumps easily most places if it turns out you do want one.

I would wait and see about a breast pump too. You can hand express if you were stuck.

The thing about breast pumps you need to buy one to suit your needs and the price between a manual and eletric is significant.
If you are only going to express occasionally then a cheap manual pump will be fine but if you need to express everyday or when you return to work then you really need an electric pump.

I didn't express at all with DS1 and he never had a bottle.
I expressed occasionally with DS2 for the odd night out so had a manual pump.
With DS3 (8weeks) i had to go back to college one day a week when he was 6weeks old so have been expressing and giving him a bottle since 4 weeks. I have a Medela swing eletric pump and it is great as i have to express 4 times when i am college. It is quick and easy to use, i wouldn't manage with a manual pump.

So i would wait hospitals have electric pumps and you can hire them from NCT if you needed an industrial pump in the early days for any reason.
Read the 'Food of Love' and Ina May's book, get yourself to the local breastfeeding cafe, and enjoy feeding your baby, you will have all the nourishment he/she needs.With a bit of support breastfeeding is a joy.

Good luck.

I would wait on the breast pump too.

The shops are always there and these things are all expensive - I look at the great pile of bottlefeeding accessories under the sink and sigh!

I know it's exciting to get prepared though so if you feel you really really want to have the excitement of choosing stuff in late pregnancy then fair enough - but you might not end up using it!

All you really need is a tube of lansinoh and a nursing bra or 2. Again I'd wait before buying too many of them until your breast size has settled down a bit - something else I spent out on - I bought 3 while I was pg but in the end they were the wrong size...