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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Hope to breastfeed dc2. No bottles or formula in house. Good idea?

22 replies

brockleybelle · 21/05/2010 16:24

I attempted to breastfeed ds1 but didn't work out, much to my disappointment. Gave up by day 11.

Am determined to give it my best shot this time and am more prepared for it being hard work. I didn't realise it would be so tough last time, and it knocked my confidence as I thought I was doing it all wrong.

Anyway, I'm due this Sunday and don't have any bottles or formula in the house. I thought I would find it too tempting if I knew it was all in the cupboard. Is this a good idea? But am niggling with doubt that I might be unable to latch baby on like last time (my breasts were like bazookas and I just couldn't get him on, and was very thankful for the bottle!).

Any advice?

OP posts:

HiccupsAllDay · 21/05/2010 16:30

I think that's a very good idea, my tactic has always been to give myself a couple of days before making a decision to avoid cracking under pressure! Have you made contact with any bf groups yet many welcome pregnant soon-to-be mums. I found the La Leche League lovely and wish I'd been to a meeting before I had dd, they had some great advice for the early days. Good luck by the way!!!

whittywan · 21/05/2010 17:08

Excellent idea. I didn't have any in the house when DS was born either and it meant that instead of falling back on formula, I had a real incentiveto work through problems. I agree with Hiccups, get involved in a bf support group as soon as you feel up to it and don't hesitate for a second to call the midwives if you have any problems. They are on call 24hrs and are supposed to help with bf problems!

Original poster

brockleybelle · 22/05/2010 20:40

Thanks so much for replying, ladies.

I know I'm a wuss and the first major hurdle would have me running for the formula. Thanks for the encouragement to give bf a good shot.

I will definitely keep the midwives no to hand and use it! I didn't make good use of them last time - only had the standard HV and midwife home visits, when actually I could have phoned for extra home visits. They did show me different holds and how to latch baby on but it takes me a while to grasp something new and I felt an inconvenience to keep asking.

Thankfully I have a number of good friends who are all breastfeeding right now and they're all very willing to help me out, so I'll make good use of them too!

OP posts:

NotQuiteCockney · 22/05/2010 20:42

Midwives are not actually always the best for bf support. If you're happy to say what town you're in, I can have a dig for any local BF specialist support (generally free) and tell you about it.

You would be very welcome at a drop in group now, just to get the lay of the land, and make plans for after the baby comes.

twolittlemonkeys · 22/05/2010 20:46

Good idea. I didn't because I really wanted to make it work. Had I had bottles and formula in, it would have been easy to crack when I was tired in the early weeks. Sadly lots of M/Ws and HVs are useless with regards to breastfeeding tips and support - better to ask friends or a BF support group or counsellor.

funnysinthegarden · 22/05/2010 20:48

Hmmm, I too was determined to BF both DS 1 & 2. I had varying degrees of success, but was very glad I had formula and bottles handy for when the going got tough. Depends how determined you are IYSWIM. Tis hard enough with a newborn without adding extra stress. Good Luck with the new baby, I'm sure you will love it.

FWIW, BF went very well with DS2 and I was really pleased to be able to prove to myself that I could actually do it!

teaandcakeplease · 22/05/2010 20:52

That is exactly what I did with DS2, as things went pear shaped with DD1. Exclusively BF to 6 months with him.

I suppose the questions is why did you give up with DS1? If it hasn't been asked already?

Also have you been prepping? I LOVE this website. Helped me loads.

cherrymama · 22/05/2010 21:10

I'm not sure .... I was determined to bf DD3 (failed with first two) but the bottles and cartons of SMA that I knew were in the cupboard downstairs just gave me a little sense of security in the first couple of weeks - I think I might have felt panicked if I hadn't had them, just knowing they were there calmed me even though I knew things would have to get pretty horrendous for me to use them.

I never did use them and am still BFing at 5 months. But it did help me to know they were there.

Would it be less drastic to say have some bottles but not sterilise them and have a can of milk powder so it wouldn't be so easy just to go and get a bottle knowing you'd have all the faff of sterilising,boiling water and cooling bottle,etc?

joybenn · 22/05/2010 22:55

with 24 hour tesco etc. formula is never far away! health centres and sure starts have breast feeding support groups and peer support workers for phone contacts and weekend help. your community midwife and health visitor( if you get anti natal contact) should know the details. la leche has great tips and hand outs.
Take all the help you can get in the house and with older child and be prepared to stay indoors for a while until feel you get your baby latched on and are feeling comfortable. bad positioning and attachment are the main causes of b/f problems. good luck with birth and b/f.

NotQuiteCockney · 22/05/2010 22:57

It's not currently considered safe to use powdered formula in the first few weeks - there's a bacterial contamination issue with powdered formula.

I see an argument for not having bottles in the house, and I see an argument for having a safety net. It depends which one the OP thinks will work better for her.

funnysinthegarden · 22/05/2010 23:03

eh? not safe.......really? Or just scaremongering. I used powdered milk in the first few weeks and twas fine. Why not safe?

harverina · 22/05/2010 23:24

I bought 3 small cartons of pre-prepared formula and bottles which I kept in a cupborad, just in case. Havent had to use it but did not fancy having to drive to a 24 hour asda with a screaming newborn if I had problems breastfeeding. I am a new mum though so maybe this is why I felt this way. You might want to express so that someone else can feed for you to give you a break, so you might regret not having bottles to hand. Equally, if you have problems with latching again - and fingers crossed you wont - you can express and use your milk to feed your baby as opposed to formula - so again you will need bottles to do this, particularly if your boobs are getting enormous and uncomfy. That way both you and baby are getting what you need!

solo · 22/05/2010 23:33

I had no formula behind me with either of mine.
Try to be positive about the bfing; you really can do it
Good luck.

harverina · 22/05/2010 23:58

Why dont you get bottles and sterilsing stuff but no formula - that way you can express if you need to?

NotQuiteCockney · 23/05/2010 07:35

funnysinthegarden it's for the same reason that parents are now told that all feeds must be made up fresh and with water that's at least 70C. They know now that powdered formula isn't sterile, and can contain Enterobacter sakazakii and, more rarely, salmonella.

This page says just that preemie babies shouldn't have powdered formula, though, so maybe the advice has changed.

funnysinthegarden · 23/05/2010 11:04

NQC I take your point, but the OP just wanted to know whether she should have some back up formula in the house. Unhelpful IMO to comment on the sterility or otherwise of powdered formula. That is a whole different discussion

DilysPrice · 23/05/2010 11:12

I'd have a hand pump and bottles in the house - from your previous experience it seems that you're unlikely to have a supply problem, in which case any problems latching on can be dealt with by expressing (possibly just to reduce fullness enough to help with attachment) - and at some point in the first 6 months then you're likely to need to make use of them.

NotQuiteCockney · 24/05/2010 07:50

But ... if she's talking about having formula on hand in the first days, it should be readymade, just for safety reasons. So it does make a difference.

JaMmRocks · 24/05/2010 08:15

I had bottles and one carton of formula in the house - it helped me to know that if I just couldn't face one feed that I could have a break if I wanted to. 8 months on and it's still lingering around the cupboard, I think that seeing it helped me persevere with feeding. But I'm quite willing to believe I'm an oddity in that way

lovingmy2 · 24/05/2010 10:33

I didn't buy formula, bottles or a sterilizer. I was determined and still feeding DD nearly 7 months on. Was really tough at times in those early days and weeks but it got better and then has became amazing and i'm so glad i carried on through the tough times. If i'd have had formula etc on hand i think i'd have given up on a few occasions.

Like the other ladies say keep BF support numbers handy, be prepared for lots of couch and baby time and enjoy
Good luck with the new baba x

MAMA89 · 24/05/2010 11:15

i didnt buy any formula either and i remember my in laws saying to me buy it in case. seriously all going well u'l be fine
well done for being so determined, breastfeeding can be quite challanging in the first couple of weeks and i remember at one point thinking thank god theres no formula coz i was so tempted.
but seriously itl pass and u will grow to love it! my daughters 10 weeks now and i love bf her! so good luck and keep at it

slushy06 · 24/05/2010 11:47

I didn't buy any formula on either of mine and successfully bf.

My logic was I wanted to make it hard to get formula so I wouldn't give up at the first hurdle. But if there were any major problem's I could always send dp out to a 24 hour Tesco to get some. But it meant getting formula was harder than most short lived problems, Like I am shattered and just want to sleep.

The other thing I did on both mine was not set a date I went in with the attitude of I will struggle and do it as long as I can to give him as much bm as I can and then just as I was about the end of my tether at 4weeks it just got easier.

Good luck sending positive vibes.

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