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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Do I need to buy.....

56 replies

NoTeaForMe · 04/08/2010 11:45

Hi,

I am planning on breastfeeding if I can, someone has suggested I buy a steriliser, some bottles and formula in case I can't breastfeed. Surely if it's not going well I can nip out (send my husband out!) for these things?! If it all goes well won't this be a complete waste of money? Someone else has said I will need a steriliser for after breastfeeding anyway, so maybe I should get one now and be ready either way?

Any advice?

Also do I need one of those play mat gym things? With all the toys dangling, they make me feel a bit claustrophobic!!! But obviously they are for baby and not me!!! What do you all think?

Thanks in advance!

OP posts:

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SirBoobAlot · 04/08/2010 11:49

I feel personally that having the formula in the cupboard will make things more difficult - the first few days, especially when your milk comes in, is very uncomfortable, tiring, and its much easier to think "I'll just give them a bottle". But this will interfere with your supply and make life harder in the long run. So unless you are in the middle of nowhere, I wouldn't bother. Same with bottles and steriliser.

Would advise getting a play mat, as they come in very useful.

SirBoobAlot · 04/08/2010 11:51

Oh, meant to say - the number of people who can't breastfeed is very small, so please don't worry too much about it If you have concerns, there is a breast and bottle feeding board on here, and I have always received great advice from everyone.

bigcar · 04/08/2010 11:52

I'd wait until you need a steriliser, you may never need one. Play mats and gyms, propbably yes, but they don't need them straight away so not on a get now list, for me anyway

everythingiseverything · 04/08/2010 11:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

chegggersplayspop · 04/08/2010 11:57

I wouldn't bother personally.

Someone lovely may want to get you a play mat as a present anyway, and even if they don't, gives you a good excuse to get out the house later on.

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 04/08/2010 12:09

Thanks all, you've kind of backed up what I was thinking with regards to the formula etc. I will leave them all in the shop and get things if needed.

I MAY express after a few months but don't want to do this too early, eg we have a friends wedding when baby will be approx 5 months (baby not invited so will be with my parents) although we'll only be 10 mins away I'll prob express then!

Thanks again!

OP posts:

AhickeyfromKenickie · 04/08/2010 12:12

I'm going to BF, but I bought a cold-water steriliser for things like teething rings, weaning spoons, and pacifiers. It's more like a big Tupperware box than a flashy steriliser, and was pretty cheap (from Boots), I'm sure I'll end up sterilising something.

SirBoobAlot · 04/08/2010 12:15

Kenickie, you don't need to sterilise spoons - just put them through the dishwasher / wash them well.

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 04/08/2010 12:18

What about teething rings? Can they just be washed in boiling water? (don't have a dishwasher!) I'm hoping not to use dummies......

Anything else I need to sterilise or wash like that?

OP posts:

chegggersplayspop · 04/08/2010 12:19

I boil my dummies in a saucepan to keep them clean.

By the time you need spoons they are normally eating soil and fluff off the floor, so dishwasher is used here for those things too!

chegggersplayspop · 04/08/2010 12:21

Some teething rings say just dunk in v hot water, some you can boil in a pan I think

everythingiseverything · 04/08/2010 12:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SirBoobAlot · 04/08/2010 12:25

I put teething rings / food covered toys / dummies in boiling water. I do have a microwave steriliser as I was given it, and chuck the dummies in it maybe once every six weeks if I remember. The boiling water does the same job, tbh.

Meglet · 04/08/2010 12:26

Don't worry about a sterliser. I ended up having to express after a couple of days but XP dashed to Mothercare before I got home and had it all set up waiting for me.

Unless you live in the middle of nowhere then don't panic.

And get a playmat. I am not a natural babywearer so needed somewhere to put mine down.

tablefor3 · 04/08/2010 12:29

I would get an expresser from the beginning actually. DD was exclusively BF, but I still found one useful from the beginning for a) releasing the enormous build-up (seriously, boobs like zeppelins at about day 5!) and b) giving boobs the occasional relief shift from the very strong little sucker. Perversly, having the pump probably kept me BFing when the going got really tough at about 1 week in.

I binned a lot of what I pumped, but this time I may get organised and donate to the hospital.

As time went on, also enabled me to express excess, to freeze or take out and about if I didn;t fancy BFing wherever I was.

The expresser was just a cheap hand-pump job but did the trick for me.

anonymousbird · 04/08/2010 12:30

Play mats are fabulous, ours got a lot of use from pretty early on.

Sterilisers - they are readily available if you need one - and if you are intending to express then obviously you will need one then.... but it's a quick shopping trip for a DP/Mum/Friend to get it for you, if you need it...

Advantage of shopping for it now, is that if you shop around online, you may get a very good deal on one plus bottles. If you need one urgently you can bet you will have to pay full price!!!!

Porcelain · 04/08/2010 12:33

I got a microwave steriliser, a couple of bottles and a manual breastpump because I know I will be expressing at some point and they were all half price!
If you need formula, assuming you aren't 10 miles from the nearest shop, that can wait.

AhickeyfromKenickie · 04/08/2010 12:33

Do you not need to sterilise spoons and teething rings? Sorry, it's been ten years since my last baby, I have forgotten a lot! I just remember sterilising anything DCs put in their mouths up until crawling age, perhaps I was being a bit precious there!

pumperspumpkin · 04/08/2010 12:38

I wouldn't buy a play mat myself, they are very useful but it's the perfect kind of thing to request from relatives (though try to avoid them getting a tasteful beige or pastel one - babies like strong contrasts).

bunnymother · 04/08/2010 12:43

I'm going to go against everyone else here and suggest that you do get some bottles and ready made packs of formula. I really hope that you don't have to use them, though, and can throw them out.

I had to top up DD from an early age (bf was torture and we had many issues from v early days) - DD was screaming for more milk and it would have greatly upset me to have to make her wait till he got back from the shops (assuming she didn't kick off in the middle of the night, and assuming DH got the right bottles and formula). So, in my case, I wanted to bf and the formula was something I never thought I would use. But I had to, and I needed it quickly. I hope it goes really well for you, though, as its v upsetting when it doesn't and I know lots of mums who got a great deal of pleasure (ie nice bonding etc) and pride from bf.

LetsHaveAnotherOne · 04/08/2010 12:44

You don't need a steriliser at all - you can boil things in a pan to sterilise them.

It wouldn't hurt to have a couple of bottles and some little cartons of ready made ultra heat treated formulae (it's safer than the powdered stuff which is not made or packed in a sterile environment) around "incase". You will feel it's there if you want it, but you probably won't need it. Very few women actually can't breastfeed. (breasts and breastmilk do not need to be sterlised as they both have natural antibacterial/antiviral properties)

You don't need the playmat at all - the baby would rather have your face to look at and your attention/cuddles.
We rarely used the playmat. Baby was in the sling on me - or we were out with the pram mostly!

Beegey · 04/08/2010 12:57

I think you should possibly get a bottle of sterilising solution (from Boots, not expensive) that you can just use in a bowl/tuppeware box. You never know what you may need to sterilise in the 1st 6 months. For example, my dd had bad reflux and was on meds from quite early on so the syringe had to be sterilised 3 times a day. Also, if you do express, you will need to sterilise bottles/pump bits anyway.

For the sake of being prepared, I don't really see the harm in having a couple of cartons of ready made formula in a cupboard. I bf and was adamant I didn't want to use formula (and in the end never had to) but I also didn't want a screaming baby in the middle of the night who hadn't fed for ages with nothing to offer her.

All sounds a bit dramatic, sorry! Just imo, better to be prepared, just in case.

We got by with no play mat either. As I mentioned, DD had terrible reflux so hated lying down.

Good luck!

buttonmoon78 · 04/08/2010 13:04

I agree with the last couple of posters.

I've had 3 - dd1 bf for 10 wks, failure to thrive, reflux etc. Dd2 bf for 6 months, didn't want to stop but I'd had enough, ds bf for 5 wks and not even that exclusively.

I had formula cartons in first 2 pgs but failed to do so with ds and so dh was at all night Tesco at 3am trying to find some.

I hope you never need it, I really hope you don't but if you do you can bet your bottom dollar it'll be at night.

I'm as pro-bf as the next person but I'm just not that good at it so for me, if I had another, I'd have a full set of bottles and a good amount of f too.

goodmorning · 04/08/2010 13:16

when i was in hospital the lady opposite wanted to breastfeed and the midwives spent hours with her but the baby just wouldn't feed.Eventually she was given a bottle of formula as the baby hadn't eaten for hours and she was getting more and more upset.At about 5am she rang the buzzer to ask for another bottle to feed her baby and the midwife stood and barked at her because they dont provide formula etc.The poor woman was exhausted, the baby was screaming and the midwife argued and argued that she should have brought formula in etc.She was eventually given a bottle after another midwife came in and wanted to know what the hell was going on and why the baby was not being fed.
She did get more help later in the day when different midwives came on shift, but i was shocked at how she was treated, the midwife wasnt even helping her to bf, just shouting that they did not provide formula.
So yes, i would take some just in case

oldmum42 · 04/08/2010 14:01

We live in a 24/7 society - Tesco never closes. You will never be far from formula/bottles/etc if you really need them - so why waste money on something you might never use.

Anything you do want to sterilise can be boiled in a pan or steamed in a plastic tu in the microwave.

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