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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:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

addie81 · 04/08/2010 14:03

I am planning on BF but have bought a pump and some bottles on advice of many friends who have BF'd so needed a steriliser for that. In any event, the foundation for the study of infant death recommends giving babies a dummy for the first few months, only when you put them down to sleep (otherwise I would try and avoid this like the plague - but am taking the FSID advice, obviously!), so have bought a few dummies and you need a steriliser for those. I got mine half price in boots so it was only £14.99 - a drop in the ocean of the baby shopping as far as I am concerned!

oldmum42 · 04/08/2010 14:05

Babygym - hardly essential, and lots of them look awful and are so over padded IKWYM about them making you a bit claustrophobic!

But Ikea does a really nice one - wooden (mostly wood), lovely bright colours too.

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 04/08/2010 14:08

Dummies stop infant death? Is this true? I've never heard this?

Just as I'd made my mind up not to buy these things people come along to say I do need steriliser and bottle equipment!

Hmm....

OP posts:

porcupine11 · 04/08/2010 14:11

I sent sister out for a hand pump on day 4 as my boobs were so engorged it was awful.

The hand pump was useless so DH went out for electric pump on day 5 - bliss!

I only expressed small amounts to relieve the pain/make the nipple more accessible to the babies, and first time round I tipped it down the sink as I didn't have a sterilizer to sterilize the breast pump. But second time I did, and froze the colostrum-packed milk (get the sealable bags) and fed it to DS2 at 3 months when I began to introduce a bottle.

You'll probably need to introduce the odd bottle at 3 months latest, or he'll reject it (eg if you left it until the wedding at 5 months).

hth

ps don't try cabbage form of pain relief as you'll smell like a school dinner after 10 mins!

pumperspumpkin · 04/08/2010 14:13

NoTeaForMe, this is a link to the FSID dummy advice.

fsid.org.uk/Page.aspx?pid=416

porcupine11 · 04/08/2010 14:13

RE play gym... keeps DS2 occupied for 5 mins max, which is enough time to go to loo, feed DS1 etc, so kind of useful, but advise getting one second hand as they are totally not worth the shop price. alternative is a good baby facing mobile like the stim-mobile - can pop him/her under that for a few mins while you shower

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 04/08/2010 14:27

So why are dummies recommended to help prevent cot death, I had a look at the website but still not sure. Maybe I'll get some purely for night sleeping. I just don't want to get into the habit - partly cos I know how hard it can be to break!

I like this mat www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/90132732

do you think I need one with all the hanging toys to keep baby entertained though?

Thanks

OP posts:

ArseyMum · 04/08/2010 14:28

One thing about a baby gym is that they help stop you, or more likely older children tripping over the baby because the frame hanging over the baby is big enough that you can't miss it.

As for f and bottles etc, I wouldn't bother. I found bf really hard at first and did talk to dh about getting an emergency box of f just in case bf was too painful one time. I decided not too and persevered with bf until I'd cracked it. I think had I had a stand by box of f in the cupboard I would have used it and I think once you give them that first bottle (in the early days at least) it becomes less likely you will 'crack' breast feeding.

Good luck and congratulations whatever you chose.

Kity · 04/08/2010 14:30

I breastfed DS1 for 7 months, but he did have a small amount of formula in hospital during the early days as we were both struggling with latching on and just generally getting to grips with BFing. It took probably about 3 weeks before we were both happy and comfortable with it, and in that time he only had formula once. Just because you give formula maybe once or twice it really doesn't mean the end to breastfeeding.

I had bought a box of aptamil but it never got used once we got home and by the time DS went onto formula he was ready for the next one up so it was given to a friend.
I also bought steraliser from Tescos. Tommee Tippee one and I did use it once DS started on formula but to be honest not for long. Dummies were always just put in boiling water straight from kettle.

Im a few weeks off having no 2 and I have bought 3 cartons of ready made aptamil and 2 small nuk bottles. I am determined to feed this one for as long as my first but Im also realistic about those early days and will happily cup feed my LO some formula if needed in the early days.

Best advice about ANYTHING to do with babies, is keep an open mind about it all.

DuelingFanjo · 04/08/2010 14:32

I don't have a dishwasher so on the advice of people here I was just planning on doing a hot wash type thing for any bottles I might get, as things don't actually stay sterile for long anyway.

I think perhaps my mum and MIL might think I am mad though.

cinnamongreyhound · 04/08/2010 14:32

I got a sterilser from Ebay for £10 and never used it but it's still in the cupboard in case. Bought one pack of bottles and a breastpump, Avent one with the flower insert bit (forget it's name but was manual).

I tried expressing sometime after 8 weeks not sure when and I got nothing out! Tried again once my milk supply had settle down, around 16 weeks and I got loads- never had problem expressing after this point. As DS was that bit older I wasn't worried about sterilising as much I put the pump and bottle in the dishwasher before I used it and then stored milk in the sterile plastic sealable bags in the freezer. Did the same with the teats, lids and bottles as I needed them (which wasn't very often).

I felt better having them but would not have formula in the house. It's upto you, you know yourself and how you feel, I never had a milk supply problem only painful nipples so never got the stage where I didn't have anything to feed my baby just had to grit my teeth while I did. I would suggest it's more useful to have some numbers you can call for help advice rather than formula and make sure you get help early if you are not happy and not only from your midwife/health visitor but from breast feeding specialists.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do, after the first 8 weeks breast feeding was a lovely time spent with my baby and the cheapest and easiest way to feed

ArseyMum · 04/08/2010 14:32

Oh and dummies, one of my big regrets was not giving dd1 a dummy early on. She used to scream all night and the only thing that stopped her was plugging her on even though she wasn't feeding, just sucking. If I had given her a dummy we would have all got a decent nights sleep and coped much better. I didn't give her one because I didn't like the way they looked.

ArseyMum · 04/08/2010 14:36

Top tip I was ever given about my baby though was "don't listen to any advice" so feel free to ignore us all.

Kity · 04/08/2010 14:38

c greyhound has v good point! Do utilise any helpline numbers you're given by the midwife, there is a national breastfeeding helpline and also NCT breastfeeding experts. I used both these and they were invaluable, if you feel you're struggling at all they give great advice and support.
Good luck!

cinnamongreyhound · 04/08/2010 14:47

Sorry forgot to answer the gym question, I used mine quite a lot as DS didn't like being on his tummy at all. As someone else said he didn't spend huge amount of time in one go but it's good to have different places for them. They like the movement in front of their eyes as they hit the toys. Mine was a fold down one that went onto a little bag so I could take it with me if we were visiting someone.

whatnolooroll · 04/08/2010 14:51

That dummy advice is slightly biased, it's sponsored by a dummy manufacturer. I'm happy to be corrected if I'm wrong but I believe the study they're basing the advice on found that if a baby has a dummy and it stops using it before 6 months that increases the risk, but never having one at all doesn't change the risk. There may well be more up to date information than when I last looked so it might be worth taking a look at the information out there for yourself.

Wouldn't bother with formula or bottles but would probably get a sterilizing option. I had to express and syringe feed DS in the early days, the midwife provided syringes and I had a steriliser donated by SIL. I was hand expressing into the syringe as, at that stage, the volume isn't enough to bother with a pump. When I got round to getting a breast pump it came with a microwave steriliser and I got rid of the big steam one as I needed the kitchen space.

Everyone will give you conflicting advice on what was personally useful to them but so long as you're not too far away from a shop you can make your own mind up when the time comes rather than buying piles of stuff you might never use.

sorky · 04/08/2010 14:55

In response to OP; I wouldn't buy them in personally.

I've not bought the in for each Dc (4) and when it's tough during the night and the baby is feeding all the time, I would've been a bit weak and given up BF'ing.
The hassle of going out to buy all the necessary stuff (or greater hassle of sending DH ) spurred me on to make it through another night.

Play mats are great from 2 months on. See if someone buys you one as a present first

SirBoobAlot · 04/08/2010 15:09

Dummies - I always said I wouldn't give him one, but at a few weeks old, I caved and bought them. Best decision I have ever made. A colicky, sucky baby who would otherwise want to be attached to my nipple the entire time... And now they are handy for putting teething gel on. He has it for a few seconds then, and he has it when he is going to sleep. Makes my life a lot easier, makes him happier - works for us both. Just wait and see with those, I'd say!

addie81 · 04/08/2010 15:13

Whatnolooroll - that's wrong re dummy research being sponsored by dummy manufacturers. See this link to the FSID page specifically confirming that no dummy or soother manufacturers funded their research - fsid.org.uk/Page.aspx?pid=417
From skimming through the links on the FSID website to the actual studies their advice is based on, I think the rest of what you said is probably wrong as well. Sorry!
I don't like the idea of using a dummy, but will follow whatever advice the FSID issue. Imagine if you didn't and your baby died of cot death? Doesn't bare thinking about. At least if you do what they say (and they are the experts, after all), then you don't have to blame yourself if the worst happens.

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 04/08/2010 15:20

Ok, of course if they cut the risk of cot death then I will get some dummies!!
Is the advice still the same if you only use them for night time sleeps or do you have to use them for any naps/upset?
I'm not against them completely but always thought that ideally I wouldn't use dummies. My mom always says that I wouldn't take a dummy and neither would my sister so we never had one! But that was our choice not necessarily hers. So what if my baby won't take one, am I supposed to then worry about cot death? There seems to be pressure and guidelines wherever you turn!

OP posts:

buttonmoon78 · 04/08/2010 15:41

Hmm. Just a gentle nudge about what Addie81 said At least if you do what they say (and they are the experts, after all), then you don't have to blame yourself if the worst happens that's not strictly true is it? A bit flippant to say that if you follow this advice and the worst happens then you will not blame yourself. Of course you will.

NoTeaForMe: please pick and choose from the advice offered and feel under no obligation to do anything you don't want to do just because some well meaning person says you ought to. I'm guessing the huge contributing factors towards cot death you won't do anyway (smoking, drinking or drugs then cosleeping) so concentrate on being the best mum you can not on following every little 'rule' which comes out.

abbierhodes · 04/08/2010 16:01

'Imagine if you didn't and your baby died of cot death? Doesn't bare thinking about.'

What a horrible thing to say. Addie81, do you have kids? Because if you're going to do everything by the book until they're 18 you'll drive yourself insane.

SirBoobAlot · 04/08/2010 16:09

Out of line, Addie81.

goodmorning · 04/08/2010 16:17

addie81
your comment about cot death is pretty unpleasant, i dont think it is helpful for a pregnant woman or new mum to have that fear over cot death made worse by saying you will blame yourself if it happens should they choose not to use a dummy.
I also imagine pretty offensive to the people reading this who may have suffered from a cot death in their family.

ChunkyPickle · 04/08/2010 17:23

It may be illegal in Europe but here in Canada I just signed up for the nestle baby club and they sent me an 8 pack of premixed with nipple, a tin of powder, and a bottle so I got my 'just in case' formula all for free, and won't feel any regret for wasted money when I throw it out at 6 months!

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