Equipment for breastfeeding/bottles/expressing?

[PipPipPip]

I'm 36 weeks pregnant with my first baby.

I'm intending to breastfeed, but I'd like to have some basic equipment in the house to help me express breastmilk so my partner can do some feeds.

I'm happy to buy a decent breast pump, but I don't want to buy too much unnecessary stuff.

For example, can I just sterilise bottles by boiling them on the stove? Do I need milk storage bags?

Any advice appreciated!!

PS. I have heard conflicting advice about this. My NCT teacher said not to use a bottle in the first month in case the baby gets confused between breast/bottle. But a leading maternity hospital is encouraging my friend (a new mum) to express milk so her partner can feed. Any advice appreciated on this :)

Hi PipPipPip - Regarding equipment - I bought an electric breast pump, 2 or 3 bottles and some Avent plastic cup-type things with lids on for storing breast milk in. I would thoroughly recommend splashing out on an electric breast pump as apparently the manual ones are a compete bugger, but please bear in mind that a lot of women don't get on with expressing at all. I was really lucky and had no problems with producing enough milk, but still found it very time consuming pumping away. I found that I always woke up with enough milk to give ds a feed and then some left over, so it became part of my routine to then express a bottle's worth as soon as I got up.

You can sterilise bottles on the stove if you don't want to get a steriliser, or you can use the dishwasher. I had an electric steriliser and found it no hassle at all and some of them are very compact - you can pick them up pretty cheap second hand.

I also had conflicting advice about when to start expressing. I had plans to go away for the day when ds was 6 weeks old and leave ds with dp, so we started giving him one expressed bottle a day from about a week before to get him ready for a day of bottles, and had no problems introducing them. DS decided at about 12 weeks old to refuse a bottle for the next 4 or 5 months though, so bear in mind your baby may have it's own mind about whether he/she is willing to accept a bottle instead of snuggling up with Mummy for a feed, which must be a lot nicer!

I think it depends on your baby really and how well they are feeding, but I would probably feel reticent about introducing a bottle any earlier than I did unless absolutely necessary, just in case it mucks up breastfeeding.

Don't quote me on this but I have also been told it is important not to cut out night feeds for the first few months, as this is when the milk is at its best, apparently.

Good luck!

sorry to give you contrary advice but I mix fed DS from birth for various reasons and he never had a problem going from boob to bottle, different makes of bottle etc. Seems to me if they don;t get to used to one thing they won;t then refuse when you DO want them to take a bottle and it REALLY frees you up to have some time away from baby every now and then. Otherwise I agree with the previous poster - though I did ok with a manual pump it does take time and you sit there thinking I might as well just be feeding!

Not sure what the best answer is to all your questions but about sterilising:

I would recommend getting a micro wave steriliser or at least some steriliser bags for microwave.

Even if you stick 100% to breastfeeding you will on occasion need to sterilise other stuff like dummies, teething rings,(later on) toothbrushes and other bits and bobs that they tend to put in their mouths. I got much more use out of my steriliser in the first year than I ever expected.

I also liked these steriliser bottles - you use the bottle itself to sterlise, very handy for when you just need one clean bottle quickly.

I NEVER used the stove, because that would take aaaaages and there is always a moment where the baby is crying and you need stuff NOW. Also, after you have boiled them, they would quickly become unsterile unless you use them immediately, with the microwave kit you can leave them sealed in and sterile until ready for use.

best wishes

I can offer no practical experience on the subject as I'm only 32 weeks pregnant with my first but I just bought a Tommy Tipee manual breast pump that was on special offer of a 1/3 off making it about £18 in Boots, it came with a pump (obviously), one bottle, one teet suitable for newborns, two smaller storage tubs, a microwave steriliser and some breast pads

Obviously I have no idea how suitable any of this equipment is going be, as one woman's saviour seems to be anothers waste of cash with a lot of these products, but it seemed to be a reasonable price to pay and hopefully I'll get some use out of at least some of the bits that came with it.

Boots also had an advent manual pump on special offer it was slightly more expensive but also had lots of bits with it.

I used the Tommy Tippee one and found it just fine. Had to express for about six weeks in the begining before going back to breastfeeding.

I just used a big bowl of sterilising solution to keep the bottles, pump, teats in. Had to change the solution every 12 hours. Didn't find it too much hassle.

I also froze some milk in bags.

All the best.

Thanks ladies - I do find it all terribly confusing but this has helped!!

I'm open to more advice and perspectives :)

My DD is 2 weeks old and breastfed, we have just started giving her a bottle of expressed milk in the evening.

Instead of pumping, I am using breast shells - you use them during feeding, just put one over your nipple on the other side to the baby and it collects any milk leaking from that breast during the feed. I can usually collect about 1oz per feed and she will only drink about 2 oz at the moment from the bottle.

www.boots.com/en/Boots-Breast-Shells_25401

I have an avent microwave steriliser, only takes 4mins to sterilise, dead easy.