Breast feeding - hoping to but should I get a few bottles just in case

[kellyjayne100]

Hi all,

I am pregnant with number 2 and hoping to BF. Child number 1, aged 6, was born with complex health problems as so has been tube fed since birth meaning I missed out on all the 'normal' stuff last time. I really want to BF this baby if I can but am still left a little traumatised by my last experience and desperately trying to but him being too poorly etc. I expressed for 4 weeks but it was an absolute nightmare as he was in NICU so it was anything but natural.

My question is should I get a steriliser and a few bottles in just in case all goes pear shaped? There are some deals on the Tommee Tippee started set at the minute and I am tempted. I know baby will have to eventually have a mixture (hopefully of expressed) as DS is in and out of hospital and there will be times Daddy or Grandma may need to do the odd feed if there is an emergency. I do not, however, want to confuse baby as DS has enough feeding issues.

Any advice would be much appreciated, Thank you

I bought 3 bottles and 2 tetra packs of formula. Got on well with breastfeeding but LO got jaundice and was too sleepy to feed (which makes it worse). When MW came round we had do 2 feeds of formula with a bottle to rouse her to start bf again (milk wasn't in). If I hadn't had that in the house she would have been admitted for photo therapy treatment. Haven't used em since but glad I had something - just my experience :)

[shrug] HV and GP told me you don't need to sterilise anything to do with breastmilk as long as it's been properly washed.

Thanks all.

I wasn't intending on buying in formula just wondering whether to get pump/bottles/steriliser. I think I have decided it is a good idea as if we have a medical emergency in the night with DS1 I may regret not having. Hopefully they will stay in the cupboard :) x

I would get 1 bottle and a newborn teat, some Miltons tablets and a bottle brush. You can use an old icecream tub or a large Tupperware box to sterilise in, always useful if you use dummies. I wouldn't buy formula, as it's readily available in most petrol stations, 24 hour supermarkets etc, should you need it in an emergency there will be a shop somewhere open selling it even at midnight! Only reason I suggest having a bottle in is that it's likely that at some point in the first 6 months that you will need to or want to leave the baby for a couple of hours, so a bottle of ebm is required. Also, whilst formula is available pretty much in every shop, baby bottles and teats generally aren't