Milk for Newborns in hospital in case you can't BF? Panicking!

[Paddocks1]

Not sure where to post this...

I am keen to breastfeed however i have been told i should take in the ready made milk just in case so just after some advice/opinions please?
Whats the best milk? do i need bottles? should i sterilise them first? Ohh too many questions.

First baby, very close and i'm panicking!

Can't say what is best milk as everyone will have different opinion. I use aptamil (slightly dearer) you can buy sterile ready to use bottles in tesco's. just buy them and teats and give at room temperature. Are you sure your hospital doesn't provide them?

With a straightforward labour, baby will latch onto breast afterwards and start bf.

If, for some reason you were not able to bf, I'm sure the hospital would provide some formula. Or you would at least have someone with you who could nip and get some.

I really wouldn't worry about taking formula in. Baby will be happy to suckle you. Baby doesn't NEED formula straight away, even if you couldn't offer breast.

I think you can buy ready made formula in bottles that have the teat on, from big supermarkets, if you wanted to take one.

I had ds3 last Friday morning. I was in hospital until 6pm and he was suckling/feeding/comforting for literally hours on Friday. It's amazing they know what to do.

Good luck and wishing you a very healthy baby!

Yes my sister planned to BF but baby didn't get the hang of it. They gave them formula to get them started then they got everything set up at home.

What Boys said.

Honestly, you only need to take it in if you're not planning to BF. It takes time to establish BF and you probably wont be in for long! Your milk wont come in for 3-5 days after birth. Babies only need a tiny amount of colostrum in the first few days anyway.

They'll have emergency supplies anyway and if not, you can send someone to a supermarket for cartons of formula and pre-sterilised bottles.

Although policy is different in different hospital with regards to bringing in milk if you have decided to formula feed in ALL hospitals if you intend to breast feed but have problems then the hospital will provide formula if needed. There are lots of steps before that though, if after several hours the baby has not yet breast fed then they should first help you to express your colostrum to give the baby via cup and then continue to work with you to help you to establish feeding. Your baby is born with reserves so they don't need a huge amount in the first day or so. Try not to panic!

Your milk might not even come in til you leave hospital, your baby wont be particularly hungry after the birth, and any suckling he or she does will be to get colostrum, which you shouldn't even expect to not be producing, unless you have a medical reason to think this might be so.

Try not to worry about things that aren't likely to happen!

This happened to me- planned to bf, DD wouldn't latch. I was in for two nights following CS, so we had to give her formula or they wouldn't have let us out! The hospital provided little ready made bottles of formula. I expect most do, even if not then its easily got hold of should the need arise. If you have a straightforward VB you'll be out before you know it anyway.

Have to agree with indith too.

The lady who was in the cubicle next to me was struggling to get baby to latch on at all. And the staff spent an enormous amount of time with her, showing and helping her to express, attempting to feed with a syringe etc and the staff even offered mum some formula for baby (though she declined)

I honestly wouldn't worry about taking in formula. One less thing or you to worry about.

Meant to say, as you are close to term, can you produce any colostrum (it looks like rich cream) if you have a squeeze of your nipple? You might find it reassuring. Good luck!

You won't need to take anything if you are intending to breastfeed.
If you intend to but for some reason can't then the hospital will provide formula, they won't just let baby starve.
You'll probably be home before milk comes in anyway

Aw thanks everyone, much appreciated. Like most of you said it's one less this i need to worry about! x

I had an emergency c section and my baby was so shocked he couldn't latch on, they gave me the option on giving him forumla or putting him on a drip! I chose formula (of course). They had aptamil in the hospital, but said they only gave t out for people in the high dependency unit, because loads of babies won't breast feed after a c section apparently.....

Don't take in formula - it'll sit there winking at you if you have difficulty getting baby latched on for the first time. If you don't have it, you can't use it.