Do I still need bottles and sterilisers, etc?

[VJONES1985]

I'm pg with dc1 and planning to breastfeed. However, people have told me I still need sterilisers in case I want to pump (?) And bottles in case breastfeeding doesn't work? Sorry if that makes no sense, I don't really understand and am wondering what your thoughts are?

I've not bothered to get anything - there's always a supermarket open somewhere if you need a bottle in an emergency.
But I'll be watching this thread for others advice!

You don't need to buy them beforehand. You can sterilise by boiling bottles, etc. for 10 minutes in a pan.

I would do some research. Read. The Food of Love and The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding are good. Go and meet the bf counsellor at your local bf cafe. Find out who the Infant Feeding Specialist is at your hospital. Put the numbers of the bf helplines into your phone. Go online and look at kellymom and Dr Jack Newman's websites. Watch videos of the latch.

Maybe buy some Lansinoh and breast pads

What about in hospital, if my baby refuses the breast? Chances are I'll be in hospital for a few days because I have type 1 diabetes...

Thanks stargirl - I hadn't heard of those books or bf cafes! Pretty sure we don't have one but will find out!

The hospital will provide - certainly mine would if needed. They had one use bottles of liquid formula.

I would phone a bf helpline now, tbh. I think I read you can hand express colostrum before the birth with diabetes which helps.

Tiktok on here would know. PM her?

In hospital you will be fine, they will support bf and should have a specialist nurse
If you chose to switch to ff they have that too

I hav already bought bottles, breast pump and steriliser.

I am planning BF and then also express after 6 weeks or so once BF is established so OH can feed him too.

Have you done an antenatal class? We had a session on feeding options. Also your midwife/health visitor will be able to give you more info including local support/cafes etc

I almost went and bought bottles and a steriliser "just incase" but talked myself out of it. If baby really won't latch it'll be a trip to the supermarket for my OH.

I have antenatal classes next month. I'm 28 weeks now and by the time the classes finish I will be about 36 weeks. I guess there will be feeding support there so will wait until then before I buy anything, I guess. Sounds likes Lanisoh and breast pads are always a good idea though!

Yep breast feeding again this time hopefully so bought microwave steriliser, 4 bottles and a breast pump. Bottles are for when I express milk.

I've got a second hand pump from SIL which has a storage box which can be used as a steriliser. I also have a load of bottles from SIL which they are no longer using. Not buying anything else till I've worked out whether BF works for us.
Shops are always there if you need them after.

I bought a couple of bottles of ready made formula that came with a disposable teat so if needed we had it all there. I think it might have been SMA brand?

I BF all mine but I had a few bottles and a few cartons of ready made milk it was never used it was just in case I was ever poorly.

For the BF coffee meetings look up on national childcare trust, think you have to pay a membership fee but they have meetings all over the place, even in my small town :)

I use milton solution in s mixing bowl for my nipple shields but have a microwave sterliser as I intend to switch to bottles when I start weaning around 6 months. Personally I prefer not to have formula in the house in the early weeks to avoid temptation, but that's just me being slightly irrational! Big supermarkets stock all this stuff so no real need to buy ahead of time although a pump is good to relieve engorgement when milk comes in. I find expressing enough for a feed has to be done over several days plus there is all the faff of sterilising, storing, reheating so it is less hassle to feed baby myself.

No you don't need any unless you live somewhere very rural? Supermarkets are open 24 hours! I have a huge asda within 5 min drive and I could buy all the formula and bottles I need there. And we didn't need any in the end.

You don't need to buy bottles or steriliser, but i would recommend a box of those premade Aptamils with teats etc

I say this from experience - fully expected to bf DS, hadn't got a bottle or a drop of formula in the house. Got a baby that refused to bf. Yes you can send your DP to the supermarket but if your hungry baby is screaming NOW and won't latch then the 24 Tesco down the road might as well be in Australia!!!

I plan to bf DC2 (am currently preg) but will have a box of premade Aptamils in the house just in case. Can buy bottles and formula later if necessary.

Also tbh you're unlikely to be pumping in the first two weeks unless you're having serious bf problems - in which case a hospital grade pump that you hire etc will be what you'd be told to use, not anything you can buy beforehand

Another first timer marking place. Planning to do as several have recommended: have a couple of 'emergency' ready mades for just in case then go with the flow.
As I will be returning to work, I will probably need a pump but I understand these can be rented and different brands work 'better' for different women (ditto bottles/sippy cups for babies) so again following that advice I'd best try when the time comes rather than risk my pennies on something beforehand.

I say this all the time, but if you are planning to have some 'in case' formula, check the pricing and then bear in mind that it is all the same product and it's not like chocolate or something (you know, better ingredients in the premium priced one).

Penguins I agree! Aptamil annoyingly overpriced given it's all the same thing. Only suggested that brand as I am unsure if SMA, Cow &Gate also do the little premade bottles with teats? Think Hipp have them maybe? Anyway I do know the Aptamil ones are a box of 8/10/12 which are perfect size.

SMA have premade bigger bottles and bigger teats but I found them huge for a tiny babba!

And hopefully you don't need any of it OP and can pass on the unused stuff to a friend or keep in the cupboard for emergencies!

I have a lot of success pumping with the hospital pumps while DD was in SCBU for jaundice for a while. I was getting more than the hospital was giving. When I get home I couldn't get 10ml from the electric pump I got (it's a medala). I would say most likely they are useless except for relieving engorgement! And I have a very very good supply with a fast let down. DD was EBF and I can spray milk out like a jet.

However I did keep the pump for my second because, touch wood, DD was in hospital for a week at 7mo for bronchiolitis. She was in the children's ward instead and they have no pumps unlike neonatal. I was pumping twice a day to keep my supply going. I just dumped the milk because I have no teats, one bottle that fits into the pump and have no steriliser. And by the point I didn't care if DD has no breast milk for a week (she was tube fed with no solids). She already had chips eating out and would be devouring the NHS nuggets by end of that end.

Oh in comparison neonatal provided Milton tablets, buckets, bottles, fridge, labels, pumps. The whole works.

I just brought one bottle and few cartons aptimal. Can sterilise in pan if needed. I just brought as above incase I was taken ill say in night and dh needed to feed. We used in the end around 3 months when I went back to work and dh had baby

Zara - oooh, sorry. I hadn't seen you'd mentioned a brand. It wasn't a dig . I just do get sick of all that 'it costs more, it must be the best' stuff they subtly pedal. Most parents have enough financial pressures without that.