what to take into hospital if you want to BF?

[buttershy]

Hi all,

I'm 24 wks pregnant with 1st baby and absolutely determined to the point of obsession about breastfeeding, hence why I'm already thinking about this topic- what to take into hospital?

Here are a few things I thought might be useful to take in my bag, please say if you agree/disagree and if there's anything else you'd recommend! (Please note I saw a sign in my hospital that said no formula or bottles are provided including sterilising facilities?!)

1. Doidy cup
2. Medela nipple shield
3. Medela hand held breast pump
4. Nipple cream (I have the earth mama Angel baby one, worth picking up lanisoh too?)
5. Nursing bra and button front shirts/nightie
6. Breast pads

Do you think I should also take in a few cartons of ready mixed aptamil and a bottle, in case it doesn't work out or I need some time to figure it out without baby starving and being distressed?

Also, if I sterilise things at home, e.g the breast pump and store in a ziplock bag does that stay sterile for a few days until needed in hospital?

Is there any other prep I should be doing? I have bought 'the womanly art of breastfeeding' and check out blogs and YouTube videos. I didn't have a lot of success getting in touch with la leche league BF consultants but hopefully there is one who might be available to call out in an emergency!

Thanks all!

Please don't jump on me for posting this. But it isn't always difficult. Obviously for some people it is, and that's when the advice/support will come in very handy. But for me, it just worked the way it was meant to. (A bit of initial soreness, so I used whatever cream was the normal one. Then it passed.)

This isn't a smug boast. It's just me saying perhaps it's best not to assume/fear the worst and over-anticipate. It might be fine. Or it might be a little bit tricky, and then be okay. Whatever happens the main thing is that the baby gets fed somehow, some way, and that you get settled together. There's more than one way to bond, I reckon.

Having breast fed 3 babies I'd say the most important thing to me was a good pillow, making sure I was comfy, not straining my back or shoulders, made me more relaxed and I think helped get baby relaxed.
And if you can't use lanisol, kamilosan (?spelling) was a godsend.

I'm going to disagree on the nipple shields. My baby was born with severe tongue tie. The only way I could get him to latch was with a nipple shield. In my case, the hospital provided them. I don't think they technically should have done, and I suspect if yours doesn't provide formula then it has baby friendly status and probably won't. I hated them with a passion, and eventually managed to ditch them, but if I hadn't had them in hospital, I'd have been forced into the position of giving him formula. As it was, I breast fed for 18 months. I agree, they are not the best option. Best is to feed without if you can. But if you want to breast feed, they are a better option than just giving formula if you have a baby who can't latch for some reason.

1. Don't need
2. Don't need
3. Don't need
4. Don't need
5. Nursing bra and button front shirts/nightie
6. Don't need

Leave the 'don't need' stuff at home, you're unlikely to need it in the first few hours/days. It's just more stuff you don't need to cart in/out of hospital.

Take one of those C-shaped breastfeeding cushions, or a spare pillow.

The hardest bit of establishing bf for me was holding DD up to my breast. Hospital only provided one pillow which was behind my back, and I was utterly exhausted from 25h in labour and physically unable to hold her up to my boob, also terrified I would fall asleep and drop her. I did some feeding lying down but then kept falling asleep with DD in the bed.

I sent DH to mother care to pick up a cushion the minute we got home from the hospital and it made bf soooooo much easier.

Birdsandblips woah don't leave me hanging!!! What do I need in my BF basket???!!!!

Mariannesolong thank you your message was really uplifting xxxx

Nursing cushion is a great idea, I was in hospital last week and only had one pillow. Anyone recommend one? X

I had a widgey pillow like this one:

www.mothercare.com/Widgey%C2%AE-Breastfeeding-Pillow/369403,default,pd.html

you'll need boobs, lansinoh and a button down top.

I had a memory foam one like this www.argos.co.uk/m/static/Product/partNumber/1270475.htm?CMPID=GS001&_$ja=cgid:17436843513|tsid:59157|cid:199888953|lid:92280032193|nw:g|crid:74692319913|rnd:6731749290592394671|dvc:m|adp:1o2|bku:1&gclid=CNGd7PmOlMwCFcyRGwod_gYCGg

I have had one of these pillows for two babies now, and wouldn't want anything else -

www.thrupennybits.co.uk/

They're pricey, but I found them worth every penny. Everything else I tried feeding with slid out of place or wasn't the right shape, which was just an added hassle when I was having latch problems, but these are firm, curve around you so they support different positions, and they tie on round your waist so they don't slip. They look nice too.

Agree with all the keep it simple posts.

My best tip is if you have a husband/ partner prime him before hand that his job is to look after you while you are establishing feeding. You may well be tied to the sofa with frequent/ cluster feeding for the first few weeks. If he can bring you water and snacks as needed (and hand you the TV remote!) it will make things a lot easier for you. It's really important you take good care of yourself (breastfeeding made me v v thirsty) in the early days.