Breastfeeding classes

[JustA93]

28weeks with first baby, hope to breastfeed. Do you start breastfeeding classes before baby arrives or once baby is here?

If planning on exclusive breastfeeding. Do you recommend buying in bottles etc just incase? What equipment?

You don't want to be stuck in hospital in the event you can't establish feeding immediately. At my hospital the policy is to not release the baby until the midwife confirms successful feeding, be that by breast or bottle

I BF both of mine and we were discharged within 3 hours after both births. They had no idea if feeding was successful or not!
I didn’t do any breastfeeding classes (don’t think they exist round here!) but I did do a lot of research beforehand and also found my nearest support group for after the birth (which sadly has now been disbanded due to funding cuts). NCT often have breastfeeding support groups.

Oh and I never bought bottles beforehand... individual choice of course but I didn’t want to have the pressure of having that choice there.

I wouldn't have bottles or formula if you are wanting to breastfeed. The best thing to do is really read up on how it works, when milk comes in, cluster feeding etc. Ask your midwife for info about local support. Where I am there is a very established breastfeeding support group, they run several groups a week at different locations with a peer supporter at every one and they have a supporter in the hospital most of the time. My little one is 9 months and never had a bottle or any expressed milk, just water in a sippy cup with food from 6 months and milk from boobs on demand. He'll be starting nursery in Jan at 10 months and will feed before and after with water and food at nursery, no plans to add formula or express at all, not everyone does.