What do I need if I'm planning on breastfeeding?

[ryanreynolds]

I'm a FTM and due at the end of May. Have just started getting some shopping lists together in terms of what stuff we need to buy.

I plan on breastfeeding but would like to express and for DP to be able to feed once my milk supply is sorted.

What do I need as a minimum for when baby arrives? Do I need a steriliser? Should I buy bottles/milk just in case breastfeeding doesn't work?

Trying not to overbuy unnecessary stuff but can't see on this one what is necessary and what isn't!

Netflix subscription and a tablet to watch it on! Oh and loads of muslin cloths.

Best thing I brought early days was a hakka silicone pump. My letdown and oversupply those first couple moths was excessive and used to drown my son/squirt him in the face so used to take the edge off before latching then leave on the opposite breast to catch any leakage rather than in a breastpad. Without actively using the suction to pump properly I still used to fill a milk storage bag at least daily and meant I got a decent stash in the freezer for when I did start doing a bottle of expressed milk a few nights a week at 3-4 months. I found it £20 well spent and wish I’d had one at the start for once I’d established latching to save me being soggy 🙄

My DS is nearly seven weeks old and the things I have learned so far:

• my boobs are MAHOOSIVE. There would have been no point buying lots of nursing bras beforehand because I had no idea they would get this big.
• we introduced a bottle a day pretty early on as my milk was slow to come in after EMCS and DS was losing weight. We've never had an issue with nipple confusion and DH loves being able to feed him too.
• I wish wish wish the ante natal classes had talked about the importance of winding a baby as much as they did latching. We had some awful nights until consulting friends and family on and learning various techniques no one had told us about before. It's a vital part of feeding in the early days so ask lots of questions about it.
• The Kellymom website has lots of good advice.
• I just use a good firm normal pillow and don't have a special nursing pillow.
• lanolin cream didn't do much for me but I find silverette nipple covers do some kind of special magic and I haven't had sore nipples since I started using them.

Haakaa pump is great, it suctions onto your breast and collects milk from the side you’re not feeding on. Then you don’t need an electric pump to get extra feeds for the first few weeks.

Silverettes are amazing - silver has healing properties and they are the best for dealing with sore nipples.

Research the pump and bottles you want to use but I agree - don’t buy them until you need them. A lot of people inadvertently sabotage breastfeeding by giving “just one bottle” of formula in the early days before supply is established.

Agree with the Netflix subscription and more muslins than you could ever think necessary!

I think don't worry if you find yourself buying something that you don't use that much...babies are all different and you can always sell or pass it on. Try and get and hand if poss. I was given a sterilizer and a pump, intended to use the pump to let my DH do an expressed bottle when needed but it turned out my dd1 barfed up expressed milk every single time. So we ended up doing 1 x bottle of formula a day and using the sterilizer. We didn't encounter any nipple confusion with her or my 2nd.

Lansinoh nipple cream was a godsend for me! I had a constant layer of it on my nipples for the first few weeks and they never cracked.

Breast pads, lots of muslin cloths, maternity bras and tops with easy access (vest tops that are easy to pull down work a treat).

I personally don't like my boobs being out so I got a breastfeeding cover. There's a company called Udder Covers and they're really well priced. I still use mine when out and about.

I personally chose not to have bottles or formula in the house as I felt it would be too easy to throw the towel in with breastfeeding if I struggled.
The first few days before my milk came in were hard and I did think about giving up but not having the stuff in pushed me to keep going.
Dd is now 1 and still a boob monster lol!

Good luck xx

I'm interested to know peoples thoughts and advice about trying to conceive on anti depressants (such as fluroxetine).

I've been off fluroxetine for 6 months but the last two months I've been slipping back into a dark and stormy place, with the bright and shiny days becoming less and less. However I'm reluctant to go back on them as Im wanting to start a family. Unfortunately with the way I feel, going back on them might be the only option right now.

Keep a note of things people have found useful so once you have started feeding, you can look back and decide what is worth spending money on. I am bf my second now and things I found invaluable first time (such as breastfeeding pillow), I hardly need this time round. I bought a portable pillow with my first because I found posture so tough without it but I barely use it this time round. Same goes for a few other bits.

In terms of essentials: some stretchy nursing bras (the ones that come in S/M/L are great when milk is coming in and your size varies every hour), breast pads (I also strongly preferred reusables to disposables) - don't get too many as not everyone leaks. I barely did and 5 pairs of reusables were plenty for me. Lots of pillows to help you with positioning, clothes that give easy access and plenty of muslins. Like many others on here, I didn't buy formula before as there are 24hour supermarkets and it won't be a case of needing it that second.

As you are keen on expressing, look into breast pumps and what you would prefer as you have the time to research now. Narrow it down so when you do decide to buy, you have an idea which one you want. Also, from my anecdotal experience of my friends - those who waited until 6 weeks before introducing a bottle of expressed milk had babies who refused to take bottles whereas those of us who expressed and gave at 3-4 week mark were able to give the odd bottle later on. Every baby is different and some will experience nipple confusion too but something to keep in mind.

Definitely get a thermos mug for night time feeds. Otherwise you'll rarely ever drink a hot drink

Hydrogel breast pads for the first few weeks. They're miraculous. Wooler will say breastfeeding shouldn't hurt but be fed two with perfect latches and no tongue ties and it hurt both times (the second much less). But the hydrogel pads really really helped

Thank you all again - this is a fantastic load of advice.

Had ordered a support pillow on the advice of a friend and I think I'll stop there for now...whilst there's no 24hr supermarkets exactly where I live, they're not far away...and I already have Amazon Prime, Netflix and some insulated coffee cups so sounds like I'm actually better prepared than I thought!!

One thing that I had, which I found excellent (a friend lent me hers) were some silver nipple cups (Silverette Nursing Cups - Soothing Sore Breasts or Cracked Nipples with Silver www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00D4MWKNQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_S9vDCbCGGJWE9)?tag=mumsnetforum-21. They really stopped my nipples getting super cracked and sore. You put them on in between feeds. Just squirt a bit of breastmilk into them each time and the healing power of both silver and breastmilk help keep your nipples softer in the first couple of weeks. They are a bit pricey but worth every penny if you can afford them.

The kellymom website is an excellent source of information about breastfeeding.

Good luck and hope all goes smoothly!

Soft washable bamboo breast pads - Amazon or EBay

Snacks and meals that can be eaten easily with one hand!
I batch cooked and stocked the freezer and it was great to have easy meals to defrost when evenings were mostly spent feeding.

I'm allergic to lanolin so couldn't use the creams for cracking in the first few weeks. Breast milk sorted me right out and healed quickly. Don't worry about this in the first few weeks as you both need time to get it right. Swap over and use one at a time and then back again when it's less painful. Your boobs have a mind of their own and quickly adapt to times of feeding.
The midwife was amazing at helping me with the latch so if your nipple is squished when baby comes off then try another position as it should hold its shape. Definitely try lying down as I never did and regretted it.
Don't make plans for first few weeks as you'll be sat on the couch getting your food handed to you and baby happily feeding away.
Don't bother with cover ups for out in public as your clothing will generally cover you and baby's head will cover the rest. Don't look around for who's watching you and enjoy the moment.
Feed for as long or as little as you feel is right for you and baby. I found the first 2 weeks then up to 6 weeks was the hardest.
Expect to feed more often than bottle feeds as these are digested in around 4 hours and breastmilk around 1.5 hours.
When you feel baby is old enough; separate the feeding and sleeping (I didn't know any better and was feeding to sleep until 16 months!).
Remember every baby is different and if there was a 'right way' it'd be written in stone. Listen to all the advice you get and ignore what doesn't feel right. Trust your instincts and be good to yourself. Get rest when you can and don't sweat the housework; it'll still be there when you get round to it.
I'll stop now as only meant to write a few lines and could go on all day!
Congratulations and all the best for when your bundle arrives

Lansinoh cream

The one thing I found really useful was as someone has mentioned a soft changing mat, if plastic backed even better, for putting underneath baby's head while feeding in bed lying down, baby would always spit up and the bed was saved.

I would suggest a Hakka pump, or other brand similar, you can attach this to the opposite breast while feeding to catch any leakage so it's not wasted. The one I have (NatureBond) doesn't require a steriliser as you can just submerge it in boiling water for a few minutes.

If you want to express get some storage bags, you can store breast milk at room temperature for 6 hours, in the fridge for 6 days, and in a freezer for 6 months. So you could always start expressing when your milk comes in and you feel ready, then you'll a have a good supply ready for when you want to start using bottles.

I personally need a sleep nursing bra and breast pads to avoid soaking my clothes and bed.

Loads, and I mean LOADS, of muslins. I keep at least 3 by me at any feed.

I haven't bought any nursing tops, when I go out I wear a vest top that I can pull down over my breasts and then a loose T-shirt over that so I can pull that up.

Wait before buying nursing bras as you may get bigger than you think (I gained a back size and 4-5 cup sizes in pregnancy, and when the breasts are full they're even bigger!!). But when you do get them make sure they are really comfortable and fold down/move out of the way easily (the ones I have are underwired and padded and I struggle with them, currently looking for new ones).

When/if you decide to get bottles, steriliser etc then check out Facebook Marketplace, I managed to find a huge selection available for a fraction of the price.

Have a good supply of Breast pads and cloths , I over produce milk and leaked like crazy. Get nipple shields ( others will say about confusion ) my son had severe jaundice and without them I wouldn't have been able to feed, he weaned off at 4m and carried on to 14m. I would also get milk catchers when feeding from one boob it's useful to catch. As for expressing I could only do one or the other as my baby was very greedy he loved the boob was every 2 hours and then none for a bottle

I would strongly advise you to buy some nipple shields, just incase. My baby has tongue tie and after 24 hours that left welts on my nipples they were an absolute godsend. They’re not easy to find in the shops in case of emergency (and I wouldn’t recommend boots own brand). So i’d have a pair on standby just in case you need them. It was recommended at my antenatal course that we get some and 4/7 of us have needed them in the end. 2 for tongue ties and 2 for other reasons.