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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Will I need to pack formula in hospital bag if hoping to breastfeed?

45 replies

UserAlice · 20/05/2019 17:03

Just that really.

Pregnant with first baby and really want to try and breastfeed but I am very aware it isn’t always smooth sailing at first. My friend was in hospital for 4 days getting feeding established.

What happens if you can’t feed the baby in those first few hours/overnight? Am I expected to have some emergency formula and bottles with me? I haven’t bought anything bottle-feeding related but it just occurred to me I might need to get some emergency stuff just in case.

OP posts:

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bearface45 · 20/05/2019 21:24

I have to say the midwives only tried to help me with breastfeeding in hospital and no formula was mentioned

TillyTheTiger · 20/05/2019 21:25

I'm planning to harvest colostrum from 37 weeks, could be worth considering. It's especially recommended for mothers with gestational diabetes but anyone can do it, as long as you're not at risk for pre-term labour. If you ask your midwife they should supply you with a load of tiny syringes, then you hand express the colostrum and freeze it. Take it to hospital with you in a cooler bag, then even if you struggle to establish breastfeeding immediately, you can syringe feed and your baby is still getting the best stuff. Plus if you've had some practice at hand expressing then that's likely to help with getting breastfeeding established anyway.
<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.mcht.nhs.uk/EasysiteWeb/getresource.axd%3FAssetID%3D17975%26type%3Dfull%26servicetype%3DAttachment&ved=2ahUKEwjYgI7e96riAhXjQhUIHU6gBgoQFjACegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw0T8w9Q1xzCUxguSR3z8ncK&cshid=1558383810161" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.mcht.nhs.uk/EasysiteWeb/getresource.axd%3FAssetID%3D17975%26type%3Dfull%26servicetype%3DAttachment&ved=2ahUKEwjYgI7e96riAhXjQhUIHU6gBgoQFjACegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw0T8w9Q1xzCUxguSR3z8ncK&cshid=1558383810161

Merename · 20/05/2019 21:27

Sorry if someone has already said it, but it’s important to know that it’s absolutely normal for your milk not to come in for 3-5 days and in the meantime baby survives on colostrum and fat stores in their body. I’ve heard many mums say that they had to supplement as their milk didn’t come in till day 4 - this is not an issue. As ops have said, if baby isn’t latching for the colostrum however, staff will help with hand expression. Even if baby seems to be getting little, latching them frequently in these first days is them ‘putting their order in’, which arrives on day 3 or so! All very clever. Good luck.

Celebelly · 20/05/2019 21:33

Formula was provided for us to top up with when my daughter was unable to latch. They also provided me with a pump in my cubicle so I could express for her (they were meant to be shared around ward, but because DD wouldn't latch I got one to myself ). They had ready made bottles of all the major brands and I just had to ask when needed and they would give me a few bottles.

Celebelly · 20/05/2019 21:34

Oh but take advantage of the help with latching and feeding etc. If you are in overnight, that's a really good time to get extended one to one support if you're struggling. Don't be afraid to buzz and ask for help if you're on the ward.

SCST01 · 20/05/2019 21:36

I would if I were you, just in case.

Mintypea5 · 20/05/2019 21:39

Interestingly I was never offered formula with either of mine. DS1 I was in a week due to infection and I struggled so bad with feeding spent all night crying for that week because he wouldn't feed properly at all and was upset and hungry. All the midwifes pushed BF on me formula seemed to be a dirty word "breast is best". Some tried to be helpful but most just told me I was a silly girl, not trying hard enough etc

MaudeLynne · 20/05/2019 21:39

Best thing to do is prepare, prepare and prepare some more. Some midwives are good at helping, some are bloody horrendous. I have allergy issues so was absolutely 100% going to feed, so i prepared.

I prepared for the pressure when birthweight dropped by more than 10%, I was prepared for the fact that milk might not come in for a few days, but colostrum/reserves is enough, I was prepared for the fact that some people can't express - doesn't mean that there's 'no milk' it means that you can't express.

I wasn't prepared for the midwife that told me that i wasn't allowed to leave until I gave the baby a bottle. Luckily DH stepped up (dairy farmer, knew shit loads more than the midwife).

I wasn't prepared for how bloody hard it actually is - EMCS and massive blood loss along with wound infection really didn't help, in my opinion taking formula in would have made it more difficult.

If you really want to breastfeed you will do it. If you really don't want to then don't. Don't feel pressurised either in to or out of it, best of luck!

Celebelly · 20/05/2019 21:43

I had to ask for formula - it wasn't offered. But when I asked they were happy enough to give it. I was pumping every three hours and they were spending hours a day with us trying to get DD to latch (which she eventually did six weeks later!), but she was dropping weight very heavily before my milk came in (later due to EMCS) and I wasn't able to pump enough colostrum so the formula top-ups kept us going till then.

firstimemamma · 20/05/2019 21:47

The hospital I had my baby in provides formula and bottles but I'm not 100% sure all hospitals do.

Check with your hospital op.

piraterach · 20/05/2019 21:50

I didn't take formula into hospital as I was desperate to breastfeed. After hours and hours of latching and unlatching, a breastfeeding consultant who was worse than useless and a baby who screamed all night because she was hungry I was still never offered formula by the hospital. They had it to give but you had to ask and at such a vulnerable time I didn't feel confident enough to do so. As soon as we got home DH did a midnight run to ASDA to buy readymade and we had a few hours of well deserved rest and a happy baby. I was still determined to breastfeed and continued to try once baby wasn't quite so frantic. I breastfed (exclusively pumped) for my LG for 13 months as it was what I wanted. Was it easy? No. But did it make me proud? HELL YEAH.

My advice would be you have backup plans for everything else so why not for this. But if you want something you gotta put the work in to get it.

firstimemamma · 20/05/2019 21:53

Oh and my fiancé had formula hidden somewhere in the house so if breastfeeding didn't work out we could switch - but the thinking behind the hiding was so that I couldn't just throw in the towel after a rough patch without thinking things through! I know it sounds ridiculous but we don't have any 24 hour shops nearby that sell it.

I'm 9 months into breastfeeding now and really love it. My fiancé himself can't even remember where the secret formula is now, we'll probably stumble across it years later!!

I'm pro formula and pro bf - bf was just my choice for a number of reasons. Good luck op

SinkGirl · 20/05/2019 23:31

If you really want to breastfeed you will do it.

I’m sorry, but this is not a helpful statement. I really wanted to breastfeed. I wanted to breastfeed so badly that I pumped 12x a day for 7 months for my twins who wouldn’t latch, just so they’d get some breastmilk. I lost days to crying about it, I missed weeks worth of cuddles because I had the bloody pump strapped to me so much of the time. Sometimes it isn’t possible, no matter how much you really want to do it.

I hope the OP has more luck - she probably will if she doesn’t have preemie twins in nicu she’s not allowed to pick up very often! But every time I read a comment like this, it’s like a giant old wound being torn open.

Celebelly · 20/05/2019 23:36

I agree. I had done all the research, was ready for cracked nipples, cluster feeding, all that jazz. And then I had a baby who physically couldn't latch. Midwives spent hours trying to get her to latch, but it was only when I got a private lactation consultant that we found out she was unable to latch due to a very tight jaw and a tongue tie.

She did eventually latch, but it's not always as easy. I was so determined to breastfeed I spent 12 weeks pumping every two to three hours to keep my supply up and give her breast milk. It's not always as easy as 'if you want to then you will'. I wanted to like mad, and I'm grateful that we have managed eventually, but our problems weren't due to any lack of drive or perseverance.

MaudeLynne · 21/05/2019 13:05

That completely underlines what I was saying. The midwives should be trained to check for tongue-tie, you wanted to feed, persevered, got the help that you needed. Help is difficult to come by, it shouldn't be, but sadly it is. The op needs to get a support network for feeding issues more than needing to get formula.

MindfulBear · 21/05/2019 13:25

No. Definitely not.
If you want to breastfeed they should help you do so. And if there is a serious problem (unlikely) they will provide it if needed.

Note most MWs have barely any bf training but won't admit this so as a PP says make sure you have your numbers available for you and your other half to call if necessary.
Examples:

local la leche league ("LLL") leader mobile #
local LLL meeting dates locations and time (if you can pop along to a meeting before baby arrives to familiarise yourself then do that too)
LLL national helpline #
NCT BF tutor / support team
NCT local bf drop in meeting
association of breastfeeding mothers details
Local IBCLC (bf consultant) mobile #

find out if your hospital has an infant feeding co-ordinator. Introduce yourself before hand / make sure you have their name and number to hand.

MindfulBear · 21/05/2019 13:27

BfN is great place too and they have the drugs in BM helpline - in case you need meds of any kind and want to check they are compatible with bf or if there is an alternative (most GPs cannot / will not give this advice)

www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/contact-us/helplines/

MindfulBear · 21/05/2019 13:28

Great list here
www.babycentre.co.uk/a539258/breastfeeding-support-organisations

MindfulBear · 21/05/2019 13:31

This book is amazing. So full of useful info and reassuring about what is normal and what is not.

Well worth getting
http://www.lllgbbooks.co.uk/store/p91/The WomanlyyArt offBreastfeeding.html

SajeW23 · 21/05/2019 13:42

Just wanted to share my experience. I was very nervous about breastfeeding my second after struggling and failing miserably with my first. After he was born I had some formula samples on hand in my hospital bag and at home. What I did was bf my baby for every single feeding and if he wouldn't settle after and was still hungry I would top him up with an ounce or two of formula. Didn't need it in the hospital as he was basically asleep or quietly sucking away on the boob for the first 24 hours. However when home it worked like a charm and he would sleep after being topped up and therefore so would I. That was only for 3 days (so day 2, 3, and 4) after he was born and then my milk came in and there was no need for any more formula ever. My kids were (and still are) all very tiny and the formula gave me peace of mind during a very stressful time and we were still able to breastfeed successfully.

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