Questions on breastfeeding

[lolo78]

I am due my first in April and slowly starting to purchase everything. Just wondering; I am planning on breastfeeding so what will I need? Obviously a breast pump and bottles for expressing... but would you recommend still buying the Tommee Tippee perfect prep machine just in case baby doesn't take to breast? Any recommendations would be much appreciated as I'm a bit lost in the world of milk!

Definitely nipple cream and start using it at about 36 weeks as apparently it significantly reduces sore/cracked nipples, I didn’t suffer from either. Washable breast pads. Vests just normal ones from M&S but they do a good range of colours. And cake just squander the rest on cake

If you do need to sterilise anything occasionally the pouches that go in the microwave are great.

“In case baby doesn’t take to the breast” It’s biologically normal for all babies to breastfeed so there’s no reason baby won’t, if that was the case there would be less humans on this earth as we’d have died before formula was invented. Your baby will take to the breast, maybe with complete ease, maybe with some additional support, but it will happen.

Contrary to what everyone is saying, I would actually suggest you do get a pump and a few bottles. When my son was born he lost a lot of weight and the midwives had me feeding as well as expressing in between feeds to give by bottle. When he was 3 days old and I was told that I was so glad we already had the stuff in ready. You might not need it, but its best to be prepared, especially when you have a tiny baby who needs feeding and you'd prefer not to use formula.

Am 39+1 and also hoping to breastfeed but nervous about it so very helpful thread, thank you all. I hadn't thought about using nipple cream in advance... will start that tomorrow!

This is a really good thread, so much good advice. I’m breastfeeding my 8 month old and it’s been brilliant. One thing I found useful before she was born was watching some YouTube videos about how to get a good latch and the different positions you can feed in. I had a CS and the rugby ball hold was a life saver in the early days when I couldn’t lie on my side.

Totally agree with everyone else! Find your local la leche group, they'll be so helpful if you have any problems.

Comfortable, soft, loose clothes. A securely lidded insulated cup. A kindle. Netflix. A V shaped pillow (doesn’t need to be an expensive special one- Argos have them). Something lovely and warm to wrap round your shoulders. About a million muslin squares (once again, cheap ones are fine. Don’t feel guilty about buying loads-they make fantastic tea towels, dusters and nativity head dresses in later years)

And remember. If your baby is full term and healthy, it’s perfectly fine and normal for him or her to lose weight in the first week or so. Your milk won’t come in properly until about day 3 so don’t panic or let anyone else panic you. And if you can possibly avoid it, don’t try to express for at least the first 6 weeks. Nothing stimulates supply like a rooting baby.

Oh, and feeding an new baby is a full time job. Spend as much time as you possibly can on the sofa or in bed, just resting and feeding. Drink plenty. Accept all offers of help - even from people who you don’t like much. Be specific. “Could you run the hoover round/put on a wash/cook a shepherd’s pie/hold the baby while I have a shower” Don’t assume they’ll know. Even people who’ve had 6 babies forget what it’s like (Otherwise the human race would be extinct by now ) and even if they haven’t, they don’t know what’s important to you. I went round to help a friend and ended up ironing babygros and muslins. I thought she was insane- but it was important to her, so I did it.

God- sorry about the essay.

As others have said, Lansinol, washable breast pads, feeding pillow, sleep nursing bras (the crop top style ones).

I would also get a small manual breast pump or some milk catchers to hold on one side while baby feeds off the other breast. You can save that milk for a later time and you don't even have to pump to get it.

I agree with not buying anything else. If midwives recommend giving formula in the early days, it is easier to use a syringe anyway, imo.

Attend an workshop/class/support group antenatally, find out what support is available for when baby is born. Watch this video globalhealthmedia.org/portfolio-items/attaching-your-baby-at-the-breast/

I'm going to go against the grain here and suggest buying in a couple of bottles and some ready made formula in case of emergency.

I actually used ours late at night after months of ebf when bub was popping on and off the breast and crying his little heart out. Turns out he had a big tongue tie that only started to bother him that far in as he'd previously been working around it with his super suction. He got to a point where he needed more milk than he could get that way and was getting very distressed. Gave him an emergency bottle and he was so happy until we could get him to the clinic for a tongue snip a couple of days later. I was so, so glad I was prepared and we didn't have to bugger about trying to find somewhere selling what we needed at that time of night.

The best advice is to read up on what to expect and what is normal for a breastfed baby. They feed ALL THE TIME I mean it quite literally hours and hours of an evening in the first few weeks. They'll snooze, pop off then be hungry 5 minutes later. It can make you doubt your supply, but don't.

They also fuss at the breast a lot- cry, thrash, headbutt it. This is normal and increases your milk supply. They can also do this for hours too.

I would get some lanolin and a pump and that would be it for me. My breasts didn't leak at all so pads would have been a waste. I bought a perfect prep machine for the three/four months we used formula after I stopped b feeding and never used it. I wouldn't bother with that at all

@Whodoyoutrust do you have any tips as to a good resource for this

I've been googling to try to find something which covers how much colostrum a newborn needs before milk comes in, but think I'm getting more confused...

Kelkymom is very good. Loads of information and very reassuring.

My take on your colostrum question is that if you just keep putting the baby to the breast, she’ll get the colostrum you have. I don’t think it’s an exact science. Which can be very frustrating!

I bought lots of stuff but the only things I really needed were feeding bras, lansinoh cream and a breast pump. I also didn't leak milk hardly at all so ended up with a massive oversupply of breast pads! Just get a pack of washable pads or a small pack of disposables to get you started.

The pump was a saviour because when my milk came in, my boobs were so round and full my baby couldn't get his mouth on them I also pumped in the mornings to stimulate my supply and avoid too much cluster feeding (worked for me although I know some people advise against).

Agreed on watching BF videos especially how to latch the baby. I assumed baby had to be in the crook of my arm but actually lower is better. Nose to nipple! Global Health Media Group has some really clear and detailed videos, worth a watch.

Thanks @BertrandRussell makes sense

Starting to collect colostrum in syringes too you see

I agree with everyone else - not really any need for a pump or bottles.
My must haves:

• aaaaaaaaallllll the breastpads I struggle with oversupply in the first few weeks and leak through pads at an exceptional rate! It does calm down as your supply settles to meet baby’s demands, but holy shitballs, the leaking in the first few weeks was epic with all three of my DCs!
• I also have a Hakka silicone thingy that is a form of pump that uses natural suction. I’ve never used it to actually pump, but it’s been very handy to have close by to catch the spray when baby either can’t cope with my fast let down so unlatches or now she’s a bit older, finds something across the room so hilarious that she unlatches mid-letdown to giggle
• And as the others have said, find your local face-to-face support while you are still pregnant! Lack of proper support is one of the main reasons people struggle. The lack of training and knowledge that NHS midwives and health visitors receive on the subject is abysmal

i didn't buy a thing. i b-fed for 20 months, returned to work in that time and never had to pump. don't really like the idea of it.

oh i bought washable breastpads, much better than the disposable ones. it doesn't have to be complicated. my second is coming in january and i'll have the same approach.

I breastfed until my son self-weaned at 14 months. I bought lots beforehand 'just in case' and used none of it, and as others have said you can get what you need in supermarkets/Boots/amazon so just buy if you need it. A friend of mine told me not to have formula in the house if you really want to breastfeed because it can be easy in the difficult early days to use that instead (not that there is anything wrong with that at all, but I know people who have said they wished they had toughed the early days out to establish BF for the pure ease further down the line but went for formula and couldn't go back. Again, nothing wrong with that, just a matter of choice for all) one thing I will recommend is washable breastpads, they're much more absorbent, better for the environment and can be reused indefinitely. Good luck and enjoy it, I did and miss it now (never thought I'd say that!)

Also, I went for breastfeeding vest instead of bras (small chest so didn't need much support) and I found H&M organic ones to be the best quality for the price, they are about £14 for 2 and well worth it (I though £7 for a vest was a lot)

I would buy a formula starter set in case you need it. If you decide to ff you can order bottles and a perfect prep machine from Amazon on next day delivery. I’ve given several as presents to new parents and they’ve been very much appreciated. Wish they had been around when my DC’s were born.

not need for any pump or bottles depends whether you want to be completely attached to baby for the first six months. I found my pump very useful indeed.

I BF for over a decade & needed a million muslins & breastpads but never bought a bottle etc
Watch bf videos or even a real life person BF at a support group. We are meant to grow up watching & learning how to bf but we don’t in our current culture. Practice different holds with a teddy - makes you feel like an idiot but it helped me so much when I had a tiny hungry angry baby to have the muscle memory for cradle/rugby etc hold.

That amazing feeling when you realise you grew a whole baby is only bettered by the feeling when you look at your baby having their first food & realise you have provided all their nourishment for all those months. Women are amazing. Good luck

I wouldn't bother with breast pump as you might not use it

I wasted £90 on one, breastfed both kids till 1 year old and never used it once

Wait and see I think