breastfeeding advice

[mum2bejan]

I would like to breasfeed my baby when he arrives in January. However, what do I do about buying bottles/ sterilising equipment etc, if I cant breastfeed?
Is this something I should get 'just in case' now or wait until after the birth? It would be good to hear what other's have done. Thanks.

I'm planning on breastfeeding but also want to express so my partner can be involved....

I bought a Tommy Tipee combined microwave/cold water sterilser complete with 3 free 'natural' (ie better for breast fed babies - apparently) bottles from Asda for £12.99.

Wasn't going to buy it until baby arrived but such a bargin and versatile to take on holiday next year cos cold water as well as microwave!

Not bought the breast pump yet - completely baffled by which to choose etc!

if I had had bottles, a sterliser and forumla in the house with dd1 I can guarantee we'd not have breastfed, despite the best of intentions when pregnant!

I found it very difficult at first, especially in the evenings. As we didn't have anything in though, there was no choice but to grin and bear it (no 24 hour supermarkets 10 years ago!). I kept saying if it was that bad the next day when the shops opened we'd start bottles. By the next morning each time we'd survived and had a bit more energry to carry on.

I ended up feeding dd1 for 13 months, dd2 for 8 months and dd3 for 22 months!

I did end up getting all the kit in the end as I returned to work when dd1 was 5 months and I needed to express. From what I remember, its not recommended to express in the beginning anyway as the milk supply needs to establish properly and this can take 6 weeks. I'm not sure if this is still current advice, but there's no real hurry to get the expressing going.

Sorry - that's a bit of an essay isn't it. I'll shut up now!

I wouldn't get anything 'just in case' either. BF didn't work out for us for a variety of reasons but DH still managed to buy bottles, steriliser and an expressing machine from our local shops the day I came out of hospital.

I would second reading up on the Kellymom website and getting helpline numbers ready before the birth. You could go to a LLL meeting before the birth so you have met the counsellors beforehand and some groups even run antenatal BF classes.

Arm yourself with as much information as possible about 'normal' breastfeeding so you know what to look out for if things go wrong. Unfortunately you can't rely on MW or HV to give you good advice so if you are determined to BF I would contact a BF organisation before taking any of their advice to 'top up' with formula.

It has been shown that having extended skin to skin contact straight after the birth really helps breast feeding get off to a good start. If I could go back and change anything about the birth of DS and our rubbish start to BF, I would INSIST on an hour of skin to skin (baby nude, me with no top on) before anyone else came near him with weighing scales, etc. I will definitely do this next time assuming the baby is healthy.

Good luck

I would also not have stuff in 'just in case' if you are really determined to breastfeed. The time you feel most like giving up will prob be about 3am, but in daylight it is likely that things won't seem so bad, and even if they are, DH/DP can pop to the shops then IYSWIM.

Good luck for January, don't forget to ask for help here and in RL too if you need it.

hi mumtob

i would have to disagree with the others, i felt much more comfortable having some ready to feed formula in just in case,although luckily i didn't have to use it, i think i would of felt more stressed without having it in the cupboard
but i think its a v personal choice

advice read up on the bf boards and look out for tiktok, hunker and moondog the bf experts

We also had the bottle feeding kit all ready and I also practised with the sterilizer and making up bottles so I could do this efficiently.

But, I did breastfeed for the first 6 weeks anyway, but the 'dreamfeed' was done by my husband and therefore was always formula in a bottle. The result is there was never any issue with weaning off the breast, and I got some much needed rest too. I did buy the Avent electric expressing machine and this worked very well but I found the whole expressing thing a bit fiddly and messy.

This time around, we have the same equipment as last time and box of SMA Comfort formula at the ready though I have every intention of BF for as long as possible. I'm not going back to work after this one, so don't have the added pressure of worrying about the transition of going back to work etc.

I didn't enjoy BFing DD at all and I think because of that she didn't either. I really want to give it another go though with this baby. My worry is is it worth me shelling out for BFtops etc only to find I only manage it for 6 weeks again??!!

Don't do bf tops, just normal ones with vest underneath - MN Top Tip

agree - I've never had a breastfeeding top and have fed in total now for over 3 and a half years

I don't bother with a vert underneath either! just wear something loose and you'll be fine

i wanted to bfeed with ds (is 12 wweeks now and am still persevering) but also knew i wanted dh to be able give ds bottle of ebm - so i had everything. (including back up of ready made formula - just in case. has never been used despite many tough nights)

i bought nursing bras, microwave sterilser (came with bottles - although i have found the avent steamer and dr brown bottle work best for ds), lansinoh nipple cream, breast pads and milk storage bags. medela swing electric pump is amazing.

i expressed to build up a little freezer stash as soon as i was home. then dh started giving ds a nightly bottle with ebm when he was 5 weeks old. never had breast/ bottle confusion or any issues with milk supply.

if you dont want to buy everything in advance, then have at least have decided which brands of things you want and make sure your support person knows how/ where to get everything.

I would second (third?) the motion that it's not such a great idea to have a formula fall back if you're keen to keep bfing. In the first few weeks you need to feed feed feed, and as much as it can be frustrating to sit on the sofa or where ever for hours all day, that's what it takes to get it established. If I'd had some formula in the house I know I would have used it in those early weeks, and that's the worst thing when you're getting your milk supply going.

I do have a couple of bottles for top ups, but didn't start using them until about 4 weeks in. I did have an avent isis (or something like that) pump, but I had a problem with my milk supply when it really tailed off so I was advised by a bfc to hire a medela symphony double expresser. It's brilliant, really fast and I can now express about 5oz in 30mins, some of which I freeze and some of which I use as a top up in the evenings.

As I'm only using bottles as a top up, I only have 2 and I rotate them, one in the fridge with that night's top up, and one in the steriliser ready to go. Talking of sterilisers... I've got an avent microwave steam steriliser borrowed from a friend. It's brilliant. So low tech nothing can go wrong with it, no faffing with sterilising fluids. Just a drop of water and 7 mins in the microwave.

Oh forgot to say, good luck and well done for wanting to give it a shot. I must say I was shocked at how difficult I found it, but getting past the 8 week mark made such a difference and I do feel a teensy bit smug now, ds dropped from the 50th centile at birth to the 2nd centile 2 weeks later, I got him back to the 25th centile in 6 weeks with bfing alone

Thanks for all the replies. I have no clue how people used to do this years ago when there was no other option available!! Why is something thats supposed to be so natural so flipping difficult??
I will do my best anddo lots of homework on the subject between now and January.