Breastfeeding

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I’m currently 36 weeks pregnant. I’d like to breastfeed if possible, though if it doesn’t happen it doesn’t happen.

What I don’t know is, if I’m planning to breastfeed, how much feeding paraphernalia should I have in advance either in case breast doesn’t work out, or if I need to express? And what should I take into hospital with me?

Thanks!

I planned to BF with DC1 and I didn’t take anything into hospital as a back up, I didn’t even think of it to be honest! He went to breast straight after being born and I had support from midwives while I was there to help with latching and expressing colostrum into syringes to feed him with as well.

Hope this helps

With DD1 we got a pump and a steriliser that came with bottles, but these never got used until we went onto formula.
DD2, I didn't even buy bottles until she was 7 months old, I never felt the need to express and just went only formula when I knew the time was right for us xx

I’m 36 weeks too, congrats!

Advice is to try and not express until at least your baby is 6 weeks old as this can interfere with your supply. So I wouldn’t bother getting stuff now if you’re hoping to BF.

But in case I can’t BF, I’ve bought an 8 pack of pre-prepared formula (the ones with the teats) just in case and that’s in hospital bag. That’s enough for 24 hours and if we need to get more, I’ll send DH out.

Oh sorry maybe it was a 6 pack!

I didn't buy anything. Aren't bottles and baby milk sold in supermarkets so could easily be bought at any time?

I'm due soon and would like to
Know this also. On the pp point about them being sold in supermarkets what about straight after baby is born, I've heard the hospital will give you milk
If not bf, is that right?

You don't need anything at all to breastfeed.

Check what your hospital policy is - mine gave formula if you were trying to BF but needed a top up.

At home, I had a couple of packs of the pre made bottles with teats which we used a handful of times when we felt we needed it.

I've never needed an electric pump (DD is still BFing and nearly two), but I do have a hand pump which I've used very occasionally. I would buy a hand pump in advance as they're so cheap, and just get an electric one if you need it. You won't ever need it quicker than Amazon can get it to you, so I wouldn't shell out in advance.

A few breast pads for leaks, but don't go overboard in advance as not everyone needs them.

Sounds silly but I'm really serious - I would stock up on high cal, easy to eat snacks. BFing for hours at 3am is hungry work.

I planned to breastfeed and didn’t buy or take any equipment as back up. I think breastfeeding is always a challenge at first but help is on hand in the hospital, and they certainly won’t let your baby go hungry in any case.

I wouldn't take anything with you. In my experience (of course it is all very individual- just offering my perspective), my breastfeeding success had quite a lot to do with sheer determination... so I was glad not to have any formula with me to tempt me to give up BF in difficult moments.

So, for example BF might well hurt at first (it later becomes totally painfree, though- even if that's unimaginable in the first few days!); it might take a few days or even weeks to learn to achieve a deep latch (worth googling if you haven't yet!); you might have some worries or doubt yourself (often old-fashioned family etc can blame EVERYTHING on breastfeeding); you might suffer a bout of mastitis or thrush (horrible but easily treated if need be)... In each of these moments, you can either choose to persevere and seek any help you need to get through them (lactation consultants much much better than midwives, HV and GP), or see them as reasons why giving up BF is the right course of action. (Of course there are also some issues and problems that make BF completely impossible- but thankfully this is rare. In most cases support from a professional can make a HUGE difference.)

In my experience BF is the kind of thing where getting through any early challenges pays off hugely later on! Having some formula sitting there may have lured me into thinking that that would be the easier option, when in hindsight I would have wished to have persevered with BF, which definitely becomes the easier and more faff-free option once it is well established after a few weeks.

So I'd recommend taking some lansinoh cream with you and plenty of muslins and breast pads, but no formula!

I was planning to BF but my DS lost so much weight we were kept in and was told I needed to FF top up. I had to choose which formula (they couldn't advise) so if you want to read up on that it might be an idea, as I had no clue (I mean, they're all pretty similar though...) We stopped at the supermarket on the way home a few days later to get all the stuff we needed.

You don't need to take anything.

It is useful to have some breastfeeding bras. If your boobs aren't too big I would recommend the Primark ones as they are stretchy and cheap - once you've got home, got the hang of things and the post-birth boobs have settled down, get properly measured around 6 weeks postpartum and buy some nicer feeding bras (Hot Milk are lovely) if you want to. Or stick with the cheap ones but potentially in a better fitting size. Shops like H&M also make nursing tank tops which are great for under a normal top or sleeping in.

Have a think about boob access on any clothes you put in your hospital bag. Open at the top, stretchy enough to pull down or loose enough to pull up. You can layer so loose top to pull up, stretchy vest to pull down, if you don't want to expose your tummy.

You likely won't leak until your mature milk comes in which doesn't happen until day 3-5, you'll probably be home by then, so no need to bring breast pads.

If you use social media, follow all the breastfeeding experts you can find on there. It can just be handy to have a load of drip drip bits of useful advice and tips. There are some good BF support groups on FB as well (and sadly some insane ones...) A decent BF book is nice if you have the kindle app on your phone. It can help you troubleshoot. Google is not your friend with a newborn. I would recommend The Positive Breastfeeding Book or The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. (I'm sure there are other good ones!)

If you want to, you can try to hand express some colostrum from 37 weeks into sterile syringes (1ml or 2ml syringes, medical grade or buy from pharmacy) which you should label with your surname and the date and freeze. You can take those into hospital just in case. But this is not necessary at all it's just something to do if you want to.

If you need formula, a pump, bottles etc they will provide it. You only need to bring your own if you're planning to bottle feed.

Nipple cream (Lansinoh) can be good but I found my midwife had little sample packs they were willing to give me all 3 times so I never actually needed to use the tube I bought.

I planned to breastfeed but we still got a bottle steriliser that was on offer in Tesco, and 3 bottles just in case.

I struggled to get a latch in the hospital, so they gave us bottles of formula while there to give to baby. The midwives also helped with latching, and lent me a pump to use. We supplemented for the first week but my husband went out to get the formula on the day we brought baby home.

We were told to get nipple shields too but weren't told they were supposed to be a short term measure. By the time I found that out, I was giving up with breastfeeding anyway as it wasn't working for us (except feeding for comfort).

I bought a haakaa after seeing glowing reviews about them online but never got in the habit of using it. They're pretty cheap though, so will do no harm to get one. Just make sure you put it in a cup after collecting milk in it so it doesn't get knocked over.

Breast pads and nipple creams are a good idea too, as well as nursing bras and breastfeeding tops.

I bought breast pads but didn’t buy anything in case breastfeeding didn’t work out. We figured that with a large supermarket nearby and Amazon prime we’d be able to get what we needed quickly if necessary.
DD wouldn’t feed at first (just for a few hours) so they had me hand express some colostrum which they syringed into her. That’s why I would recommend hand expressing a little bit before birth. I did and froze some but never used it (didn’t take it to hospital) but it meant that when it was 2am, I’d been up for nearly 48 hours and had haemorrhaged and they asked me to hand express, I knew how to do it and managed to get quite a lot. If I’d never done it before, it would maybe have been a bit more stressful, given I was already exhausted and shaky.
After that she fed fine and although I did get mastitis, in general I found breastfeeding incredibly easy right away. I only say that because of course you read stories of people struggling because they post for help, but people don’t often post about the good bits. And mastitis aside, I was lucky enough to find it very easy.

This is all really helpful, thanks everyone.

I brought everything for my first ( pumps, aprons, cup things, breastfeeding necklaces, creams). It was all a waste of money. The easiest way to pump (if you want to but tbh it's a right pain in the arse is by hand- no pumps-into a clean container).

The only thing I do recommend is breast pads and nipple shields. I know nipple shields are frowned on but honestly a life saver if your nipples feel like they've been through seventh hell!

Also if you are really intent on breastfeeding long term please please please don't let anyone give your baby a bottle in the first couple of weeks even if it's expressed(it will be difficult as they're the hardest weeks of bf). Syringes are different as you're only drip feeding them sort of thing. It stretches their stomachs out and it's then it's very difficult for them to feel full with the lower volume of breast milk they need. It happened with my first and it made things really difficult for us.

Also know that a lot of woman find the first few months of breastfeeding very difficult (me included with all three) . I don't say that to scare you but it's reassuring in the middle of the night when it feels all is lost that you haven't failed that it's not you or that you're doing anything wrong, rather this is a phase that will pass and get a lot easier. Remember at the difficult times that very few woman are struggling at 6 months or whatever.

I didn't buy anything in advance. I just waited to see what I would need. I'm glad I did, because in the end I didn't end up needing anything.

If you do end up switching to formula or expressing & bottle feeding, you can get everything you need from most supermarkets or next day delivery from Amazon, so I wouldn't spend a lot of money on things until you know you need them.