Planning to breastfeed, but what bottles and stuff do I need??

[mishkamoo]

Am planning to breastfeed, but know that it may not be poss. Have been looking at bottles and things, and am totally confused!! If I do breastfeed, how many bottles will I need. What's the deal with all the different teat/bottle combos? Will I definitely need a breastpump? Do you have to make sure that your breastpump and your bottles are the same make, or can you mix and match?? Can anyone recommend a good breast pump-what are the important features to look out for? Can anyone recommend a good cold water steriliser?? Also, is there any difference between makes of breast pads, or should I just go for the cheapest?? Not sure why, but this appears to be this weeks fixation/source of anxiety-any help gratefully recevied!!

You won't need any bottles.
You won't definitely need a pump.
The pump does have to fit the bottles but might fit other brands that are the same size.
I was happy with the Avent Isis.
I had an Avent microwave steriliser. A cold water steriliser is just a tupperware box and tablets isn't it?
Go for cheap pads at first! Some of the "luxury" ones are nicer though.

You will noly need bottles etc if yo uare planning to express your milk.

I never took to expressing, I found it difficult and preferred to just bf

buy some boots own pads (or whatever) and see how comfortable you find them

I wouldn't get any bottles or anything beforehand tbh - you're unlikely to need them for the first weeks (if not months) and if you do need them they're easy enough to find

ditto breastpumps - not absolutely necessary unless you have feeding problems or want to express a feed here and there so you can go out, which again would be unlikely in the first weeks

can't remember when it's recommeded to intro a bottle if you're bfin but certainly not before 3 weeks

if you do get a pump, I liked the Avent hand one, pretty easy to use. I got one because I was going back to work at 6 months and so needed to get DS used to the ideas of bottles and so on. But I didn;t use it till about week 3 or maybe week 6

Breastpads you do need, don't buy the cheapy Boots ones as they are crap. I liked the Tommy Tippee ones but there are lots to choose from - maybe try a couple of different types? You get through a lot in those early weeks.

Oh and I didn't bother sterlising bottles either, just washed in hot soapy water, rinsed and left to air dry. But some would disagree

Breast pump - avent isis, even though I never actually used mine - I didn't go back to work and if I did go out I timed it so that the baby didn't need any milk.

Breast pads - buy good quality, they soak through and lose shape so quickly otherwise.

I would recommend getting a basic microwave sterilizer over a cold water one.

You don' treally need any bottles, maybe just a couple to go with the pump if you do use it.

i have a manual avent isis too and is fine. you can buy bags in boots to store expressed milk in, so doesn't matter if your bottles are diff than the pump. i have a cheap and cheerful boots microwave steriliser which fits the many diff bottles i bought in an attempt to persuade ds2 to take milk from anything other than the breast. he's 5 months and have totally failed!

the johnson's shaped breast pads are comfortable... i bought a big box of mothercare cheaper ones and they are really scratchy.

I breastfed DS and am now breastfeeding DD. I wouldn't get any bottles etc, just nursing bras & feeding tops & breast pads. Plenty of people never bother expressing. Some people like to do it. You can get other things if and when you need them. The main thing you need is your boobs so don't worry about these things!

I would get a breast pum/ bottles when you see how bf goes. Am sure you won't need it in first few weeks and then if all going well you can get one for time away from lo!
I have an avent hand one too and has been used for all 3 dc.
A steriliser is a steriliser imo cheapest for me.
I think breast pads are down to choice so you have to try i find asda own little angels perfectly fine.
I also got couple of avent 4 0z bottles brand new and cheap on ebay but think someone giving some away on the for free board here if you look there.
I would say definately treat yourself to some nice bf bra's though !

I bf and gave the odd bottle of expressed milk - 2 bottles more than enough.
I had the avent microwave steriliser, looking back I would have used a cold water steriliser - nothing really to buy! That steriliser comes with a couple of bottles though (the ones I used)
I like the tesco and boots own breastpads - sainsbury's are rubbish!

Hi, I went straight from breast to cup with mine so didn't use bottles or teats for feeding, though I did use an Avent handpump for expressing - it was fine, but I didn't use it much as it made me sorer than feeding. I had one Avent bottle to collect expressed milk but then stored it in Boots bags then fed using a cup (so no breast/teat confusion for babies).

Breastpads - I found the Avent fabric ones the best - expensive but nice and soft and thick and worth the investment. Couldn't get on with the disposable ones at all and they showed under clothes!

I agree that you won't really need any bottles at first - and I never took to expressing either. I bought a starter pack of bottles and ended up selling them on ebay as they were never opened! However, a bit later when I wanted to give the odd bottle of formula to help (ds was big and hungry!) I used the TommeeTippee Closer to Nature bottles as they are supposed to be for combining breast and bottle and DS took to them very easily and swopped between the boob and the bottle no problem. I also never really sterilised as such but have a dishwasher and just put the bottles in there. I used Tesco breastpads and they were always ok.

Someone recommended Lilypadz reusable breast pad thingies, which I thought looked good but haven't tried yet

I think NCT hires out breast pumps so you can try before committing yourself to one.

WOW! Thankyou all for your prompt responses!! I've seen the lilypadz and thought they looked like a good idea, but I thought I read somewhere that you couldn't use them for 1st few weeks/months (can't remember why now!)-does anyone have any experience of them?

Well actually, based on my experience, i would say that buying a few bottles and buying or borrowing a breastpump beforehand is not a bad idea....

My first dc was very slow to get the hang of latching on, etc and the hospital was very busy so midwives didn't have much time to spend showing me the ropes. If I hadn't expressed in the hospital and initially when I got home, I would very likely have given up on breastfeeding. Luckily it did all work out in the end and dd happily breastfed till she was 10 months old and never went back to bottles. Because I hadn't bought bottles and breastpump beforehand, I had to send dh out to the shops before I left hospital... very stressful all around.

Re what sort of bottles, I would recommend the Playtex system as being a good one to try - you don't need to sterilise so can probably get away with one or two bottles.

There was a big difference in pads in my experience. A lot of women like Lansinoh, but I found them uncomfortable and they bunched up. I do have enormous norks when I'm breastfeeding though. I preferred Johnsons. So don't do what I did and bulk buy a single brand!
A friend of mine loved Lilypadz, but she had quite small breasts (for a breastfeeder).

I do agree wth not buying bottles in advance though having spent time with a friend who also had a difficult start I can understand where GrapefruitMoon is coming from.

What I'd recommend instead is getting all the practical help and info you can on BF before your baby arrives. That way, if you do come up against any problems you'll have the confidence to get the help you ned and know where to ask for it. MW are notoriously crap at knowing much about BF bu the there are many organisations such as NCT, La Leche League etc who are fab and will really help you. I actually did a BF workshop at my local hospital before I had DS and it was invaluable.

You can also find out about BF support groups around you - maybe go along before baby is born (they will welcome you) so it's a familiar setting, and you can ask any questions you may have.

I didn't buy any bottles/pump before DS was born and altho we did have probs getting started, I just sent DH out to Mothercare to buy one (Avent handpump, which came with five 'disposable' bottles)

What you will need is one of these to keep your tea warm!

Personally, I did buy a pump and in the early days used it to relieve engorgement and get things started. After about 6 weeks I expressed daily until about 10 months so I could get occasional breaks and save up milk for when I went to work. I have used 4 different pumps and like the Avent Isis best.

TBH, it's no problem if you do buy one if it will make you feel better. If you don't use it you can sell it on.

Avent Isis is a good manual pump. I just steralised it in large bowl with Milton. Never missed not having all the microwave kit. You probably won't want to express for the first month or so anyway.

That reminds me, you'll also need a good supply of snacks and DVDs to get you through the wee hours when the baby just won't stop feeding. Or maybe that was just my little greedy guts.

Oh, yes, if you don't have one already a sky+ box or some other tv hard disk recorder is absolutely essential! Then you can record hours and hours of your favourite trash. My preferences were Friends, Will and Grace, Frasier and Newlyweds . Great for when you are stuck on the sofa with just the remote and a baby you daren't move for company

My dh bought 4 avent bottles and a microwave steriliser on the way to collect us from the hospital. We never looked back! Bought some more bottles later. My milk never appeared - god knows why. I had an emergency cs and was offered no help to try to bf apart from my sister whn she visited next day. Her grabbing at my boobs totally traumatised me ! dd didn't feed at all the first 24 hours and after that the nurse took her off and gave her a bottle. I was so tired after an induction and long labour, and so sick of being poked and prodded that I was happy about this. Actually it is only writing this that I wondered what happened to the milk - never had any leakage or anyhting - just never appeared. DD was happy and of course there was so much else going on I can't believe I never gave it any thought til now....

You won't need bottles. Just two breasts. Well, actually, one would do, but two is more conventional

If you decide to express, you can faff around with all that much later. I would recommend NCT nearly new sales for getting those never-used or once-used breast pumps which pumping failures like me try to shift second-hand once we realise we are never going to make it as pump queens.

Breastpads - another vote for the waashable ones - I got a heap through the NCT catalogue and they were worth every single penny in those leaky early weeks.

If you are planning to breastfeed you don't need any bottles. Some of the best things about bfing are, its sterile, just the right temperature and you don't have to remember to take it out with you!

Before having DS I didn't buy anything at all and just figured that Tesco is open 24 hours so you can get anything you need there.

I wouldn't buy a breastpump, you don't actually need one and if you do you can always hire one for a couple of weeks to see how you get on. NCT will hire one to you. If your DH says he wants to "help out" by giving LO a bottle, that is no help at all! Tell him he can help out by bathing LO or taking them out for a walk so that you can have an hours peace.

As for breastpads I really liked the Tommee Tippee ones.

DD does have ebm or formula when I'm at work (I work 2 days) but prefers to drink it from a cup.

Yes, I would go for the NCT Nearly New Sales if you are intent on buying a pump, my Ameda Lactaline is fab and cost £10.