Bottle feeding advice please!

[Jezzabond]

I am planning to give initial breast feeeds in hospital to give baby the good colustrum but am then planning to bottle feed exclusively. Has anybody done this and had problems with engorged breasts etc and is it painful? What is the best way to deal with this? I read that say on day 3 when your milk comes in, if you don't use it, you won't produce any more but how do you get rid of it when it IS there?

 

[JulesK81]

I can't give any advice about initial breast feeds as I was unable to do so. But when you want to bottle feed, the best thing to do with your breasts is leave them alone! I didn't have any problems with mine at all, they were engorged for 3/4 days but gradually went down. I didn't touch them at all, just ignored them! The less they are stimulated, the quicker the milk will go. This is what I was told at hospital anyway, and it worked for me!

 

[Jezzabond]

Then I'll go with that thanks. My midwife is not as helpful as I would like, which is a little disheartening. Hopefully when I am in hospital I won't be pressured to breast feed, which is what I expect.... It's my choice!!

Thank you.

 

[Serendipity_]

Then I'll go with that thanks. My midwife is not as helpful as I would like, which is a little disheartening. Hopefully when I am in hospital I won't be pressured to breast feed, which is what I expect.... It's my choice!!

Thank you.

I'm going to be doing exactly what you're doing, so good luck, keep us posted on how you get on.

 

[Magic Monkey]

I breastfed for 3 days then bottle fed exclusively. My milk came in on day 5 I think and it was painful for a couple of days, but after that it was fine. The best thing to do as said above is just to leave them alone as expressing/squeezing milk out will just make your body produce more. I have been told since that putting cabbage leaves in your bra can help to relieve engorgement, but not sure if that works if you are not feeding at all? I have to warn you though that I continued to leak milk for around 6 weeks after the birth (enough to need pads that I was changing regularly) I also found that I continued to leak longer in the boob on the side I sleep! I think this was because I was squeezing milk out of it in the night.

 

[keelie_b]

i did some research on this and yea same as the others really, just be mentally prepared that it will be uncomfortable and you will probably feeel desperately like expressing just to give you some relief DONT DO IT!!! you just have to resist the urge other wise your body will keep producing milk and it will be a vicious circle.

Good luck hun xx

 

[kalia]

I completely respect your decision to bottlefeed so I am not trying to sway you towards breastmilk. However, if you successfully feed in hospital you might like to continue for a little bit so that you don't have to sterilise bottles all the time as it is a big pain! Also the price of formula can add up to quite a bit each month - I think we'd be over £30 a month if we exclusively formula fed, just with the powder. We'd be more with the ready made (which is lovely and easy for out and about). DD is mix fed but we never managed to breastfeed so I express most her milk. I just wanted to say these things because these are what annoy me about bottle feeding.

 

[peanut1982]

I breastfed for the first 24 hours then moved onto formula. Milk came in on day 3 which involved very hot, sore and leaky boobies - needed 3 breastpads per nipple and to change them every hour or so! I was still in hospital at this point so just lay on my back most of the day and night and tried to ignore how sore they were and not touch them if I could avoid it! It's uncomfortable and you'll need a very supportive bra, but only lasted a day or so then starts to ease. My wee boy is 3 weeks now and my boobs do fill a little when I give him a bottle but were only really painful and hot for that couple of days in the first week.
Hope this helps,
Sarah x

 

[AnnaR2B]

A good tip for when your boobies do swell up is hot flannels...very nice!