for those planning to BF
- Thread starter chelsea
- Start date
I haven't.
Everyone has advised me not to as my mum assures me there will be times when I feel like giving up and it might tempt me if they were here. However, we have two huge 24 hour Tesco Extras very close which was a consideration - it might be different if I didn't have them on hand...
You are advised to allow breastfeeding to fully establish before trying to express (about 6 weeks) so I would definitely leave the breast pump until baby is here and you decide you want or need one.
Everyone has advised me not to as my mum assures me there will be times when I feel like giving up and it might tempt me if they were here. However, we have two huge 24 hour Tesco Extras very close which was a consideration - it might be different if I didn't have them on hand...
You are advised to allow breastfeeding to fully establish before trying to express (about 6 weeks) so I would definitely leave the breast pump until baby is here and you decide you want or need one.
I got given a steriliser and a breastpump which came with sample bottles but that was all i had. I didnt buy anything extra like formula. My theory was if i really needed to switch to bottle feeding OH would be sent out to the 24hr tescos 
Looking back if i had formula in the cupboard i think i may have been far too tempted to switch but everyone is different.
Looking back if i had formula in the cupboard i think i may have been far too tempted to switch but everyone is different.
thanks, i figured that would be the reply and i did think that if i had bottles and formula in i would be too tempted to give it all in.
thanks
also (not to do with feeding) but is there any point in buying a bouncer or swing before baby is born and if so what one? its all too confusing for me!
thanks
also (not to do with feeding) but is there any point in buying a bouncer or swing before baby is born and if so what one? its all too confusing for me!
I never bought anything for feeding as I planned to breastfeed. I was along the same lines of if it were here I might be tempted to give in and go over to formula. I was warned the early weeks were tough and that to build my supply I needed to BF only for the first 6 weeks.
As it was I did express when LO was 3 weeks old on adivce of HV (medical reasons for this, otherwise I'd have stuck to breast only). I expressed a few times and in the end went back to breast feeding. Didn't enjoy expressing and having someone else feed my little man back in those early days.
Just be prepared for the early weeks. It can be exhausting. Have a read of the BF FAQ in 3rd tri to give you some ideas of what to expect and also the things to try not to worry overly about in the early days (baby losing weight after birth, milk supply taking more than a couple of days to kick in etc). If you know about these things beforehand it can really help when actually breastfeeding and might save you a lot of angst that BF'ing isn't working.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=104775
As it was I did express when LO was 3 weeks old on adivce of HV (medical reasons for this, otherwise I'd have stuck to breast only). I expressed a few times and in the end went back to breast feeding. Didn't enjoy expressing and having someone else feed my little man back in those early days.
Just be prepared for the early weeks. It can be exhausting. Have a read of the BF FAQ in 3rd tri to give you some ideas of what to expect and also the things to try not to worry overly about in the early days (baby losing weight after birth, milk supply taking more than a couple of days to kick in etc). If you know about these things beforehand it can really help when actually breastfeeding and might save you a lot of angst that BF'ing isn't working.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=104775
chelsea said:thanks, i figured that would be the reply and i did think that if i had bottles and formula in i would be too tempted to give it all in.
thanks
also (not to do with feeding) but is there any point in buying a bouncer or swing before baby is born and if so what one? its all too confusing for me!
I had a bouncer given to me before she was born and it did come in handy after a couple of weeks. The first few weeks were a matter of her sleeping or feeding so it wasnt really needed. When she started to have more awake periods i would pop her in there. I had one that was in a more reclined position which was good for her to lie in.
EllieBelle
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I asked a similar question a few weeks ago, and was advised not to buy anything - like you I have a couple of free bottles which came with the steriliser.........but I am not buying formula.
I also havent yet bought a breast pump, its an expensive item and decided if I can breastfeed then I wont need it for the first few weeks anyway and if I cant breastfeed for any reason then it would have been a waste of money!
I couldnt decide between swing/bouncer so decided to buy a bouncer for now and see how we get on........lots of people seem to swear by them and their LO's seem to fall asleep in them during the day (as long as they can lay flat)!
I also havent yet bought a breast pump, its an expensive item and decided if I can breastfeed then I wont need it for the first few weeks anyway and if I cant breastfeed for any reason then it would have been a waste of money!
I couldnt decide between swing/bouncer so decided to buy a bouncer for now and see how we get on........lots of people seem to swear by them and their LO's seem to fall asleep in them during the day (as long as they can lay flat)!
I had planned to breastfeed and like you had a steriliser with a couple of bottles with it but didn't buy any formula. Breastfeeding didn't work out so was glad I had the bottles the night I got home from the hospital and that my mum had been able to go out and get me some formula since they wouldn't give me any to take home (they discharged me at 10pm and told me to go into town to the all night chemist!)
Formula would be easy enough to come by if you need it.
Formula would be easy enough to come by if you need it.
crackers24
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I was planning to BF my LO and had bottles just in case. Looking back now i wish i hadn't bought any because BFing was a huge challenge for me and i used the bottles when really i should have just perservered. It hindered my initial progress which was very stressful for a new mum like me. BFing is no way as easy as it sounds (though for some its a doddle) and perserverence is the key. You cant perservere if you have bottles and formula lying around. So, i say you dont buy anymore bottles and the ones you do have you should hide
On a money-saving note, if you're intending to BF, you may need to express then its best to get the Tommee Tippee breast pump because this includes a pump, bottle and a small steralising unit all for just £20 and can be picked up from local supermarkets like TESCO.
Hope this helps. x
On a money-saving note, if you're intending to BF, you may need to express then its best to get the Tommee Tippee breast pump because this includes a pump, bottle and a small steralising unit all for just £20 and can be picked up from local supermarkets like TESCO.
Hope this helps. x
I am a bit confused though - what are people planning to sterilise if you are expecting to exclusively breastfeed? Or is it in preparation for when they are older at weaning stage? 
My mum gave me the coldwater sterilising unit she had for me as a baby (which is basically a bucket with a lid really) but I don't intend to use it. I bought some Milton spray to give the toys we were given a wipe over but that's about it. I just can't think what I would need to sterilise (but it may be baby brain!!
)
Also with regards to the bouncer - we have two that were given to us. I like the idea of a swing but they are rather expensive (and I don't have any room left!) - if you fancy one, now is the ideal time to look though with all the sales on.
My mum gave me the coldwater sterilising unit she had for me as a baby (which is basically a bucket with a lid really) but I don't intend to use it. I bought some Milton spray to give the toys we were given a wipe over but that's about it. I just can't think what I would need to sterilise (but it may be baby brain!!
)Also with regards to the bouncer - we have two that were given to us. I like the idea of a swing but they are rather expensive (and I don't have any room left!) - if you fancy one, now is the ideal time to look though with all the sales on.
I got given a steriliser so wasnt going to say no to a brand new freebie if it could come in handy. I have never sterilised anything for when she started to eat solids though. TBH it has sat on top of the fridge for a long time now 
If Calleigh had took to a dummy i think i would have sterilised those when she was younger.
If Calleigh had took to a dummy i think i would have sterilised those when she was younger.
I was always planning on BFing and i always knew that she'd have to have EBM from 3 months old as i'd be going back to uni. For this reason i had all the sterilizing equipment, bottles, and a breast pump in.
I'm sure for some it may be a temptation to give formula having bottles in but i knew i wouldn't give up so it was fine. FWIW i have never once sterilized her weening feeding utensils so i wouldn't suggest buying one for that purpose.
It's a pain having a bottle and a sterilizer on out kitchen bench and I've loved having it put away over Christmas, if you plan on expressing then this equipment is good to have, and i found it handy to get to know it all before she was born so i didnt have to worry about it when it came to using it
I'm sure for some it may be a temptation to give formula having bottles in but i knew i wouldn't give up so it was fine. FWIW i have never once sterilized her weening feeding utensils so i wouldn't suggest buying one for that purpose.
It's a pain having a bottle and a sterilizer on out kitchen bench and I've loved having it put away over Christmas, if you plan on expressing then this equipment is good to have, and i found it handy to get to know it all before she was born so i didnt have to worry about it when it came to using it
All i would say is if you do get bottles and use them when breasfeeding think about what teats you have. My LO had the whole nipple confusion thing and i wish i had maybe tried a different (breastlike teat) and not the avent bottles.
Also, with regards to bottles in general i would definately recommend trying a couple before you buy a whole load of the same brand. I bought a lot of avent ones and they are just too airy for Ollie. I have today tried Dr Browns bottles and they are amazing.. not one air bubble!
Hopefully, you wont have to deal with any of that though and you will breastfeed successfully.
Claire x
Also, with regards to bottles in general i would definately recommend trying a couple before you buy a whole load of the same brand. I bought a lot of avent ones and they are just too airy for Ollie. I have today tried Dr Browns bottles and they are amazing.. not one air bubble!
Hopefully, you wont have to deal with any of that though and you will breastfeed successfully.
Claire x
Breast flow bottles are really good if you're expressing, they try to imitate the teat and we've never had any nipple confusion even though she has bottle through the day 3 days a week. I use a mixture of these and avent ones as she hasn't had any problems with them. Every baby is different though.
DD wouldn't breast feed and lost a pound in a few days. We were told she would have to go into hospital the next day if she hadn't significantly increased her weight. So OH went to the supermarket and bought formula. She put on lots of weight and didn't have to go to hospital and although we topped her with formula for a few days we got my supply sorted and she exclusively had breastmilk until 5 months.
If you live in the middle of nowhere you may want to have a carton of ready made formula for emergencies. Otherwise there really is no need as you can just buy things if you discover you need them. You said you have 2 bottles and you'd only need one at a time. My friend only has 3 bottles and her baby is 6 months old and bottle fed.
As for bouncers, we got this:http://www.mothercare.com/Fisher-Pr...ing=UTF8&m=A2LBKNDJ2KZUGQ&n=77156031&mcb=core when she was a couple of weeks old. We will use it from birth with the next baby though for the first few weeks they really don't seem to care where they are. i know it looks a bit hideous, the colours are awful but it is more reclined than many so far more supportive. I know 5 other families with this and all of our children have loved it!
If you live in the middle of nowhere you may want to have a carton of ready made formula for emergencies. Otherwise there really is no need as you can just buy things if you discover you need them. You said you have 2 bottles and you'd only need one at a time. My friend only has 3 bottles and her baby is 6 months old and bottle fed.
As for bouncers, we got this:http://www.mothercare.com/Fisher-Pr...ing=UTF8&m=A2LBKNDJ2KZUGQ&n=77156031&mcb=core when she was a couple of weeks old. We will use it from birth with the next baby though for the first few weeks they really don't seem to care where they are. i know it looks a bit hideous, the colours are awful but it is more reclined than many so far more supportive. I know 5 other families with this and all of our children have loved it!
