Mam or Dr Browns? Expressing? Questions!! lol

[x Mrs TS x]

Hi Ladies,

I really want to breastfeed so have started doing some research. I'd like to express and bf as soon as possible so have been looking at bottles. I really liked the look of and reviews of Dr Browns bottles but have seen that Mam advertise they're the best for combined feeding... does the brand really matter or is it more waiting for the right time to avoid nipple confusion etc? I'm a bit confused as to why you have to wait as long as 6 weeks for expressing too as wouldn't baby be more confused to introduce a bottle later? As I said, I'd really like to do both but don't want to jeopardise feeding at all by bottles/expressing too early etc. I've also noticed the Mam bottles sterilise in the microwave too so that would be helpful,

Sorry if there's a random mix of questions there, just starting out and would appreciate any advice/recommendations )

Sarah x

 

[rachaell]

I decided to go for the mam bottles in the end. Was swayed by the fact you can sterilise one at a time and also prefer the look of them. I'm afraid I am also a ftm though so no experience to offer. Just that I have had lots of recommendations for both brands from friends so I'm sure u wouldnt go wrong whatever u pick xxxx

 

[tiggy85]

I would leave buying specific bottles until your at the stage when you are going to try a bottle. You may just be able to get away with cheaper bottles. We used avent bottles and they were fine for him. I think your right that the timing of when to introduce bottles is the most important.

They say after 6 weeks as the experts reckon it takes at least this long for your milk supply to become established and it's given you and baby plenty of practise and time to like and enjoy it. It really can take that length of time to for baby and you to be totally happy with bf.

Too soon and baby may prefer the flow of the bottle and like not having to 'work' or suck for their milk. So they can get lazy on the boob and then your milk supply will drop. The flow of milk from bottle is continuous and often much faster and just pours into their mouth, whereas bf they have to cope with varying flow due to various letdown sand have to work quite hard.

I waited until I felt that Luca and I had got over our difficulties (I had oversupply and forceful letdown) and then tried. He was 5 weeks and he was fine on the bottle and my Hubbie used to give him one every few days, when I went out. Then suddenly at 12 weeks he refused the bottle. Hubbie kept trying when I went out and after a few weeks he was ok again.

Obviously if you leave it to late they may refuse the bottle. Although I think if you have got a baby that likes breast feeding so much they might refuse a bottle whenever you introduce it. I have a friend whose baby is a year now and she is still breastfeeding, she tried everything from 4 weeks to get her girl to take a bottle and she will not take expressed or formula milk. Luckily now she is older she will have whole milk from a beaker but she was very stubborn and would go all day without taking milk from a bottle (when mum was at work) !

So if your set on bf I would say get that sorted first then when your sure everything is fine after 4-6 weeks I would give it a go. Good luck. Xxxx

 

[redbear]

Ive both and hate Dr brown, they leak like mad when there hot so if your going out your beg can end up soaked, mams are really good, simple to wash, nice shape teat and don't seem to leak and if your stuck somewhere and baby needs a bottle they can self steralise in the microwave with a bit of water (assembled in a certain way) xx

 

[ScotchEgg]

We've got avent here as well. Only express and bottle feed once a week and special occasions so didn't feel the need to get anything posher! We introduced the first bottle at 3 weeks. Breastfeeding support midwife suggested earlier to prevent him rejecting the bottle even though that's not the standard advice.

We always use one teat younger than we're meant to so that he has to work for it.

 

[l_maclean]

My DD2 will only drink from sainsburys value range. Lol.

Nipple confusion can occur if bottles are introduced too early, but by all accounts it is quite rare. If baby is cluster feeding then they are still trying to build up your supply so missing a feed to use a bottle at this stage can cause a problem.

But there are a LOT of mummies on here who waited longer to try bottles and LOs refused altogether.

See how you get on, my MW prefers to ignore the timescale a a do it when's 'breastfeeding has clicked!' - trust me you will know when this happens. X

 

[Rachel80]

Mam or nuk are the best, I personally don't like dr browns, I threw mine away! x

 

[x Mrs TS x]

Thanks for the replies, feel like I understand a bit more more now, esp knowing it's more of a 'when things are settled' for expressing as this seems a bit more flexible.

Saw 3 little Mam bottles for £8.99 so might get those so I've got some in then if need to swap I won't be worried I've spent lots! Thanks for the recs xx

p.s I'm sure I'll be back with more questions!!

 

[mrswoody]

I used mam bottles. Really easy to sterilise and reasonably priced too x

 

[flisstebbs]

We introduced a medela bottle really early on as it came with the pump (used from 2 weeks onwards). It mimics breast feeding (only get milk if sucking) and no nipple confusion!

 

[x Mrs TS x]

Interesting! Thanks for that, will have a look! x

 

[purpleslurple]

We have Avent and have found them great along with the electric pump. We introduced a bottle at night at 2 weeks as I was shattered and LO will switch between bottle and breast no problem.

 

[x Mrs TS x]

Really good to hear some success combi stories before 6 weeks! Thanks girls x

 

[BBaby]

We introduced bottles after 2 weeks, lo is 6 weeks now and has 1 expressed bottle per day (once we went 4 days without giving her one and really struggled)

We use the avent classic (just because they are what we brought before she was born) ... I got the medela one free with pump, but she won't entertain it.

Interestingly despite getting to grips with a bottle, she won't have a dummy xx

 

[ChloeSmith]

We introduced the bottle at 4 weeks and I now give her expressed once a week-ish. Handy that she's used to it as can happily leave her a few hours with parents etc if I need to