question about bottles and breatfeeding

[cloud9]

Hi
I am planning to hopefully breastfeed. What should i do about bottles should I buy some incase I can't manage or something. What did others do. I don't want to really spent money on something I don't need.

Thanks for any help

 

[Melanie]

Someone bought me a microwave steriliser which had two bottles with it.

It was a total waste of money - Thea wont drink from a bottle at all.

 

[Lynsey]

I express breastmilk at night into a bottle so my husband can do the late night feed. He loves it as he gets to bond with Jacob (he loves his hour together!) and I love it as it means I can go to bed early and get some sleep before I start the middle of the night feeds. It works for us really well.

Also, as I had family at our house all day yesterday I expressed into bottles all day so I wouldn't have to breast feed in front of everyone.

Hope this helps!

 

[budge]

i have never bought a bottle.
If you're determined the breastfeed why bother.
Breastfeeding is so simple and hassle free too you'll be glad not to have bottles and steriliers all over the place

 

[Melanie]

i have never bought a bottle.
If you're determined the breastfeed why bother.
Breastfeeding is so simple and hassle free too you'll be glad not to have bottles and steriliers all over the place

Totally agree Budge. The sterliser that was bought for us (even though everyone knew i wanted to breatsfeed ) has only left its box once.

 

[TipsyDipsy]

I was always planning to BF and did for 2 years but I will say its better to be prepared for any circumstances that may arise.
Perhaps something will happen in the future where you'll be put on medication and will have to give a few bottles for a period of time (worst case).
Any number of things could happen short notice where you wouldn't be there to feed your baby so I think its a good precaution to have one handy just in case.
Mine never got used either for the first 6 months when I was at home as I always found it better to BF and then it only got used when I needed to go back to work 2 days a week. I'd pop home in the morning and lunch and breaks to express and my mother would have both bottle and expresser readily sterile.
If you are worried about unforeseen circumstances that could result in you needing bottles though ideally I'd suggest expressing a few days supply of breast milk and freezing them. They can be stored for a few months I think (although i'm not sure exactly how long you'd have to find that out) but its always a good idea to be prepared.

 

[Londoner Claire]

I'd maybe get a couple of bottles just in case for when you are out so you can bottle feed instead. No need for a sterilizer yet I wouldn't have thought if it's just going to be the odd time you can sterilize them in a saucepan.

 

[skatty]

I think its useful for baby to be able to have EBM from a bottle so DH can also do a feed. It was especially good for me as my LO has some food intolerances so its great to have some EBM in my freezer in case I slip up and eat something that doesn't agree with her. I wouldn't bother with a steriliser though if you will only be using a bottle occassionally

 

[Gemma & Jake]

I think it is worth buying a manual breast pump which if you buy the avent kit comes with a couple of bottles so that you can express if you want to leave your baby with somebody for a bit if you need to go out and also to give you a break as it can be quite tiring as they want to feed a lot at first. I just breast fed Jake for 4 weeks and now I am breast and formula feeding as I am finding it more difficult to get enough expressed milk off if I need to leave him and I find he settles better if I give him a bottle in the evening. If you are going to breast and bottle feed(expessed milk or formula) introduce it early as if you do it later some babies will not take to it).

 

[cassi]

If you're determined the breastfeed why bother.
Breastfeeding is so simple and hassle free too you'll be glad not to have bottles and steriliers all over the place

I beg to differ, its not so simple for everyone budge im sorry but that post really upset me, breastfeeding has been for me 10 weeks of very hard work, hassle, frustration, tears and in the end failure, it dosnt work for everyone and it is bugging me coming on here and forever seeing posts "its so easy" "its much better than bottles" etc etc im fed up of it, i think its completely insensitive, its not my fault i couldnt breastfeed i even got tablets from the doctor that could cause nasty side effects to try and nothing worked....and what about the people that choose to bottle feed? dont you think comments as such make them feel bad?

I am glad i bought bottles because if i hadnt when Jakob was lying sleeping non stop, completely lifeless and jaundiced and dehydrated when the health visitor said lets try and give him some food in a bottle i was bloody too glad i had plenty ready.

I think you should at least buy some in case...im glad i did

 

[violet-glow]

If you're determined the breastfeed why bother.
Breastfeeding is so simple and hassle free too you'll be glad not to have bottles and steriliers all over the place

I budge im sorry but that post really upset me, breastfeeding has been for me 10 weeks of very hard work, hassle, frustration, tears and in the end failure, it dosnt work for everyone and it is bugging me coming on here and forever seeing posts "its so easy" "its much better than bottles" etc etc im fed up of it, i think its completely insensitive, its not my fault i couldnt breastfeed i even got tablets from the doctor that could cause nasty side effects to try and nothing worked....and what about the people that choose to bottle feed? dont you think comments as such make them feel bad?

I am glad i bought bottles because if i hadnt when Jakob was lying sleeping non stop, completely lifeless and jaundiced and dehydrated when the health visitor said lets try and give him some food in a bottle i was bloody too glad i had plenty ready.

I think you should at least buy some in case...im glad i did

COMPLETELY AGREE CASSI!!

breastfeeding isnt for everyone, my god ive been trying so hard to do it.. but it is hard. Ive had the same, blood, sweat and tears.... im so glad I had some bottles there aswell. My nips got so sore I had to turn to the bottle aswell as breastfeed. I know everyone says not to do both., but if baby takes both and thats what you want to do, then go for it )

 

[Alfiesmummy]

I planned to bottle feed right from the beginning, however even if i had decided to breast feed i wouldnt of been able to as i produced no milk at all, i didnt leak i didnt get sore after i gave birth i was told that after a few days my breasts would fill up and become sore but nothing at all they didnt even go hard, so perhaps it would be wise for you to get some in just in case and as Skatty said she expresses so OH can feed and it is nice for them too, Ian loved to be part of the whole thing and t5hat was my reason for bottle feeding, however breast is a great start for babies but my little boy is just as healthy and happy as any other baby and hes never so much as lost an ounce in weight, he plays he smiles he laughs he babbles and hes learning all the time, so hes doing just as well as any other LO,

 

[Tasha20]

The only bottles i have are for expressing my milk off which I shall be doing every once in awhile

Get some incase hun

 

I had an open mind from the beginning and I think that's important

I wanted to give breastfeeding a go. Why not? I've got nothing to lose is the attitude I had

I gave it a go and i'm glad I did. I did find however that as the weeks went by, he wasn't settling between feeds so I found that he was still hungry so I fed him as much breastmilk as I could but in the end I just couldn't keep up with his demands and decided to try him on some formula at night and breastfeed in the day. Luckily he took straight to bottles and I had no problem with that. To be honest, he has it anyway whether it's in a bottle or not

I express my milk when my breasts feel engorged, full, heavy and hard and also so my husband can feed the baby and so I can also go out and still feed my baby my milk

I found it hard but kept at it. I cried a lot over it too because I really wanted to breastfeed but was finding it hard. I love the bond I have with my son

I would say to buy a few bottles then you've always got them in case the breastfeeding doesn't go to plan

Good luck with whatever you decide hun

 

[cassi]

Im glad that so far i havnt been ripped to peices for my post

 

[Londoner Claire]

No reason you should be for having an opinion. I have changed mine, the thought of BF made me feel sick when I had my son but this time I feel really different and although there is no way I'll do it in front of anyone, I'm gonna give it a go when I'm at home.

 

Im glad that so far i havnt been ripped to peices for my post

I thought what you said was right hun and spot on

 

[emilia]

Cassi - I'm all for breastfeeding and I believe it IS the best choice to make. However, I didn't feed my first born - I tried bf for 2 weeks and then gave up. I was gutted and felt like shit forever!!! When baby no.2 and no.3 came along, it was a complete doddle! So, don't give up on your believes ... just because you've struggled now, doesn't mean that you're completely incapable!

Even though I knew that I'd been bf Oscar - I still bought a couple of the small Avent bottles. Hasn't really been much use - but great for storing food in!

Emilia xx

 

[cassi]

Im glad that so far i havnt been ripped to peices for my post

I thought what you said was right hun and spot on

Thanks

Cassi - I'm all for breastfeeding and I believe it IS the best choice to make. However, I didn't feed my first born - I tried bf for 2 weeks and then gave up. I was gutted and felt like sh*t forever!!! When baby no.2 and no.3 came along, it was a complete doddle! So, don't give up on your believes ... just because you've struggled now, doesn't mean that you're completely incapable!

Even though I knew that I'd been bf Oscar - I still bought a couple of the small Avent bottles. Hasn't really been much use - but great for storing food in!

Emilia xx

Nope i will definatly try again with my next. And well done for your 1 year milestone!

But im not going to hate myself for not been able to bf Jakob, he is a happy healthy chubby baby!

 

[Lucy]

Cassi, no need to feel guilty (everyone has the right to feed their babies what they like) but I think you were a little unfair to Budge. Some people do find breastfeeding painfree and hassle free (personally it wasn't the case for me but "ce la vie"). Feeding is a highly emotive subject but please don't take it as a slight against you everytime.

To the original poster - yes I would get in some bottles, I expressed some milk for my DH to give my baby the occasionally and found it a great relief in the early days when the baby is feeding so frequently. By expressing rather than supplementing with formula i found that my milk supply remained intact.

Good luck with the birth and look forward to reading your arrival story.

Lucy