What all do I need for breastfeeding?

[Loveandpeace]

Hi,

I am due my first baby 26th February and really hoping and determined to breastfeed. After joining a local FB breastfeeding support group, there is more to it than i thought and just wanted to see what all items I would need in preparation for it. The list I havs so far is -

Breast pump (given by a friend who didnt need or use it)
Nipple cream
Nipple shields (best ones?)
Nipple pads
Containers for expressed milk
Nursing bras and tops
Bottles for expressed milk if hubby wants to feed
Sterilizer for bottles
Breastfeeding necklace

Is there anything else I should add or consider? I am aware that the breastfeeding may not work out and baby might not latch, so am consious how much to get and spend.
Also can anyone reccommend what dietary supplements or vitamins are best to take with breastfeeding?
Advice welcome, thanks xx

 

[JustTrying]

um I didnt realise there was more to it.

This thread has opened another avenue (and wallet) for me.


How necessary do you ladies think it is to have a pump? Im sure sometimes I would prefer hubby to feed?

 

[linxminx21]

Sorry I can't help but breastfeeding necklace?

 

[Daisy84]

* U-shaped pillow to put around yourself and under your arms so you won't get tired holding the baby

* a small nightlight that can be dimmed as much as possible to see while nursing at night. I'd stay in bed, with my son in the co-sleeper next to me the first 4 months. I'd feed him on one side, grab the changing mat and give him a fresh diaper on my bed, feed the other side and put him back in his bed without leaving my bed or waking him up too much.

 

[Loveandpeace]

Great thanks! I have a feeding u shaped pillow I got on offer.
A breastfeeding necklace is for baby to hold/cling on to when feeding when theyre a bit older. I bought one for a fiver on ebay and can be used as a normal necklace too lol.
Thats good thinking about a dim nightlight. We have a lamp but its probably still a bit too bright.
We are gettig one of the next to me cribs for beside the bed as well.

 

[Loveandpeace]

um I didnt realise there was more to it.

This thread has opened another avenue (and wallet) for me.


How necessary do you ladies think it is to have a pump? Im sure sometimes I would prefer hubby to feed?

Good question! I know you can hand pump but ive heard a devise for this is better. I definitely want hubby to share some feeding and fingers crossed baby takes to breast & bottles. The whole breastfeeding topic is a minefield when you read into it!

 

[Hoping for no2]

I'd definitely get an electric pump as it can be useful to stimulate your milk in the early days and essential if you plan to express and feed with bottles to any extent once feeding is rstablished. Don't bother with a manual one as too much faff and just not as quick! I struggled to BF both of mine but expressed for around 8 weeks exclusively with my 2nd and only stopped when I got mastitis and completely lost my supply.

 

[MissCharli]

Great thanks! I have a feeding u shaped pillow I got on offer.
A breastfeeding necklace is for baby to hold/cling on to when feeding when theyre a bit older. I bought one for a fiver on ebay and can be used as a normal necklace too lol.
Thats good thinking about a dim nightlight. We have a lamp but its probably still a bit too bright.
We are gettig one of the next to me cribs for beside the bed as well.

We bought a colour changing/dimable light bulb from B&Q, it has a little remote and it's been great. The darkest colour on it is red, so we have that on the dimmest setting. It's enough to see but dark enough not to wake anyone else up!

I think it was £6 and it just fits in the lamp we already had. It does white as well so you can use it as normal. I can find a link to it if you like.

 

[MissCharli]

I would look up BF support in your area, any lactation consultants etc. BF can be really hard, and if you definitely want to give it the best go don't rely on the hospital/HVs to help you. Keep a list of people you can contact in the early days for help. I wish I'd done this!

 

[Mel32]

It all depends really...

I bf exclusively for 15 months all I ever used was nipple cream, breast pads (very early on) nursing tops and pregnacare vitamins. But then my husband couldn't help with feeding at all because my son never once had a bottle. He eventually had tiny amounts hand expressed into a cup when he was older but that was it. Admittedly I did get teething necklaces and bracelets as gifts which I think are the same thing, great to get them to sit still for a bit but I don't think they are a necessity?

This time I quite fancy a nursing pillow, and as I'll have a toddler and a baby it might be worth getting some bottles etc because I wont have as much time. I did also think... if anything happened to me it would have been a shock for my baby to suddenly have to take a bottle. Also I remember being ill and feeling very sick but I had to feed him still obviously - that was hard.

What I'm really saying is you can spend as much or as little as you like. May be best to consider your budget first and see what luxuries you can afford and what things are necessities for you.

 

[snowbee]

I'm 6 months into breast feeding.

I've used reusable breast pads , I have about 20 pairs and could have done with a few more early on, I needed to wash every day to have enough. Now I only use a few pairs a day, somedays only two pairs but I was changing nearly every feed for the first couple of months.

Nursing bras, I have different ones for day and night. Get a really soft one for sleeping. I didn't get one soon enough and boy was it annoying sleeping in a regular bra to start with. I now have 3 sleep and 3 regular and that works well.

Nursing tops, i found I am more comfortable and confident feeding in nursing specific tops. I would try a frw different styles to see what type you like and sell the ones you don't get on with.

Breastfeeding jewellery. You probably won't need this until 3 months plus. I find it very useful now we are at 6 months, he has been keen on it since about 4 months. He likes the type with the ring rather than the beads. Stops him scratching me and pulling my hair.

Breastpump not that useful for me as my little one will not take a bottle. Also don't think it will save you time, if you are skipping a feed you will need to pump instead anyway to maintain supply and early on to prevent engorgement and mastitis. Same goes for bottles, I only got a few different types to test and didn't buy any full sets. Look out for trial offers,most makers offer them.

I didn't get a steriliser, I already have milton in stock so use that if I need to.

Nipple cream! Everyone says to use loads of this to start with. I got two types, the lanisol and the superdrug own brand. I've still got a bit in both tubes as I found I didn't need it after the first couple of weeks.

Never used shields so no idea about those.

I have one of the pillows you slip on your arm, quite useful. Also essential for me is a high back chair with arms and a footstool, feeding without these gives me backache. We have just been away for a couple of nights and my back hurts because of this.

I carried on taking my pregnancy vitamins until I had used them up and now take vitamin d and folic acid only.

Hope that is of some help. Oh my little boy also has tongue tie, we have left it alone as he has always latched ok but it can be a real barrier to successful feeding, so do get it assessed if you are having issues. Good luck

 

[snowbee]

Oh I totally forgot, I use loads of burp clothes. I use them in pairs. One I put under my breast to catch the spills and a second to hold to catch the spray when he pulls away. I have 15 and could have done with more. I find these better than muslins.

 

[lisey]

My best breastfeeding buy, a nursing apron so that I was fully covered when we had guests or I was out and about.
If I were you, I wouldn't buy too much as you just don't know how breastfeeding will go.
Maybe just buy a single bottle steraliser, I got mind for £5
Nipple cream was a must for me and of course breast pads.
My baby won't take a bottle so pump wasn't used often and I found hand expressing far easier.
In short, I'm 6 months in and all I have needed was nipple cream, pads and nursing apron xx

 

[CARNAT22]

Lansinoh cream.

 

[TORino]

I think all you really need is your boobs and some determination at first and maybe some lansinoh incase of difficult nipples until they toughen up. See if it works for you both. Get support from the professionals and any local breastfeeding groups and la leche league etc. Understanding how to hand express was a useful tip as I had a baby that would headbutt my boobs and get angry when they were too full. Then you can experiment with pumping etc

I never needed nipple pads and a giant muslin was good enough for modesty purposes.