Planning on Breastfeeding... do i still need to buy bottles etc?

[Beatrix]

Ren- the breast pump i use is a medela swing!!! absolutly fantastic.. stringly endorsed by the ABA as well

not to sure about the expressing... sorry

[Shanti]

Beatrix, can you get a discount if you buy one through ABA or do they only hire them out? I am subscribed to ABA. where did you buy yours? thanks chick
And are they good for beginners? haha

[Beatrix]

just pmed you babe

[MantaRay]

Personally, I wouldn't buy any. If you need them you can get them then. I had to express in hossy for DS1, but they provided everything I needed anyway and then DH got what I needed for home. I can see that there is some use in having these things in advance, but I also think it a bit like setting yourself up to fail.

What I would do is join the ABA now and attend a bfing class. This is the best preparation you can do for bfing. Then you will be a member, so you can hire a pump if you need one (in the early days if you need one an electric one is going to be really handy). You will also know who to ask for help!

ETA- whoops just saw that you are an ABA member already. Great stuff.

[~clover~]

Just wanted to add that my MCHN loaned me a pump when I had probs at 6 weeks. So that could be a back up.
I thought about the setting myself up to fail thing too, so I refused to buy formula til I needed it. I've had a tin in the cupboard since JIC, but usually have to throw half it out coz its open for too long without being used.

[Shanti]

Wow thank you all so much for your replies!! Sooooo helpful..

Daniellabella - so your DD didn't get turned off breastmilk after having formula a few times?? I hear stories and it worries me!!

Yep, i'm going to attend an ABA breastfeeding class early November in my area! So that should be good..... perhaps I should wait til then and talk to the ladies there and see what they recommend aswell? Before i go and start buying stuff....

I'm pretty keen to have a pump, bottle and steriliser on hand however not sure about having formula in the house (just yet)

[danniellabella]

Wow thank you all so much for your replies!! Sooooo helpful..

Daniellabella - so your DD didn't get turned off breastmilk after having formula a few times?? I hear stories and it worries me!!

No she didn't at all. After she first got babysat, I decided to try 1 bottle a day so she was used to bottles which made it easier for being babysat. Then I got slack and didn't give her bottles for several weeks which made it really hard when I went back to work and she started daycare. Her first day of daycare she refused to take the bottle which is when I decided I had to do 50/50 for a while however after a short time that wound up in stopping breastfeeding.

[StrawberryMumma]

I wouldn't be too worried about getting bottles and a steriliser. I agree with MantaRay, if you need them then you can get them later. If you are really worried though, maybe just get a few 'cheapies'.
I think sometimes if you have bottles, formula sitting there it can possibly be a bit tempting IYKWIM. I'm definitely not saying this goes for everyone, but sometimes in those moments where you feel under pressure from breastfeeding it's easy to think that giving bub a bottle if it's sitting in your house (EBM OR formula) is an easier solution when it's not. If you are keen to just have bub take the breast plan for that I say!

I agree with the other girls about the Medela Swing. I think it's a great little pump. But I don't think a pump is a neccessity either. But there has been a handful of times where my pump has given me a whole heap of relief when I was bursting! I think if you run into a few troubles, you can easily hire a pump then or decide that it's worth buying one. Depends on your money situation I guess.

[Jac]

I agree with MantaRay. I did not buy anything at all, nor did I need to (including an express pump). Later down the track (ie. few months) I borrowed a pump so that I could give an EBM feed on occasion. You really don't need anything if you intend to breastfeed in my opinion and you especially don't need any formula in the house, at least initially. Good luck and don't stress about being prepared.

[Lucy]

I didn't get anything before hand. I planned to BF and I didn't want to spend $$ on stuff I may never use.

That said, once the BF'ing was established, I then went and got a Madela mini electric to express with. But that wasn't till Olivia was about 7 weeks old.

Eventually, after all 3 babies, plus sharing the thing around between friends between times, my Madela Mini Electric has been used for about 9 babies and is still going strong, LOL!

Bottles and teats for expressing are a funny one.....each of my 3 babies had a different "preference"...Olivia liked the NUK orthodontic ones, Charlie liked Pigeon Peristaltic and Lexie was content on the bog standard cheapies from Target.........go figure.......


Either way, they were exclusively BF for 6 months........the bottles were for EBM on occasion....Charlie more so for some reason. I purposefully didn't buy any formula.

GOOD LUCK!

[Olive]

i didnt get anything either til around 2 weeks when i really needed to express as DD was only having one side a feed!
i bought a medela pump and avent bottles, only two though, i used to sterilise things in a saucepan on the stove til i got a $5 microwave vegetable steamer from go-lo, worked a treat and cost next to nothing!!

[~clover~]

DS has had FF here & there & he still prefers the BF.
He will still take both with no probs.

[SamiH]

Another swing user here too

With DS my hubby was in Iraq from 3 months so never expressed as there was only me to feed him anyhoo - but at 7 months I tried to express when he got back and was so hopeless, couldn't do it !!! I fed him until 12 months .......

With DD I expressed occasionally from about 4 weeks just so I knew I could, and so if I wanted to get my hair done wouldn't have to make sure I was running out of the salon with foils still in cos she needed to be fed

So, whilst I really understand you are hesitant to give bubs anything other than breast - IMO after the first 6 - 8 weeks if you need to get out, or have a break o/n - express and give it an occasional go.

We put so much pressure on ourselves - bubs will still have your milk hun!

[aussienic]

I agree with MR..

I personally wouldn't buy them unless you need them..

[danniellabella]

I was planning to only breast feed and not use bottles or formula at all. I wasn't going to buy any bottles but my mum said even if I don't use them, it's a good idea to have some on hand JIC. I'm glad I took her advice. When DD was 6 weeks old me & DH wanted to go to a friends engagement party without DD. Friends of ours babysat and we sent DD with bottles and formula. It was also great when I needed a break coz DH could feed her. She was breast fed about 99% of the time until she was about 4.5 months and started full time daycare because I went back to work.

[smiles4u]

I had an AVENT manual breast pump & I found it useless. I was later recommended by the baby health nurse that electric breast pumps are much easier to use (by the time I got this advice I no longer had any milk supply & bub was on formula at 5mths to my disappointment)

I started with TWO little AVENT bottles !!

And i purchased a BigW brand (Dymples) microwave bottle steriliser (was clear lid & white plastic bottom) for about " $10 " in 2006 & it lasted me for ages & is now packed away in brilliant condition.

(Would have loved an electric sterisler but I didn't have the bench room (believe me you won't want to be pulling it out of the cupboard several times a day

ALL THE BEST ... and don't let the subject of breastfeeding concern you - You can only do what you can do

[maz]

Ren - dont forget all babies are different and so too are our BB's. What has worked for some of the girls (not having to express ect) didnt work for me (I had to express to get my supply up).

I dont think it hurts to be prepared....you can always sell it on ebay or pass it on to another expectant mother

Good luck in your quest babe

[Shanti]

Thanks girls for your help. It's great hearing everyone's different perspectives, views and what worked and what didnt' work for each of you.

I've decided I'm going to buy the Medela Swing electric pump! It seems like a great pump and i've heard alot of great feedback about it. I'll keep it in it's packaging and if it doesn't get used, like Maz said, i can just sell it on E-bay!

I'm looking forward to this breastfeeding class in Nov