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

[mbear]

Do I still buy a couple of bottles, teats, steriliser just incase i need it one day? As in, would I need to start expressing and needing a bottle for this?

...DONT !. IF you plan on breastfeeding, dont have that mentality of 'just incase'....coz once you come across one hiccup during breastfeeding, esp in the first few days, believe me, you will resort to that 'just incase bottle' you bought.

Great advice by other ladies, no need to repeat myself.

If you intend to be with baby for its first few weeks of life....then IMO i dont think you need a sterilizer, bottle etc. Your boobs will do just fine.

[MantaRay]

BTW, there is no need to sterilise bottles, teats, breast pump etc for breast milk. The health guidelines now state that this is not necessary. Even in hossy with a nb nothing was sterilised (it was for our first use as it would have been used for other babies first, but not in between uses IYKWIM).

[onthefly]

Good idea about learning to hand express - I've heard it's the best way but havn't been able to get the knack myself.

[Shanti]

That's what i've heard Mantaray... that we don't need to sterilise with breastmilk. So that's good to know. The lady i spoke to in the shops just said she just puts them under hot water that usually kills any nasties anyway.

Don't I need bottles if i'm expressing milk though? Otherwise where does it go? If i have excess milk when bubs is born, i would want to keep it in a bottle wouldn't i? Or do you just pump it out and throw it away?? geez I have lots to learn

[sushee]

Everyone has excess milk when their bub is born. Those first few weeks, your body doesn't know how much your baby will need, so produces HEAPS! LOL! That's why you get engorged in those first few weeks after birth.

You don't have to express it. You just leave it in your boobs. That way your body will 'learn' how much your baby will need, and in 3-4 weeks your boobs will suddenly become softer (which is when many new mums start thinking they don't have enough milk) and will only produce as much as your bub needs. Your baby won't need expressed milk if you're exclusively BFing. Your body will provide every single bit it needs.

[MantaRay]

Renstar, firstly, you should always rinse your bottles, pump etc in cold water first, and then warm water. The cold water rinses most of the milk away so that the temp of the warm water won't multiply the bacteria.

Also, I agree with Sushee. Bfing can be difficult in the first weeks/months. Trying to learn how to express, and fit expressing into the feeding schedule you are developing can be really tricky. I'd master the bfing first and then you can think about expressing down the track. When you do express, you usually store it in breast milk storage bags or breast milk storage cups, and baby will drink from the bottle (or a cup). Some people store it in bottles but they take up more room.

You will learn this at the bfing class too.

[myson]

sorry Sushee but i have to disagree there. Not EVERYONE has excess milk.

I never had engorgement, i never had a let down reflex feeling, my milk never "came in" in a big rush.

I also strongly disagree with all of you who say that having equipment of hand is like setting yourself up for failure.

I struggled and battled to breastfeed my DD1. I fought on bravely. I was determined to succeed, i was determined to not give in, i was determined to not have any equipment in the house to tempt me. I think NOT having this equipment on hand is what set me up for failure!

That was a big mistake, and i wont repeat it this time.

I struggled on so long that in the end i couldnt take it any more. I was cracked and bleeding, i was in agony, i dreaded my baby waking up and being hungry, and boy was she hungry! she was not getting enough milk from me. In the end i got a manual pump. (hurt my hands like HELL!) and i was so cracked, and stressed and upset all that i was getting was a bottle of blood and no milk.

I am not telling you this to scare you. I hate it when people just want to fill your heads with the horror stories of what they went through. its mean.

I just want to say that we are all different. Breastfeeding is not easy for everyone.

This time I plan to have bottles and an electric pump on hand because maybe I can use them to increase my supply if its low and maybe i can use them to give my nipples a break if they get cracked and maybe knowing that i have extra support, knowledge and a back up plan will help me to relax and be sucessful with my next baby. and maybe with all of this combined i might actually be able to enjoy bfing my baby.

and if this post sounds excessively outspoken, then sorry... blame the pg hormones but it is something i feel very strongly about.

And GL Renstar! I truly hope you grow yourself a chubby little boobie monster who has that beautiful clean milky baby smell!

[MantaRay]

Myson, I am so sorry you went through that. Did you see an IBCLC qualified LC at all? It is very important for all women to know that they have the ABA 24 hour help line, and IBCLC qualified LCs as resources if they have problems. Sadly this is a well-kept secret.

You are also right that some women have supply issues, but it is important to note that for women who are feeding frequently this is very uncommon. New mums shouldn't go into bfing worrying about the possibility of low supply. And when supply is low, feeding more frequently is more effective than expressing to increase supply. So it is still not a given that bottles, pump etc will be needed. The most important tool for a bfing mum is her phone - and the phone numbers of the ABA and a nearby IBCLC qualified LC.

I hope you have more success this time hun.