Would like to BF and bottle feed baby from EBM from word go - how do I do it?

[mbear]

Most of us plan to have our partners do one feed, but often this doesn't work out as we hoped. I am not saying this to put you off, but just so you know up front, to save disappointment down the track.

.i tend to agree....

I have a 3 week old - its my 4th child - and can i tell you i have never felt so full of energy and non sleep deprived - honest. Reason: Harry is in bed with me. I feed him in bed (dh has been kicked out....temporarily of course...., it means im not getting out of bed in the cold - we can stay warm snuggled under the blankets.... (read up on SIDS if consdiering this option...). I have had so many comments 'wow, you look great" or 'you dont look like you have a newborn' - its because i am essentially resting whilst he is feeding. I wish i had of done it with my other children.

I also found the whole expressing thing a chore...i could never get the hang of it (and there is a knack to it.) and i found by the time i squeezed my 30mls out, i may have just as well fed the baby !!!! Thats just my input anyway.
'

Good luck with it all....

[Mumma2three]

I co-sleep, so DS is in bed with us most the night, but I've just started expressing this week. He is almost 4 months. I decided I needed to have some back up as I have appt's and things coming up. I would LOVE DH to do some feeds at night because Im finding as Ds gets bigger he's not feeding and falling asleep anymore, he's more distracted.
I use a hand pump and it's great. I've used it with all my three. I use the avent. I also dont have a steriliser, I just boil for a few minutes. Im finding I can pump out 80mls in about 10mins. I only express at 7am each day, one side, then offer DS the other side.
Good luck xo

[Curly]

Gina Ford's book is not recommended for bfing babies, as her routines do not recognise the frequency with which most babies need to feed to get enough milk and to establish and maintain mum's supply. Unfortunately many mums don't realise this until they have already lost their supply

The last thing I want to do is pick a fight but I bf'd DS for 20 months based on Gina Ford's routine. If the book is read in its entirety she emphasises that if a baby is hungry it must be fed regardless of the time. She also mentions the 6 week growth spurt and demand for extra breastmilk several times. I have learned never to mention my familiarity with Gina here on BB because it always gets shot down in flames but she does talk a lot about expressing, maintaining adequate supply and having the partner do a feed and goes into great detail about it and I think the OP could get some good how-to tips from there - whether she wants to "routine" her baby or not.

[MantaRay]

Curly, I don't want to pick a fight either LOL! I think it's great that the book worked for you, and everyone is entitled to do what works best for them. I am the last person who is going to judge or criticise others for their choices. I just wanted to point out that this doesn't work for everyone as I think people should be aware that there is no one magic way to do things. I am sorry that you feel you can't talk about your experiences - you should be able to share.

The 6 week growth spurt is an interesting topic actually (sorry to go OT). It used to be believed that this was due to baby increasing their demand for milk and boosting mum's supply. Interestingly we know now that babies drink the same average daily quantity from 1 month to 6 months of age, so there goes the "extra milk" theory. It is still a mystery as to what causes these "fussy times" but the latest theory is that it is an increased need for sucking at times of peak development.

[onthefly]

Congratulations Farmgirl.
There were a couple of things that sprang to mind when I saw your post becuase, like others, I had considered trying this sort of thing too.
Expressing can work great for some, but it is often a real chore, so much so that there's no net benefit.
Another reason to consider putting off expressing till later is that in the early days they feed so often anyway that skipping one feed may not give you much of a break.

The best thing that helped me get more sleep will bfing was to master feeding while lying down. It is entirely possible to sleep while your baby feeds - it's bliss! Unfortunately I couldn't get the knack till DS was 5-6 months old (we had a lot of problems with attachment in the early months, so that's probably why), but some lucky mums do manage it early on.

Good luck and all the best to you

[farmgirl77]

Hello everyone,
Thanks so much for the advice and suggestions - they have really helped me out. I think that I will do as suggested and wait a few weeks before trying the bottle - as I want to get BF estabilished (if possible) - I am also going to try the BF while lying down position - could be a good way of getting some rest and feeding in at the same time!

A girl at work is going to sell me her medela swing to express with at a really good price (only a little bit more than a new handpump would cost), so that covers that base - and now I'll prob get the medela bottles (after nearly getting the TT ones), but i'll wait till after Tex comes home etc to get those in case it does not look like the system will work for us!

Thanks again for the practical advice - really appreciate it!
FG

[MantaRay]

I'm really pleased that this thread has helped you. It can be really daunting wondering how things will work with a new baby.

I want to get BF estabilished (if possible)

That was exactly what I said before DS1 was born. A friend told me at the time, that bfing is nearly always possible with the right information and support. Turns out I had a really, really difficult start, but she was right - she referred me to the ABA and I got the right information and support and was able to establish bfing and continue. If you are having difficulties after the baby is born, give the ABA helpline number a call - 1800 mum 2 mum. It is toll free and 24 hours and you don't have to be a member. It can make a huge difference!

Best of luck with it all hun. It is great that you are preparing yourself early. I can't wait to read your birth announcement!