ANY advice would be so much appreciated popping in from third tri!

[Beautiful11]

So as the title says really, i really need breastfeeding mummy's advice i want to breastfeed and express as soon as my colostrum becomes proper milk as they say i spoke to my midwife about this and she says you can do so say 3-6 days after baby is born depending on my milk flow..
so my questions to you ladies are:
-Can i really express pretty much straight away as well as breastfeed?
-Whats the best breast pump to buy manual/electric?
-What make breast pump?
-When should i buy it before baby or after?
-Is it possible for my little boy to be good with both bottle and breast from day one?
-Whats the best nipple cream to buy is it worth it?
-Any other tips for a mummy to be?
Sorry this is my first so, so many questions but i desperately want to do this its really important to me!

 

[makemeamammy]

I didn't start right away but I did start after about 2 weeks. By that point I knew I had lots of milk coming through as my letdown was so fast. I pumped and got 4oz from then and started giving baby a bottle every few days. She now gets 1 bottle every night and takes it no problem. I'm no expert but will try and answer your questions here:

1. Not sure if I would have started immediately, after a fortnight I knew my milk was well and truly in so felt comfortable then.

2. I use the medela swing electric pump. It's excellent but expensive but if you're going to pump regularly I would definitely recommend spending more on a pump like this.

3. Medela!! Although lansinoh and aveda also have good names.

4. I bought mine before and have no regrets about it, it is an extremely good pump. My friends who have the same one love it too but my friend who has Tommee Tippee one doesn't like hers.

5. I didn't try immediately but mine was fine with bottle, dummy and breast from two weeks - absolutely no confusion! But I use medela calma bottles as baby has to latch the same as breast. I tried giving her a normal bottle and she vomited everywhere as it came out on her too fast and that was with a slow flow teat.

6. Lansinoh and YES!! I doubt you will get through the first week without it! After every feed rub your nipples with a bit of colostrum, leave them to air if you can for a while then lansinoh and soft breast pads - this routine sounds extreme but cracked nipples are not pleasant believe me!

7. My main tip is ALWAYS trust your instincts! Not saying the midwives/books aren't right but ultimately you will know your body and your child best. Have faith in your own judgement and maternal instincts! Oh, and if it gets too sore in the first week and you really feel you can't do it - THAT IS OK! good luck hun xx

 

[luna_19]

Ideally you would.wait a few weeks go start expressing for a stash, if you are lumping way extra in the beginning you will end up with an oversupply and risk getting plugged ducts or mastitis. We had to supplement in the beginning because Devyn wasn't eating well, we offered bottles from 1 week and had no problems getting him back to bf. I second the medela calma bottles they are pricey but great!

I have the Earth Mama Angel Baby nipple butter and it is great.

I needed to pump a lot in the beginning so rented a hospital grade pump for two weeks. I have since bought a manual pump for occasional expressing.

Oh almost forgot my best advice is be aware that bf can be really hard at first but if you stick with it it will get much easier. It took us two weeks to really get the hang of it and up until then there were lits of tears and frustration but it is so worth it. We can go out and not worry about his food and it feels so good to know that your baby is growing and doing so well in your milk. You will probably be pressured by someone along the way to give formula so be prepared to stick with it and tell them no.

 

[meli1981]

I wouldnt pump right away, itll mess with your supply. When baby is well established i would recommend the medula hand pump, its excellent also if you get cracked, bleeding nipples i highly recommend newmans nipple cream, works like magic

 

[Dream.dream]

I was told 4-6 weeks before expressing by a lactation consultant to avoid oversupply issues and also to make sure baby is getting enough through their 3 week growth spurt .

Personall I love my avent Isis manual pump. I found electrics were to hard on my nipples and a manual more convinent for pumping as I didn't have to be tied to one spot by and outlet or when I was out . Plus I controlled the flow

Babies can be good with both bottles and breast but avoid it for the first mong if you can beacuse babies can develope a preference for the bottle because it's easier . Also get the slowest flow nipple you can

Bet advice I can give is not to give up. Set a goal of 6 weeks if your having troubles at first cause those weeks are the hardest and if you can get through that the rest is a breeze and you'll be glad you kept going

 

[meli1981]

I second the slow flo nips, not only so baby gets used to working for the milk, but so baby doesnt get to much to fast and end up spitting it all back up!

 

[Beautiful11]

I have the TT bottles with teat 1 (slow teats) and all of the sterilizer to match etc so i dont really want to have to buy more bottles unless he really just doesn't get on with them of course! i was looking at the medela breast pump does anybody know where is best to buy this electric pump for the best price? all my family are so supportive of me breast feeding but keep saying dont set yourself up for failure if you cant do it you cant do it etc which is annoying but i guess i see were there coming from thank you everyone for your replies! xx

 

[makemeamammy]

all my family are so supportive of me breast feeding but keep saying dont set yourself up for failure if you cant do it you cant do it etc which is annoying but i guess i see were there coming from thank you everyone for your replies! xx

Oh, I said that too! Sorry I didn't mean to annoy you, I just know how hard it can be in the beginning and I felt a huge amount of pressure to not formula feed or I would be a 'bad mum'. Now, I carried on breastfeeding and I'm glad I did but if I had continued to find it as hard I think the pressure I felt would have ended up making me very depressed in the end.

You can feel pressurised both ways - a lot of women say they were pressured to use formula which is bad too but personally, I felt the pressure was the other way and a lot of women have to supplement in the beginning (I very nearly did as my baby was readmitted to hospital with bad jaundice). I guess ultimately, if you go with your instincts you will be right but just watch that you don't start feeling too down about feeding either way is all I meant - hormones are CRAZY for the first couple of weeks after birth lol xx

 

[Beautiful11]

all my family are so supportive of me breast feeding but keep saying dont set yourself up for failure if you cant do it you cant do it etc which is annoying but i guess i see were there coming from thank you everyone for your replies! xx

Oh, I said that too! Sorry I didn't mean to annoy you, I just know how hard it can be in the beginning and I felt a huge amount of pressure to not formula feed or I would be a 'bad mum'. Now, I carried on breastfeeding and I'm glad I did but if I had continued to find it as hard I think the pressure I felt would have ended up making me very depressed in the end.

You can feel pressurised both ways - a lot of women say they were pressured to use formula which is bad too but personally, I felt the pressure was the other way and a lot of women have to supplement in the beginning (I very nearly did as my baby was readmitted to hospital with bad jaundice). I guess ultimately, if you go with your instincts you will be right but just watch that you don't start feeling too down about feeding either way is all I meant - hormones are CRAZY for the first couple of weeks after birth lol xx

Nooo you didnt annoy me at all im just so set that this is what i want to do that i suppose sometimes im not realistic to it! my aunty went on about how she got babyblues because she was so sore from breastfeeding it actually made her depressed which is common i guess! i guess all i can do is try my ultimate hardest xx

 

[Here_we_go]

I don't think you should offer a bottle until the baby gets the hang of breastfeeding. Bottle feeding is quite easy for a baby since most time the milk just drips out from the nipple without any work from the baby. Breastfeeding requires technique from both mother AND baby. Also, the baby will stimulate your body into making milk more so than anything else. The more he/she's on your boob, the more milk your breasts will make and the quicker it will come in! Some take to latching correctly straight away (like my son, didn't even have to use anything other than a bit of breastmilk on nipples every once in a while, no soreness at all) but others must learn the proper way (like my daughter my poor sore, cracked, blistered nipples). It was roughly 2-3 weeks before she truly got the hang of breastfeeding.

You have to be careful what bottle you offer when you do decide to introduce one. Some have faster flows than others. We went with the Playtex Drop-ins, stage 1 nipples. With my son, I didn't know any different and had several different type of bottles and it wasn't long before he became a lazy nurser and would scream his head off instead of nursing from me when I came home from work. He'd gotten used to milk just dripping from the nipple and didn't want to work for his milk anymore (breastfeed ) Since I was working and couldn't pump at work, I just went to formula fulltime when he was 4 months old

I wasn't able to pump when I was breastfeeding my son. Not sure if it was just a bad pump or what but I was able to hand express more than I could get out with the darn pump hubby got me. This time around I have a Lansinoh manual and LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE it. It does take some getting used to, learning technique (using compression while pumping, placing your nipple just so-so in the "cone" for example among other things) and with time and continued use, your body will respond better to it.

I hope you don't have any troubles and are able to do well. In the beginning you will be feeding every couple of hours and sometimes even more frequently than that. Don't worry about input or how long he/she's eating as long as you're having to change dirty diapers, you know baby is getting something

I love breastfeeding and HATED when my son had to go fulltime to formula. It's so much easier in the middle of the night to just whip a boob out! With son, I had to stagger into kitchen in the middle of the night to mix and warm his bottle all to the tune of his SCREAMING. I was determined to breastfeed longer this time around, especially since I'm not working. I hate washing bottles

Good luck

EDIT: I agree with Luna 19, I was told by DD's original dr that I needed to give a bottle of formula so that DD would sleep through night better. At 8 weeks old she was sleeping 5-7hr blocks at night. My son didn't sleep that well until he was about 8-9 months and he still work up frequently some nights! Needless to say, I switched drs. Make sure to do lots of research. Be prepared because even though a lot of drs and hospitals say breast is best, their actions (pushing formula) say differently
Be well informed!!
https://kellymom.com/
https://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/index.php

 

[Kanichen34]

Other advice I'd give is locate your local breastfeeding groups now. Most will let you attend now if you'd like. Some are chatty meets for breastfeeding mums. But others are full on clinics with midwives on hand to help if you need it. I've been to my local clinic a few times and its been a godsend, suggesting positions, checking my latch etc. I would have given up without their support.

 

[Beautiful11]

Thank you so much ladies im deffo going to be doing my research as of now! xxx

 

[Blackrain90]

So as the title says really, i really need breastfeeding mummy's advice i want to breastfeed and express as soon as my colostrum becomes proper milk as they say i spoke to my midwife about this and she says you can do so say 3-6 days after baby is born depending on my milk flow..
so my questions to you ladies are:
-Can i really express pretty much straight away as well as breastfeed?
-Whats the best breast pump to buy manual/electric?
-What make breast pump?
-When should i buy it before baby or after?
-Is it possible for my little boy to be good with both bottle and breast from day one?
-Whats the best nipple cream to buy is it worth it?
-Any other tips for a mummy to be?
Sorry this is my first so, so many questions but i desperately want to do this its really important to me!

Not sure about all of this but will give my experience:

-I pumped from day one, however my son was in intensive care, so I couldn't breast feed for the first little while. Didn't get much at first but that's normal
-if you plan on using more than occasionally, definitely electric. I really reccomend Madela, mine (Madela swing) works really well.
-you can bottle and breast, however it isn't reccomended because they don't always transition well; it is possible though, as my son was on bottle from birth, with several breast sessions per day, and now that he is home he feeds well on both (except through growth spurts lol)
-haven't used any cream yet but have heard lanolin is good

 

[Beautiful11]

So as the title says really, i really need breastfeeding mummy's advice i want to breastfeed and express as soon as my colostrum becomes proper milk as they say i spoke to my midwife about this and she says you can do so say 3-6 days after baby is born depending on my milk flow..
so my questions to you ladies are:
-Can i really express pretty much straight away as well as breastfeed?
-Whats the best breast pump to buy manual/electric?
-What make breast pump?
-When should i buy it before baby or after?
-Is it possible for my little boy to be good with both bottle and breast from day one?
-Whats the best nipple cream to buy is it worth it?
-Any other tips for a mummy to be?
Sorry this is my first so, so many questions but i desperately want to do this its really important to me!

Not sure about all of this but will give my experience:

-I pumped from day one, however my son was in intensive care, so I couldn't breast feed for the first little while. Didn't get much at first but that's normal
-if you plan on using more than occasionally, definitely electric. I really reccomend Madela, mine (Madela swing) works really well.
-you can bottle and breast, however it isn't reccomended because they don't always transition well; it is possible though, as my son was on bottle from birth, with several breast sessions per day, and now that he is home he feeds well on both (except through growth spurts lol)
-haven't used any cream yet but have heard lanolin is good

Thank you how is your little man now? so glad that you carried on BF with him being in intensive care! x

 

[Blackrain90]

So as the title says really, i really need breastfeeding mummy's advice i want to breastfeed and express as soon as my colostrum becomes proper milk as they say i spoke to my midwife about this and she says you can do so say 3-6 days after baby is born depending on my milk flow..
so my questions to you ladies are:
-Can i really express pretty much straight away as well as breastfeed?
-Whats the best breast pump to buy manual/electric?
-What make breast pump?
-When should i buy it before baby or after?
-Is it possible for my little boy to be good with both bottle and breast from day one?
-Whats the best nipple cream to buy is it worth it?
-Any other tips for a mummy to be?
Sorry this is my first so, so many questions but i desperately want to do this its really important to me!

Not sure about all of this but will give my experience:

-I pumped from day one, however my son was in intensive care, so I couldn't breast feed for the first little while. Didn't get much at first but that's normal
-if you plan on using more than occasionally, definitely electric. I really reccomend Madela, mine (Madela swing) works really well.
-you can bottle and breast, however it isn't reccomended because they don't always transition well; it is possible though, as my son was on bottle from birth, with several breast sessions per day, and now that he is home he feeds well on both (except through growth spurts lol)
-haven't used any cream yet but have heard lanolin is good

Thank you how is your little man now? so glad that you carried on BF with him being in intensive care! x

He is doing really well now, he just had some complications from having a lot of meconium in his lungs at birth. Im glad I carried on too-right now I am struggling as he is in a growth spurt and seems to have forgotten how to breastfeed, but we are working on it! During growth spurts, try to avoid giving formula if they are fussing if at all possible. My guy starting screaming 5 minutes into feedings so I had to formula, but I wasn't pumping to make up for it, and I think my supply has suffered a bit.

 

[Beautiful11]

So as the title says really, i really need breastfeeding mummy's advice i want to breastfeed and express as soon as my colostrum becomes proper milk as they say i spoke to my midwife about this and she says you can do so say 3-6 days after baby is born depending on my milk flow..
so my questions to you ladies are:
-Can i really express pretty much straight away as well as breastfeed?
-Whats the best breast pump to buy manual/electric?
-What make breast pump?
-When should i buy it before baby or after?
-Is it possible for my little boy to be good with both bottle and breast from day one?
-Whats the best nipple cream to buy is it worth it?
-Any other tips for a mummy to be?
Sorry this is my first so, so many questions but i desperately want to do this its really important to me!

Not sure about all of this but will give my experience:

-I pumped from day one, however my son was in intensive care, so I couldn't breast feed for the first little while. Didn't get much at first but that's normal
-if you plan on using more than occasionally, definitely electric. I really reccomend Madela, mine (Madela swing) works really well.
-you can bottle and breast, however it isn't reccomended because they don't always transition well; it is possible though, as my son was on bottle from birth, with several breast sessions per day, and now that he is home he feeds well on both (except through growth spurts lol)
-haven't used any cream yet but have heard lanolin is good

Thank you how is your little man now? so glad that you carried on BF with him being in intensive care! x

He is doing really well now, he just had some complications from having a lot of meconium in his lungs at birth. Im glad I carried on too-right now I am struggling as he is in a growth spurt and seems to have forgotten how to breastfeed, but we are working on it! During growth spurts, try to avoid giving formula if they are fussing if at all possible. My guy starting screaming 5 minutes into feedings so I had to formula, but I wasn't pumping to make up for it, and I think my supply has suffered a bit.

Awh glad hes all good and you too! xx