Nursing bras, bottles, etc.

[Amherst1994]

Hi ladies!!!

Random questions here, but I am awaiting the arrival of my baby and am getting everything together for when he's here. I'm planning on breastfeeding and am determined to do so. That being said here are my questions:

I don't have any nursing bras yet...I don't know how big I will be when my milk comes in (I've already grown so much!)....should I wait to buy these so I know what size I'll be? Are they crucial for the first few days anyway?

I also don't have any bottles because a friend of mine said to hold off until I can figure out what he's comfortable with and that I shouldn't introduce him to the bottle too early because it may confuse him. Thoughts? When did you introduce bottles?

Also I will be going back to work about 8 weeks after he is born. When should I start pumping and storing the milk for him?

As you can see I'm very new to this. Any advice is really really appreciated!

 

[Button#]

I would go to a shop and get measured, they can give you a rough idea of what size you might be. Only get one or two and then get re measured after about 6 weeks postpartum when your boobs will have settled.

Sorry can't help with bottles and pumping as I never bothered.

 

[DAISYPRENCESS]

Hi, I am breastfeeding. It is good if you can prepare some bras for yourself because when the milk comes your breasts hurt and feel heavy. the bra will help you to support them and relieve the pain.

You do not need bottles at the beginning. You can introduce bottle after 7 weeks. But if you are breastfeeding you will not need it. I just started giving some water to my daughter with a bottle but just only to give her a drink I make for her colics. And she even spits the bottle out. She is so used to my breasts. I am so glad actually.

 

[TTC First]

I am waiting for my lo to come and I am a foster parent for infants.

I am 32 weeks and needed new bras so I got 2 and just went up one size. I would say if you can fit in your non nursing bras stick with it. I would go out just before your due and maybe get a couple in 2 different sizes. This way if you need to exchange you can but you will have some that fit.

As for bottles, unless my foster babies have a special need they all use the same bottle. I would say most of the time babies just adjust to what they get. I have never had a baby refuse the bottle i use. I am using Avent and I like it.

 

[tulip1975]

If you are going back to work at 8 weeks, do NOT wait until 7 weeks as an earlier poster suggested.

I started pumping 1x day and giving 1 bottle per day after 2 weeks. Getting bottle feeding going takes some time and effort just like breastfeeding.

As for bras, I bought a couple of soft nursing bras at Target that are generic sized small, medium, and large. I went back to my old normal bras after several weeks (I wear padded underwire bras, and they work fine for nursing/pumping, IMO. I'm a 34 DD cup size and bought the medium sized nursing bras.

 

[gingmg]

I pretty much live in nursing tank tops, I don't really like the nursing bras. I'm a B/C cup so I don't know if I would feel differently if I had larger boobs and needed more support. I have a few cheap ones from target that are OK, but I love my Bravado ones.

I agree with above poster. If you are going back to work at 8 weeks, don't wait until 7 weeks to give a bottle. Start around 2-3 weeks. I started at 3 weeks but only every few days just to keep it in the mix. I went back to work at 12 weeks and started to do a bottle once a day around 8 weeks as it got closer. I started pumping every morning around 5 weeks to build up a stash in the freezer. You don't want to start pumping too early because your body is trying to regulate your milk supply and figure out what your baby needs. But you dont want to wait too long either because it takes time to build up what you need to return to work. Maybe start around 2-3 weeks? Make sure you pump every time baby has a bottle.

Look up paced bottle feeding- it is a way to bottle feed a breast fed baby. Also, Kellymom website is a great breastfeeding resource with trustworthy information.

Good luck!

 

[mkyerby16]

Here's a great site with some info about a lot of your questions https://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/articles/introducing-bottles-and-pacifiers-to-a-breastfed-baby

I would definitely get just a couple of nursing bras so you'll have them to begin with. Not sure how far along you are, but wait until the last few weeks then just get a couple of those that are general sizes (S,M,L,etc.) I got some from Target. Then later on as things regulate buy a few more.

I would also get a few bottles as you never know when the need may arise for them. Personally I have a Medela pump so I got Medela bottles with the slow flow nipples. Although we decided to give DS a pacifier from day 1 and he was totally fine, nipple confusion is a real thing. Most experts recommend waiting until baby is 4 weeks old & breastfeeding is well established before introducing a paci or bottle. We gave DS his first bottle at about 4 weeks and DH fed it to him as if they smell you they may not want to take the bottle. I also went back to work at 8 weeks so I wanted to make sure he would take the bottle with no issues.

I can't remember exactly when I started pumping but I think it was a couple weeks in. I did it the first time just to relieve engorgement. After that I would pump for 5 minutes after each feeding and collect it all together then freeze. Not sure if that's the best way to go about it because then you're only getting hindmilk so I would check with an expert on that, but it's what worked for me bc there was no way I was finding extra time to pump a full session between feeds.

Good luck! I felt like I had no clue what I was doing in the beginning, but you just figure it out as you go!