Should we buy bottles if we intend to BF?

[Mrsmac02]

Just wondering what your thoughts are on this...

I hope to be able to breast feed but am totally realistic and know that for whatever reason, some people can't/don't when baby arrives.

Should I buy a few bottles, a steriliser and a couple of cartons of newborn milk just in case?

If so, can anyone suggest brands/packs or give any advice on bottle sizes and teets? I have literally no clue! Xx

 

[Dragonfly]

No , trust your body.

 

[bizeecat]

Yes, buy a few. I think I had 2. My daughter was born a little bit early and had not developed her suck-suck-swallow-breathe reflex so she had to be bottle fed for about a week or two. After that I only used bottles once (an emergency) so it was nice to have a few

 

[Smudge101]

I have bought a steriliser and bottle and I'll also have a pack of formula in just in case either baby or I don't take to breast feeding.

I don't care about the 'you'll give in too easily' arguments for not buying them. I know breast is best, but I also know that what's actually best for baby is a nice calm mummy, and me stressing over breast feeding isn't that.

Plus even if BF'ing is successful I'm not going to be doing it forever so I'll need bottles at some point. I'd rather have bought them when I was at work and not on Maternity pay.

 

[Ivory Doll]

I've bought 4 Tommee Tippee bottles even though I intend on breastfeeding.

From the little bit of research I've done they apparently are the most similar ones to the breast. This is my first baby so I haven't a clue but these are what I have went with.

 

[babyhopes2010]

YES! my daughter would have gone hungry. its all well a good saying trust ur body but if ur body isnt doing what it supposed to and ur baby isnt latching then are they suppose to starve?

 

[CatherineK]

No, trust your body. No child will starve in the few hours it takes to get to a store. Honestly, even the most dedicated people can cave in the middle of the night and you are doubting your supply. It's medically proven that over 98% of woman can breast feed perfectly fine if they had support and don't start supplementing at the first sign of issues. If you dont want to breast feed or wish to supplement, there is nothing wrong with that. But I you are like me and truly want to bf only, have confidence and you can do it fine! Don't doubt yourself. Look at websites like kellymom or la leche for support. And make sure your pediatrician is bf friendly!

 

[annio84]

There are arguments for and against I think. I have 4 bottles and a steriliser and some formula just in case but I don't intend on using it unless I actually have to. For me personally I like to think I have the strength of will to not take the easy way out even if the bottles are there but breastfeeding is important to me. Also once I've established feeding I want to be able to express occaisionally and so will need bottles and stuff for that.

 

[babyhopes2010]

im bring formula to hospital. i full intend to bf. they brought around after my daughter hadnt fed for 24 hours.the other mw ripped it out of my hand called me irresponsible and told me to 'get on' with bf so if i had used sippy cup then i would have gave some to her, then relaxed enough to rest and then try bf again

i wasnt prepared(unlike a friend of mine) to starve my daughter. her son lost alot of weight and go v poorly and ended in hospital cos she wouldnt feed him anything else

 

[Smudge101]

No, trust your body. No child will starve in the few hours it takes to get to a store. Honestly, even the most dedicated people can cave in the middle of the night and you are doubting your supply. It's medically proven that over 98% of woman can breast feed perfectly fine if they had support and don't start supplementing at the first sign of issues. If you dont want to breast feed or wish to supplement, there is nothing wrong with that. But I you are like me and truly want to bf only, have confidence and you can do it fine! Don't doubt yourself. Look at websites like kellymom or la leche for support. And make sure your pediatrician is bf friendly!

But why put yourself under extra stress by having to dash out to the shops, with a hungry baby?

 

[CatherineK]

No, trust your body. No child will starve in the few hours it takes to get to a store. Honestly, even the most dedicated people can cave in the middle of the night and you are doubting your supply. It's medically proven that over 98% of woman can breast feed perfectly fine if they had support and don't start supplementing at the first sign of issues. If you dont want to breast feed or wish to supplement, there is nothing wrong with that. But I you are like me and truly want to bf only, have confidence and you can do it fine! Don't doubt yourself. Look at websites like kellymom or la leche for support. And make sure your pediatrician is bf friendly!

But why put yourself under extra stress by having to dash out to the shops, with a hungry baby?

This is my third, and to me, it's just extra motivation to put them back on breast, which will stimulate you to make more milk. I am just my giving honest advice to those who are desperate to have breast feeding work.
Yes, it is stressful at first, and not always easy, but if you can push past the first weeks the payback is huge.
Supplementing, when you want to breast feed, is a slippery slope, and will cause more stress in the long run, to those who don't want to supplement.

 

[felix555]

Just get a box of the ready made sterilised bottles with formula I think the aptimil box has 10 x 90ml bottles in the box.

I was one of those that "gave up too easily" when my baby was admitted back to hospital due to supply issues and used these for the first couple of days. I had no bottles or sterilising equipment because I was determined to breastfeed so these we were able to pick up the day we were sent back home.

 

[Belly bean]

Id say yes just in case iv been told and read that some babies will bf great at hospital but after a few days at home they forget or get lazy or something and the last thing you want at 3am is a hungry baby that dont want to bf and you have know way of feeding him/her, I intend on bf but have been told that pcos can sometimes affect milk production so not taking the chance but im also getting a pump so if he gets lazy or for some reason cant or wont latch onto breast then he can still have mummy milk

 

[sue_88]

Ive got 3 small bottles, and 2 big bottles.
I also have a pump (which has a small sterilising kit in it).
I've also bought a starter box of Formula.

And I dare anyone to say I will cave too easily just because I have them in the house. Incredibly insulting.

I fully intend to Breastfeed Millie and I trust that my body will work to do it, however I would definitely NOT have the added pressure of having to leave my house to get supplies that I need. Being a single mum I'm just not prepared to put myself under any more pressure than I will already be experiencing - it's important for me to be prepared for ANY eventuality.

If you want them, buy them.

 

[bizeecat]

you can buy the bottles without buying the formula. That way, if baby isn't nursing you can still pump, save yourself some stress and get good momma milk in the baby

 

[babyhopes2010]

Ive got 3 small bottles, and 2 big bottles.
I also have a pump (which has a small sterilising kit in it).
I've also bought a starter box of Formula.

And I dare anyone to say I will cave too easily just because I have them in the house. Incredibly insulting.

I fully intend to Breastfeed Millie and I trust that my body will work to do it, however I would definitely NOT have the added pressure of having to leave my house to get supplies that I need. Being a single mum I'm just not prepared to put myself under any more pressure than I will already be experiencing - it's important for me to be prepared for ANY eventuality.

If you want them, buy them.

this ^^^^^ my first baby i never had any formula in the house! it made it even more stressful that dh had to go out and get some.
i should have researched making bottles ect cos i hadnt a clue.

i ended up with post partum depression really bad i wanted to kill myself . why???
cos of people ramming bf down my throat i tried and tried to bf and got the support and i couldnt, all i heard was 98% of women can blah blah blah.

I think the important thing is a relaxed mother. if that means there formula feed back up in the cupboard than thats surely a good thing

 

[Mrsmac02]

So much to think about! Thanks for all your thought ladies.

I am a FTM so totally new at this and am terrified I won't be able to (my mum had probs with me and I ended up quite sick) or that baby won't latch on (my godson had a tongue tie that the hospital didn't pick up so struggled with the sucking motion).

I think the idea of maybe two or three of the pre-mixed sterilised bottles is something I could consider for my hospital bag as a plan b.

I'm going to give it my best shot but if it doesn't work, I'll formula feed.

Thanks again for all your replies xx

 

[Smudge101]

Ive got 3 small bottles, and 2 big bottles.
I also have a pump (which has a small sterilising kit in it).
I've also bought a starter box of Formula.

And I dare anyone to say I will cave too easily just because I have them in the house. Incredibly insulting.

I fully intend to Breastfeed Millie and I trust that my body will work to do it, however I would definitely NOT have the added pressure of having to leave my house to get supplies that I need. Being a single mum I'm just not prepared to put myself under any more pressure than I will already be experiencing - it's important for me to be prepared for ANY eventuality.

If you want them, buy them.

this ^^^^^ my first baby i never had any formula in the house! it made it even more stressful that dh had to go out and get some.
i should have researched making bottles ect cos i hadnt a clue.

i ended up with post partum depression really bad i wanted to kill myself . why???
cos of people ramming bf down my throat i tried and tried to bf and got the support and i couldnt, all i heard was 98% of women can blah blah blah.

I think the important thing is a relaxed mother. if that means there formula feed back up in the cupboard than thats surely a good thing

Exactly

 

[aliss]

Well, I absolutely caved from them being in the house. I wish I had listened to wise breastfeeders before me. I didn't make that mistake the 2nd time.

 

[Smudge101]

No, trust your body. No child will starve in the few hours it takes to get to a store. Honestly, even the most dedicated people can cave in the middle of the night and you are doubting your supply. It's medically proven that over 98% of woman can breast feed perfectly fine if they had support and don't start supplementing at the first sign of issues. If you dont want to breast feed or wish to supplement, there is nothing wrong with that. But I you are like me and truly want to bf only, have confidence and you can do it fine! Don't doubt yourself. Look at websites like kellymom or la leche for support. And make sure your pediatrician is bf friendly!

But why put yourself under extra stress by having to dash out to the shops, with a hungry baby?

This is my third, and to me, it's just extra motivation to put them back on breast, which will stimulate you to make more milk. I am just my giving honest advice to those who are desperate to have breast feeding work.
Yes, it is stressful at first, and not always easy, but if you can push past the first weeks the payback is huge.
Supplementing, when you want to breast feed, is a slippery slope, and will cause more stress in the long run, to those who don't want to supplement.

As mums to be we put enough pressure on ourselves anyway without having other mums telling us that we have given in too easily, or not trusted our own bodies by choosing to formula feed when BF'ing doesn't work.