Should we buy bottles if we intend to BF?

[aliss]

Talking about things like split nipples or glass shards or cluster feeding at days 7-10 though is how women learn what problems may happen and what to do about it. If we don't talk about those things, then women who want to breastfeed will not know what to do when it happens. Sometimes the solution is actually quite simple but that sage advice is not passed down.

I look at it this way - comparatively - if a woman wants a natural birth, then she should know that when she hits transition (post 10cm but before pushing), she will get a fight or flight instinct and that can impair labour. If she knows this, she can brace for it, and educate her way through it. Telling her to just go get an epidural might be fine for some, but maybe she would rather use the knowledge to achieve her end goal. At the end of the day, a birth is a birth, but that doesn't mean you should just give up on your end goal if you had valid reasons for doing so.

Yes! WSS!

With my 1st, the nurse told me he was allergic to me and that soy would help.... 8 months of soy formula, that one. I am a big stickler for trying to correct misinformation now after that ordeal

 

[Amberyll23]

When I was a first time mom, I read a lot of threads on this board with a very open mind. There are strong opinions and emotions here on so many things like getting epidurals, c-sections, the use of drugs for induction, use of binkies/pacifiers, breastfeeding and formula feeding, etc. As a result, it is sometimes very hard for a first time mom to make sense of it all, and honestly, if I wasn't a strong person in my own right, some of the things said would have made me feel like a bad mom if I didn't do "x" "y" or "z".

I wanted a natural birth. I didn't get it. I had medical issues that required an induction, which failed after 3 days of trying, and I ended up opting for a C-Section for the health of my baby. Some women say having a C-Section makes them feel like they "missed out" or are somehow less of a mother. My heart goes out to these ladies, because the very moment my daughter was placed into my arms, HOW she got here meant nothing to me. All that mattered was that she was here, safe, healthy, and in my arms. My entire world changed that day, my heart and soul lost forever in those perfect little eyes. My hormones and love and connection with her was JUST as strong as if she had come out of me naturally.

I wanted to try for a VBAC with this baby. I won't get it. Medical reasons again. My DD#2 will again be born via Section. Again, if it gets her here safe and sound, that is all that matters to me. In the end, the fact that I may never experience "natural" childbirth of any of my children still will not matter to me. I will have 2 perfect little beings that I grew inside of me for 9 months, and whether they come out of my vagina or not will never take away the fact that I am their mother, I love them more than life itself, and they are my world.

I took the same approach to breastfeeding as I did childbirth. I wanted to breastfeed. Being an older mom when I conceived my first, I already had countless friends who had children, some who breastfed exclusively with great success, some who struggled, some who FF. All are great mothers and all have beautiful, healthy children.

What was important to me was that I tried. I educated myself on BFing, and after DD was here, I immediately made sure that I had a lactation consultant available to me to help me with any issues that I had. The hospital provided me in my early days with a pump if I needed it, and I was given a nipple shield the first day as my consultant felt I was possibly having an issue with flat nipples that could cause latching issues. My consultant was GREAT! She was openminded like me, was not pushy, and was so supportive! She was exactly what I needed, and she was always available to me in the weeks following DD's birth to assist with any questions.

I also knew that I may encounter times where DD would be hungry, and I might not be able to feed her for whatever reason. I was lucky that it never happened, but if it did, I never considered it to be "caving" if I gave her formula at some point, even if it was supplementing. Also, giving formula once or twice did not mean I would have to give up on BFing all together and go exclusively to FFing. All that mattered to me was that my daughter was getting what she needed to grow healthy and strong. I decided that if my boobs did not produce enough, I would give her what I could make, and supplement formula as needed. At the end of the day, I went in prepared for whatever got thrown at me. And I plan to do the same with this baby.

I really do hope I can BF/pump the way I did with DD1, successfully for 1 year without needing to supplement at all, but I am not going to consider it a bad thing if I do end up having to turn to formula now and again if there are problems. Again, I intend to be prepared.

Sorry for the length, I just wanted the first time moms here to know that, as women, we are all different. If you feel strongly about something like BFing, and you would not forgive yourself if you even gave your child 1 bottle of formula, then plan accordingly. If you are like me and have strong desires, but are ok with the occasional bottle if needed, and you don't feel like you will give up BFing all together over 1 bottle of formula, get backups! It is ok! I don't want to see anyone go through what my BFF did with her son, the weeks of tears and frustration, a bad lactation consultant, fear of formula and a starving infant due to latching issues--the first couple weeks she had with her son, she was miserable, and no new mommy should be miserable, these are precious, precious days you don't get back!

Best wishes to all!

 

[amjon]

We have plenty of bottles that were given to us, but if not I would pick up at least a couple. I've also received several formula samples in the mail, so wouldn't buy any. I wouldn't worry about a sterilizer until you know you will actually need one. You can always boil a pot of water or use the dishwasher if you do end up needing the bottles. I would hate to have nothing and screaming babies if for some reason I can't feed them.

 

[hubblybubbly]

Hi OP, I've not read through all the replies due to the bf/ff debate with the same old faces saying the same old things.

But to give my opinion on your question:-
yes I would get some bottles in just in case and a tub of formula and read up on how to make it up safely under the WHO guidelines, or buy one of the pre packed starter kits you can get in boots that have made up bottles.

We went for the tommee tippee closer to nature bottles with our first and they've been fine, size one teats to begin with, or the variflow teats which can be used from newborn.

I'm not sure I'd invest in a steriliser though, they can be quite expensive, all you need for a temporary measure (and then obviously buy one if you end up using the bottles) is a Tupperware box with a lid, don't fully close it but place the lid on top, 100ml of water in with your bottle/teat etc and and bing in the microwave for 5 mins. Or boil them in a saucepan the stove for 5 mins is an alternative.

We also fully intended to breastfeed but it didn't work out and we ended up being readmitted to hospital in the first 24 hours with baby on a drip, I ended up expressing for her then bottle feeding her my breast milk exclusively-after a week of mixed formula and beast milk whilst I got into a good enough expressing pattern (which shows how dedicated I was to breast milk...definitly not the easy option...and not "caving") what I didn't need at that time but we had to do was a trip to the supermarket, which would have been resolved by a bit more forward planning.

Good luck!
X

 

[hubblybubbly]

Beast milk (snigger) obvious meant to say breast....

 

[Emma867]

Good lord mrs mac, bet you wish you hadn't asked!

 

[Mrsmac02]

You're damn right! I totally appreciate that bf vs ff is an emotive subject but that's not what I asked opinions on - personally, Im 100% flt bf but shit happens sometimes and its a total personal choice!

Anyway, thanks for the tips. My friend suggested the premixed bottles for my hospital bag, just in case xx

 

[BeccaMichelle]

Not read back... so much there..

I bought bottles and a sterilizer etc. even though I intended to breastfeed. 2 years later the bottles were only used for her baby dolls. The sterilizer came in handy during weaning though.

I'd say go ahead and pick up a couple but don't spend a lot of money on them until you need to. Mine never took to a bottle even when we tried.

If it helps most hospitals will have the premade formula in bottles for you if push comes to shove. It shouldn't be something you have to worry about at all.

 

[sharnahw]

I also plan to BF and have bought tommee tippee bottles and sterilizer... You never know if and when you are gonna need them and to each their own I say!!

 

[shanny]

bf ff its all like labour we can research and plan and make choices but life does not always work out the way we might............buy a few bottles if it help to feel organised not sure why everyone gets so hyped up

 

[exoticsiren]

Im not im determined to bf!

 

[Foxybabyhg3]

Well I want to BF but I will pump too so DH can feed too, but as I'm having complications and most likely being delivered in the next few weeks its looking unlikely but I will still pump and try and get to BF when she comes out of NICU. Best laid plans huh? Shows its baby who's in charge not us

 

[Mrsmac02]

Oh no foxy, hope everything's ok? Keep us posted wont you xx

 

[pinklightbulb]

I'm another who got tempted by having bottles in the house. I threw out whatever I got given when pregnant with Liam for that reason. I had to go on to FF him exclusively at 7 months (HV threatened welfare on me if I didn't FF as she didn't think he was high enough on the percentile charts, the stupid bitch). I had to go and buy all new bottles but to me it was worth throwing out the gifted ones, as it truly helped knowing I couldn't turn to something plastic with different milk in it that wouldn't fix my problems anyway. For me, it screwed everything completely once bottles came into the picture.

Supplementing can be a very slippery slope and is what ultimately cost me the last of the breast milk I did have for Liam. I was forced to start supplementing when he was 5 months, after BFing all that time, and by the time he was 7 months, all my milk was gone and I couldn't get it back. Just please everyone be careful if you do supplement. You can lose your milk and once you do it's often final.

 

[Foxybabyhg3]

Oh no foxy, hope everything's ok? Keep us posted wont you xx

Will do

 

[Foxybabyhg3]

Oh, forgot to add, I bought the Tommee Tippee closer to nature BF kit, has 2 wee bottles and a pump & pads, nifty wee kit, cheaper in Argos than Mamas & papas by a tenner.

 

[Mrsmac02]

Oh great, thanks foxy, I'll have a look! Xx

 

[ShirlWirl]

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

Totally agree with this ↑
When your baby is jaundiced and all you are being told is he needs more milk and your nipples are bleeding and scabby and you aren't producing milk very well even though you are feeding 24/7, sometimes you just want someone to say 'it's ok - you don't have to do this, it's fine to give them a bottle'
I believe stress caused all my bf and sleeping problems with ds1 - I persevered for 6 weeks but had to give a bottle 1 night because I was on the verge of a melt down and it was the best thing I could have done for him and me.
With ds2 I bf with a more relaxed attitude, I had bottles at the ready and knew it wasn't the end of the world if I used them and I think because of this we were able to bf successfully

 

[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

Exactly

Totally agree with this ↑
When your baby is jaundiced and all you are being told is he needs more milk and your nipples are bleeding and scabby and you aren't producing milk very well even though you are feeding 24/7, sometimes you just want someone to say 'it's ok - you don't have to do this, it's fine to give them a bottle'
I believe stress caused all my bf and sleeping problems with ds1 - I persevered for 6 weeks but had to give a bottle 1 night because I was on the verge of a melt down and it was the best thing I could have done for him and me.
With ds2 I bf with a more relaxed attitude, I had bottles at the ready and knew it wasn't the end of the world if I used them and I think because of this we were able to bf successfully

thats great to know

i know that if bf doesnt work out i know that my daughter is v healthy and ff did her no harm.

so he pressure is off me a lil which in turn will help me relax and be able to bf

 

[Evansangel]

I plan to breast feed but I have 4 bottles in the house, if I succeed at breast feeding they will be for expressed milk. If I fail at breast feeding they will be for formula.

I don't have any formula in the house though, but I will probably grab a couple of pre mixed ones closer to my due date.