What do I need to get if Im planning on breastfeeding?

[brooke2003]

I am planning to breastfeeding our son (due in June) for at least the first 3 months, but I was wondering what I needed to buy in preparation, other than a boppy. I am prepping my registry for my shower, and would like to add on some feeding items I might need. Should I have a few bottles? I know DH wants to participate in feeding, I just dont know where to begin! Any help is appreciated.....

[nitaghei]

The Medela nursing footstool!!!

It's incredibly helpful in getting your posture right and reducing fatigue. And relatively inexpensive.

Nita

[teddy]

Get the best pump you can afford! I registered and received the Avent Isis, but it didn't seem to work for me, so I ended up renting the Medela Lactina from the hospital. That helped a lot with the engorgement. After renting it, I bought the Medela Pump In Style (backpack version), which made me very happy. I just never had luck with the Isis. Some, however, love it.

I liked the Avent Bottle Sampler set and the Avent disposable nursing pads. The washable ones seemed to get too soaked overnight to be useful. Register for some lanolin cream, like Medela or Lanisoh. That will help ease the "discomfort."

I also ended up getting the Avent bottle warmer since my husband was doing the 2am feedings. The warmer was quicker than running the bottle under the tap. Oh, don't forget the Avent bottle brush!

Good luck and congratulations!

[spu]

Hi there!
Congrats on deciding to bfeed your baby when he arrives. I've been bfeeding my twin babies for 8 months so far and it's been wonderful.

As far as what to buy in advance, have you thought about if you might pump and how often? If you're going to pump frequently, than a good pump would be a fantastic shower gift (maybe a few people could pitch in and buy one together.) As far as bottles, nipples, etc. you may not need as many as you think. Even with the twins, we only use 1 at a time. Breastfeeding is so easy that you'll find bottles are only necessary if you're away from your baby during a feeding.

Some Lansinoh is also a great gift. It's really helpful, esp. in the beginning. After you and your baby get the hang of it, you may not need it anymore, so 1 small tube should be plenty. Sometimes the hospital even gives samples which are enough to get you through.

Bags for storing expressed milk would be nice too. I like Gerber Seal + Go - they have zip-locs and can be used for freezing. You can get bottles that work with disposable bags too so you can plop the bag right into the bottle.

Breast pads to catch any leaking are helpful, esp. in the beginning. After a short while (anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks) you shouldn't have too much leaking, but it's always nice to have some on hand just in case. I like the disposable ones rather than wool. You can try a few different kinds - thin ones, thicker ones, some have adhesive strips to keep them in place. You might like thicker ones for nighttime and thin ones for going out.

Do you have good nursing bras? That makes a world of difference - make sure there's no underwire - sometimes the underwires can dig into the breast tissue a little and cause plugged ducts. Maybe a few really nice nursing tops that aren't hideous would be nice too - Motherwear.com and OneHotMama.com make great stuff that doesn't look like nursing tops.

Definitely get a good book or two on breastfeeding. LLL and Dr. Sears have good books on breastfeedings. I think LLL makes a book called The Breastfeeding Answer Book and also the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding (awesome!) which some of my friends LOVE. Sometimes the bookstores don't carry the really high-end LLL books, so check your library too. Once you see one you like, people can order it for you online and it's so much cheaper!

Are you going back to work? If so, than a book on working and breastfeeding would be great, and definitely get a good pump.

3 months is a really good goal because once you get to that point, you'll have figured out all the in's and out's of having a great breastfeeding relationship with your son and you'll be on autopilot by then. Good luck!

susan

twin girls 7.20.02
charlotte & else

[brooke2003]

Thanks for the responses! I plan on going back to work at 3 months- I would love to continue to BF after that, but I am a lawyer and in court for long stretches of time, so I dont know if it will work.

I was not sure if it was worth it to buy / register for a pump before the baby is born, some say to just rent at first..... but maybe I will pick one out in case. Thanks again!

[bnme]

I breast-fed for almost 3 months and supplemented with formula right from the start -I didn't want to go the pumping route.

I used Avent bottles and they work great for us, while I was bfing and after. I would have at least four bottles to start. I had another brand unopened (playtex disp) in case they didn't "work", Never used

The other posters reccomended all the other essentials!

Good luck!

[bnme]

It may be a good idea to have a hand pump on-hand just in-case, and get a more heavy-duty pump later if you decide to supplement w/ ebm when you go back to work. Toward the end I had some engorgement (while attempting to wean) that I was going to use a pump to help releive, but I had no pump! I continued to nurse baby and went out and purchased an Isis, but never ended up using it. I was able to return it luckily. It would have been nice if I had the pump around when I needed it.

[atlmom]

I went back to work at 3 months and have never had to supplement. DS has just started drinking cow's milk at daycare, and I am still nursing when home. Can't say I was unhappy to hang up the horns, but I would both rent a commercial pump for the first month and get a good dual pump for your return to work. I have the Ameda Purely Yours and have loved it. Many people love the Medela Pump in Style. Also, an adequate hand pump - my hospital gave me one which worked fine - for pumping off a little milk if you are in trial and start to get painfully engorged. The PY runs on batteries and both the PIS and PY have car adapters. You might also consider that if you know you will be away from your office a lot. You could just run out the car at the lunch break and pump.

I bought a book called Working Mother, Nursing Mother that I found to be useful. I also pumped a lot while I was home on leave. Get the Gerber bags - ziplock is just much easier - and lay them down to freeze them flat. Once they are frozen you can store them standing up in a box like cards. Takes up a lot less room and can be thawed quickly. By pumping a lot while on leave, you will get your supply up and have a good freezer stash to get you through when you have to travel, can't pump as much while in court or just fall short in the amount you pump. It takes away a lot of stress to know you have that back up. We even bought a small, inexpensive chest freezer to store the milk, as it will last longer and by the end of the three months I had about 250 ounces frozen.

My DH wanted to help with nighttime feedings too, but generally didn't because I would have to get up and pump anyway. Much easier to nurse, especially if you have a comfy chair to nurse in. We ended up with an overstuffed chair and ottoman - no glide or rock or anything. It was the best decision I made because I could go in and put DS on the nursing pillow and doze off while he nursed. Sometimes DH would have to come and wake me to come back to bed!

Some will disagree, but I would also recommend the My Brest Friend or Leachco nursing pillow over the bobby. They strap on and are a flat surface for the baby to lay on. Early on, DS would fall asleep every time he nursed. With the flat pillow, I could just let him sleep in my lap and work on my computer right over his head. I could even move from room to room if I needed to. I have the bobby too - good to use a stunt pillow when they are learning to sit up - but I didn't like it as much for nursing.

There is lots of info on the Internet. There is a yahoo group called pumpmoms that you can join. Many of the moms there are pumping for all feedings and have made it to one year! I can't imagine how they do it. Anyway, they have tons of great advice on pumping, supply etc. The BabyCenter breastfeeding bulletin boards are very good as well. The moderators are very well informed and it's a great way to get quick advice from others who have been there. Other than that, the best advice I have is have the number for a good lactation consultant.

Good luck. I have loved bf my son and now that he's mobile, I really value the quite time in the morning and evening when he still lets me cuddle him and just look at his little fingers and toes. It's our special time and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Ashley
mom to Spencer 4.9.02

[brooke2003]

Thanks for all the support and suggestions! I have to admit I am a bit timid about the whole thought of breastfeeding, partially because so few of my friends have done it. Any suggestions on hand pumps are welcome- and thank you again for all of the info!

Brooke

[lisams]

All of the suggestions above are great! Don't worry about being timid. I was sooooo timid before dd was born, you wouldn't believe it. After having a baby, that goes out the window. The way I look at it is that I'm feeding my baby and that's all that really matters. You really stop caring what other people think because all that's important to you is that little bundle in your arms. Congratulations on your choice to breastfeed! It is a very rewarding experience for both you and baby.

Lisa

[LucyG]

The Avent Isis is a good, relatively inexpensive hand pump. I find it very comfortable and effective. You can get it at Target, BRU, etc., for around $50.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I have seen lawyers on Mothering.com discussion boards talking about pumping while at work, you might want to do a search over there.

It is possible to pump enough milk in the mornings and at night to feed the next day and not have to pump while you are at work.

...Karen
Jake age 12
Logan Elizabeth 3/25/03

[stillplayswithbarbies]

Have you taken a breastfeeding class? I strongly recommend it. Most hospitals offer a class. You should also seek out your local La Leche League and go to a meeting before your baby is born so you have that as a resource if you have questions later.

I believe that women need the support of other women in order for the breastfeeding experience to be the best it can be. We used to get this from the elder women in our families, but two generations skipped breastfeeding when doctors were all gung ho about science (artificial breast milk) being better than nature (breast milk). So now we have to seek this support in our communities, including the online communities.

...Karen
Jake age 12
Logan Elizabeth 3/25/03

[houseof3boys]

My husband and I just took a Breastfeeding for Couples class yesterday at the hospital and I highly recommend taking a class! They will cover the basics of breasfeeding, the challenges, the equipment (like pumps, bras, pillows)and give you the information on how to get the support you need if you experience the challenges that seem to be imminent in the beginning as you are learning. It really eased my mind about the anxiety I was feeling and I was lucky enough that my husband got "trained" as well so now he knows what to do if I start to freak out when I start to breastfeed our baby.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

That is so important, to have the (educated) support of your husband. I strongly suggest that hubby go to all the classes, including breastfeeding. It really helped when I was all emotional and hormonal and crying because she didn't seem to want to nurse, and my husband could say "she's not rejecting you honey, just try again". And he could help me tell when she was latched on correctly. And because he knows the benefits of breastfeeding, he is not likely to say "just give her some formula" when it gets difficult.

...Karen
Jake age 12
Logan Elizabeth 3/25/03