How much do babies cost??

Lillibet_2

Brazila

I wouldn't buy too many bottles etc just yet, wait & see. You won't be able to express for a week or 2 anyway so unless you want to have them in stock in case of not breast feeding for whatever reason (please people, no debate!) you won't need them immediately.

For what it's worth I breast fed & expressed, I found a Avent hand pump fine but I know many women prefer an electric one, & I liked avent bottles with tommee tippee teats as the tommee tippee bottle measurements washed off the bottles really easily but they had a special type of teat whiich resembled a nipple with all the little bumps much more closeley than any of the others! Most of the main brands are interchangable & components can be bought seperately.

HTH;)

jellyhead

every mum is spoke to when mine was newborn tried more than one type of bottle before settling for the one the baby preferred, and in each case it was a different brand (although like lillibet i used avent bottles with TT nuby teats).

i had some tommee bottles free in the steriliser pack and i found the measurements washed off within a couple of weeks. i tried to carry on using them, measuring water in an avent bottle then tipping it into the TT bottle but i just preferred avent really, they are easier to clean, they fit into the avent thermabag and i like the lids. TT lids were really difficult to get off the bottle!

also, some babies seem to swallow lots of air and then scream constantly, so some mums try bottles with an internal valve such as tommee tippee healthcheck. my sister uses mam ultivent. they are a bit more fiddly to clean but worth it if you need to reduce the air baby swallows. i tried them but the nuby teats didn't fit and baby wouldn't have any other teat.

beach_3

Hi

Isn't the biggest expense the loss of salary and then childcare costs.

pickle

Don't rush out and buy a breast pump and bottles. I did and never use them. The baby (if breastfeeding) suckles differently from a nipple than a bottle, once the baby is breatfeeding it will be confusing for it to change to a bottle. Although reading above suggests some babies do manage it. I guess if you're going to express and feed from a bottle from the start it would work but I've tried all sorts of bottles and it doesn't work once breastfeeding is established. My baby just can't get the hang of it, or doesn't want to. If you need to go back to work then it could become an issue if baby won't take a bottle. I'd talk it over with a midwife first before deciding how to feed. I think the baby benefits enormously from the intimacy involved in breastfeeding and I was the same as you and wanted to bottle feed so my husband could share. Also I've found it easy at night as I don't have to prepare bottles and can remain half asleep but on the other hand my husband doesn't have to get up as he can't do the feed (which I'm sure he's glad of now). There's pros and cons for both methods, you just have to work out what works best for your life.

Lillibet_2

pickle wrote:

once the baby is breatfeeding it will be confusing for it to change to a bottle. Although reading above suggests some babies do manage it. I guess if you're going to express and feed from a bottle from the start it would work but I've tried all sorts of bottles and it doesn't work once breastfeeding is established.

It is possible, my son was on mixed feeding from 5 days old until 9 months. He coped just fine.

Afraid the only thing to do if babe doesn't understand about sucking a bottle is perserve when they are really hungary, they will get the hang of it! You might need ear plugs though!

But I do agree about not rushing out to buy bottles etc, better to wait & see if you need them. Some women can't express or don't want to introduce mixed feeding even with expressed milk.

A_little_stressed!!

If you want trendy clothes for ur little 1, definately go 2 NEXT sale. They really do cute stuff, & 1/2price! Don't take a little 1 with you though, it gets manic!
Also try the stuff on ur little before the label age, I got some gorgeous combats 9-12months, at 8months they were 2 tight (everything else was ok!) Now & again designs come up small, and even cold washes shrink stuff!

code-a-holic

Apologies if i repeat what others have said.

I have 3 lo's and the last 2 have been bargain babies!
I bought a brand new cot on ebay from a online shop for £35 incl delivery. Got mattress in a sale for £10. Ikea do a £22 cot mind.
Ebay is good. But i see everything as expensive after a treasure i found in a charity shop. As i walked in one day i saw a staff member rooting through a black bag, seeing flashes of pink. I asked if it was baby stuff and she said yeah. I was 7mths pregnant with my 1st girl so asked if i could buy the lot. They wanted £5. After organising i found it was a complete wardrobe up to 9 months and mostly next, gap,monsoon! £100's of pounds worth at about 7p each i think it worked out. Car boot sales are good too. And once you finish using items they usually still look new.
Check out local papers too. Some people sell baby items that have never been used,
I used a coldwater steriliser for all 3 - very cheap! My buggy was my biggest expense but needed a good one as i had to transport 2 babies 11 mths apart and a 4 yr old. (someone wants to know how i can rave about my bertini!!!)

Lidl nappies, Farleys milk are a good deal! Wilkinsons can be good for odd baby items too.

Good luck with the Lo!