Breast Feeding discussion

Lillibet_2

Still breast feeding & here's what I currently use :

x3 nursing bras (which I frequently forget to do up! Must be a Mummie thing:D) However, just buy one soft sleep bra before the birth & get the others afterwards as you don't know what size you'll be. I have only one "proper" bra which I wear if we are going anywhere posh, the other 2 are sleep bras as these were the only ones i could find which didn't have irritating seems across the middles (must be designed by a man:rolleyes:)

Breast pads. Get the expensive super luxury thick Avent ones for the first month or so, then when (if) feeding is established you can switch to cheap disposable ones or make your own washable ones out of a old brushed cotton pillowcase;) I only needed them for the first 2 months or so.

Kamillosan cream. 'Cos craked nipples really hurt & this stuff is worth it's weight in gold.

A ton of pillows/v shaped support pillow & something to put your feet up on. It can be a nice plush nursing chair, the bed or just a chair with a stool but you do need your back supported & it is much easier when your feet are up for some reason.

A breast pump. I have the avent hand pump, about £20? in Boots, comes with 2 bottles. Don't rush to buy this until breast feeding is established as it's really hard to express until breast feeding is well established (2-4 weeks, maybe longer. Took me 6 weeks).

If you want to freeze milk then suitable storage containers. Avent used to do free sample kits:D but I think they have stopped them now? You can also by milk bags to freeze in.

Something to sterlise the bottles. As you will need to sterlise more & more feeding equipment as weaning progersses you might as well buy a decent sterliser from the start. I have a microwave one which takes just 5 minutes but in the event of a power cut I can still cold water sterlise in it. £10 from Tesco:D

Muslins to wipe off the dribbles:p

I'd recommend buying only one sleep nursing bra , Kamillosan cream & a pack of Avent breast pads and the sterliser ('cos you're going to have to buy this eventually anyway). Everything else can wait until feeding is established & you know what you personally need. If you are worried about shopping for these things when bubs arrives you can order everything you need online. And if it doesn't happen for whatever reason or you change your mind etc then it really doesn't matter.


HTH;)

mancitychick

Am I the only person that leaks? I am still breastfeeding and my baby is just over 13 months old and I used pads all the time for the first 7 or so months. Still sometimes leak now. Am I going wrong somewhere? I also buy johnson pads at £3 for 30 so at 10p a pad its a dear do, but I found all other pads irritated me. I fed my first baby for 12 months and leaked just the same.

black-saturn

I leaked a lot when I was breastfeeding. I would wear 2 pads on each boob and it would still soak them.

margaretclare

Hi all

I was a bit mystified by the way this question was worded.

Basically, you need a pair of boobs!

I couldn't, because I have inverted nipples. So that's something you need as well - not only boobs, but nipples that the bairn can get its mouth around. And not much more than that. Women have breast-fed over the centuries in very unpromising surroundings and circumstances.

You need about 500 extra calories a day and you need plenty of fluid, because you do get thirsty.

Ask your own midwife!

Aunty Margaret

finc

mancitychick wrote:

Am I the only person that leaks? I am still breastfeeding and my baby is just over 13 months old and I used pads all the time for the first 7 or so months. Still sometimes leak now. Am I going wrong somewhere? I also buy johnson pads at £3 for 30 so at 10p a pad its a dear do, but I found all other pads irritated me. I fed my first baby for 12 months and leaked just the same.

Have you tried these breast pads or if you're feeling really creative these ones ?

Might save a bit of money in the long run.

ALI1973

Just thought Id add to this thread, I use the Bruin Bear battery pump (babies r us) it cost about £15, and is fantastic. Just remember to read the instructions carefully, I managed to bruise myself at first til I reread the instructions lol.

Love Ali

flea72

washable breast pads, breast shells, kamillosan, cabbage and maybe nipple shields

at each feed, if you put a shell on the breast you arent feeding from, then you should be able to collect milk in it that you can store in the freezer. over a couple of days you should have enough stored up to cover a feed

i never bothered with steralising the bottles, a good wash in hot water was more than enough. Espec as if you are pred BF then you will only be using bottles for fluids, not milk

if you have inverted or small nipples, then a nipple shield can help the situation. they also come in handy if you nipples are starting to get cracked/sore

kamillosan is great for cracked nipples, but for the first week of feeding, i would say sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and bear through the pain/bleeding. However if it doesnt improve get in touch with a BF counsellor (LA Leche League very good), as you might not be latching on right.

And the cabbage for when your milk comes in, or you get mastitus. pop a couple of leaves in your bra, and enjoy the cool soothing effect they have

Flea

Karnam

ALI1973 wrote:

Just thought Id add to this thread, I use the Bruin Bear battery pump (babies r us) it cost about £15, and is fantastic. Just remember to read the instructions carefully, I managed to bruise myself at first til I reread the instructions lol.

Love Ali

haha i had a funny experience when i fell asleep as baby was feeding in the middle of the night. turns out baby wasnt actually on the nipple, just on the skin right above it and bruised my breast!!

i too still leak (baby is 12wks now) but a lot of that comes from sleeping in a certain way, long periods between feeds, and skipped feeds when little one has a bottle.

ps you're not supposed to have breast milk in the fridge for more than 48 hours, so you're not really supposed to keep collecting milk over several days for a feed. you also can't add warm milk to cold milk as the bacterial can get back in. i just throw out bottles of breast milk if they're not given within 48 hours.

Karnam

flea72 wrote:

washable breast pads, breast shells, kamillosan, cabbage and maybe nipple shields

i think its just a testimony to differences between women that i used NONE of these things, and am still BF quite happily at 12wks old. i personally couldnt do without my breast pump (avent) and then my beautiful electric one (also avent.... they have like 49% of the market share!)

black-saturn

I remember walking around the house with my top parmanently undone. When I was in on my own I never bothered to do it up again