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Breast-feeding mummies who also express
I am hoping to bf my baby but will probably want to express on a daily basis so that hubby and others can bottle-feed little'un and so I can take a bottle out with me. Can I ask:
1) How many bottles should I buy as a starter set, assuming that bf'ing is successful? I don't expect to be feeding baby from a bottle more than a few times a day.
2) I know you can get different size bottle teats - what's all that about?
3) Is it worth buying small bottles when I can just put a small amount into a bigger bottle?
4) Can you freeze breast milk in any old container? What do you use?
5) Does breast milk have to defrost at room temp?
6) Which do you prefer and why, microwave or steam sterilisers?
7) Which do you prefer and why, manual or electric breast pumps?
Recommendations also gratefully received!
Sorry for military-style list but I have so many questions I thought it'd be easiest!
30+4
1) How many bottles should I buy as a starter set, assuming that bf'ing is successful? I don't expect to be feeding baby from a bottle more than a few times a day.
2) I know you can get different size bottle teats - what's all that about?
3) Is it worth buying small bottles when I can just put a small amount into a bigger bottle?
4) Can you freeze breast milk in any old container? What do you use?
5) Does breast milk have to defrost at room temp?
6) Which do you prefer and why, microwave or steam sterilisers?
7) Which do you prefer and why, manual or electric breast pumps?
Recommendations also gratefully received!
Sorry for military-style list but I have so many questions I thought it'd be easiest!
30+4
0
Replies
2) Just use the newborn ones to start with, if the milk comes out too fast then baby will gag, I think I changed to faster flow ones at about 3 months.
3) No, but if you get them included with your steriliser it doesn't really matter!
4) Not sure cos I never froze any but you can get breast milk freezer bags from Mothercare and they aren't too expensive.
5) Not 100% sure on that one but I would think so, or perhaps in the fridge.
6) Microwave - really easy and quick too!
7) I personally wouldn't buy an electric one to start with, try a manual one first as expressing isn't always as easy as people think and if you waste loads of money on an electric one you'll be gutted!
I bf my lo for about 3 weeks before I started to express and to be honest, it was the downfall of my bf experience. As my nipples were sore, I found it far easier to express and feed her from a bottle so that when I did try to feed her myself, she got frustrated that the milk took longer to come (and required more effort from her!) so she'd just give up. Also, expressing too often and not actually feeding from the boob reduces your milk supply drastically as apparently your body knows when it's a baby or a pump! When I started expressing rather than feeding, the milk soon started to decrease.
I would play it by ear and just go with the flow and see what happens chick!
xxx
My lo is 11 weeks old and I'm bf her.
I have an electric steam steriliser which is ideal for me.
I have only expressed a few times so far (as I have a toddler taking up alot of my time as well as my baby!!!) so obviously I'm not expressing as uch as you plan to.
I have an Avent hand pump expresser. I express into that and then pour the milk into my 'sterifeed.com' bottles which go into the freezer.
When I know I will want a bottle of expressed milk I put it in the fridge to defrost for 24 hours and then (once fully defrosted) warm it up in a jug of boiling water.
I have three small tommie tipee 'closer to nature' bottles to feed my baby with, which is more than enough as the expressed milk is only used occasionally.
The different bottle teats are to control the amount of milk your baby can get in one suck ie. slow flow means they only get a small amount; fast flow means they get more etc.
I hope I've been some help, the problem is everyone is different and what I find best mihgt not be best for you.
Good luck with the bf, it might be natural but it's not always easy and if you get sore it can feel like there is no end to the discomfort but there is and eventually you do find it easy if you keep at it.
Take care...x
I found it a little stressful at first trying to work out how much to provide but i used the guides of a formula tin as a base. i also bought the advent little food cup things with lids on them. Really handy for storing milk in the freezer (use within 3 months), you can even write straight on to them, also handy as first size food bowls. I always defrosted my milk in the fridge, getting it out in the morning for my husband to do the 2am feed. really helpful in catching up on some sleep.
hope that helps
Emma:\)
Teats you need to start with new born teats and move on from there my lo went from new born (size 1 in avent bottles) to size 2 pretty quickly but always start with new born ones else might be a bit fast for lo.
I only used the small bottles for the first month or so because she didn't take alot but also bought 9 oz bottles in case.
I used to freeze the milk in tesco's own ice cube trays because they hold exactly half an ounce which is easy to pop them in a bottle and defrost in boiling water and easy to carry around. and the trays go into the microwave steriliser easy. and just used to cover with cling film.
I used to defrost using a jug of boiling water and bring to room temp but others may say this is wrong but never did my lo any harm.
I never had a steam steriliser but i love my microwave one and its a lot cheaper.
I never used an electric pump because i gave up at 3 months
I used Avent becasue it was bought for me but maybe tommee tippee would be better because they are meant to be more like the breast but my lo never had a problem taking a bottle.
hope this helps good luck xx
2) First size is fine to start. Whe replacing get variflow coz then they will suit your baby no matter what
3) No
4) Just anything will do as long as its airtight and sterile
5) I defrost it at room temp but it will defrost in the fridge- just takes ages
6) Cold water actually because I find the other ones you have to wait for the bottles to cool
7) electric coz manual takes too much energy!
1) How many bottles should I buy as a starter set, assuming that bf'ing is successful? I don't expect to be feeding baby from a bottle more than a few times a day.
You will get some with your steriliser, and /or the breastpump so no need to buy any at first.... (you will have to remember to express even if someone else is feeding baby or your body will stop producing the milk for that feed)
We used avent, and Ollie had no problems. The pump is great, and the bottles are about the same as everything else (and i'm pretty certain my nipple and boobs looks no more similar to the TT 'closer to nature' ones than they do the avent ones...)
HV/MW will recommend that you dont use a bottle until your supply is established, as baby may get 'nipple confusion' and/or start to refuse the breast (getting milk out of a bottle is far easier than getting milk from the breast - and its a completely different suck reflex)
2) I know you can get different size bottle teats - what's all that about?
the smaller teats are for newborns so they dont gag on the milk if it comes out too fast - I wouldnt use a variable until about 6 months though, just move onto a bigger stage teat (Ollie was a guzzler but couldnt manage a variable until then... far too fast if you get the exact positioning wrong)
3) Is it worth buying small bottles when I can just put a small amount into a bigger bottle?
Not really - but you will get some small bottles free with steriliser/pump so should only need to buy bigger ones a month or so down the line (and expressing may not work so no point buying everything at the start to find its not used)
4) Can you freeze breast milk in any old container? What do you use?
I used the avent breastmilk bags, and the avent cups to freeze it in - but any old bmilk bags will do (you dont have to buy a specific brand - cheapest...) but probably those and not just anything as they are guaranteed to be sterile when you put the milk into them... (bags are easier to store than the tubs are)
5) Does breast milk have to defrost at room temp?
It defrosts faster at room temp, but its recommended that it defrosts in the fridge overnight (ish)
6) Which do you prefer and why, microwave or steam sterilisers?
Steam steriliser - its fast, fits loads in it, you can fit the pump, bottles, dumies (if you use them) loads in it - we have the avent selectric steam steriliser and its great, done in about 6-8 mins. Cant fault it at all, and it was quite cheap too (and we got 3, or 4 bottles with it aswell
7) Which do you prefer and why, manual or electric breast pumps?
I used, and loved the electric avent pump (used it to express over 150 feeds and used battery pack while away on honeymoon)
its fast (5 mins to get 5 oz+), relatively quiet, easy - fits straight onto the bottles - the battery pack is good ( it takes 4 batteries but mine has lasted for over 50 expresses) and i dont get repetitive strain injury from pumping manually....
hope that helps
xxxx
30+6