Breastfeeding?

Question

I am totally devoted to breastfeeding my little guy. I am currently 33 weeks pregnant and have a few questions because my family just always bottle feed their kids and I bottle feed my first baby. She is now currently three years old and I didn't breastfeed her because I was younger and had a crazy schedule.
Now I am a stay-at-home mom that is going to return back to work after he is born and I need to know the one thing that you used that you would recommend every breadfeeding mother to have. What bottles did you use when you pumped, and what pump did you use? Is a boppy necessary or does it just make life easier. How do I involve my husband in on feeding schedule? What was the best brand of nurding bras that you used, and when your milk did come in how much of a size jump did you go through with your bras? I am already a big cheasted woman and I don't want to go buy nursing bras that fit now and then a few days after he is born none of them fit. Just womdering an average so .....

I can be prepared for the first week or so, this way I won't have to be going out and getting new things when every woman wants to be at home bonding with their newborn. ANy suggestions would be greatly appreciated and accepted. Thank you in advance and anything would help.

I have also gotten a free sample of the new Enfiamel (sp) pills that are suppose to be great while you are pregnant and then when you are breastfeeding has anyone used them and if you did are they suppose to replace your vitamins or what?

Answer 1

I am not sure when you are going back to work, but if you are not going back to work for at least 6 months after he is born you may will not need a pump, you can reverse cycle. Though if you are going back to work before 1 year it is probably easier to pump.

Join La Leche League, go to a meeting or two now, before you give birth to find some moms you can call for advice. http://www.llli.org

Things you "need", (really all you need is your nipples):
Boppies are good, and a few extra pillows.
A nursing basket. Basket because the kind with the stick up handle are way easier to grab one handed. In the nursing basket you should ALWAYS have:
-Drinks (bottled water, or whatever)
-Snack (energy bars, fruit, whatever you eat with one hand that you can keep at room temp for awhile)
-Remotes (nothing worse than getting all settled only to realise you don't have the remote and something really annoying in about to come on)
-Book
-A couple of spare spit up clothes/receiving blanket
-Lanolin or other nipple cream

For the nursing bras I wouldn't buy any real bras until at least 2 weeks after birth. You can buy some of the softer sports style or sleeping bras before hand as the fit of these are less important.

Personally I didn't find the nursing pads much help for stopping leaking. When you go out just bring a spare shirt.

The best way to get hubby involved in baby is to have him take the baby for 2 hours each day while you nap. Seriously. Otherwise he can burp the baby, and fetch you things. Pumping and giving the baby a bottle just for dad is silly and not really great for mom and baby. Yes pumped breastmilk is better than no breastmilk BUT breastmilk from the breast is the best. That way the baby can regulate how much, how fast, how much foremilk/hindmilk, etc. Also that way your body gets the germs from the baby immediately to start making antibodies. I could go on about why from the breast is best. Like I said there is nothing wrong with pumping if you have to, and if you need a break for you than do it. But don't feel you need to do it for anyone else. There are lots of other ways for daddy to bond. Like baths etc.

If you are going to need to pump alot, honestly I loved the rental pump. Much better quality than the home ones and free maintenance. Any part that comes even remotely close to the milk you get new, you only rent the motor. Compare the price of rental (for however much time you think you will need it) + the kit (the parts you buy seperate) and the price of another pump. However if you are planning on having more kids buying may be good. Be sure to talk to a knoweledgable sales person as there are different sized cones for different sized breasts.

I also must stress that the RDA for iron for breastfeeding women is VERY LOW. When you are not pregnant or nursing the RDA is 18mg, when you are pregnant it is 27mg, when you are breastfeeding it is 9mg. Yes less than when you are not pregnant or breastfeeding. I am not really sure what vitamins you are talking about but that is something to be aware of. Also NO vitamins or flouride are recommended for breasfed babies any longer (including vitamin D) UNLESS the mom was deficient before and during pregnancy. More:
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/vitamins.html

Also:
"Note: Additional iron intake by the mother will not increase iron levels in breastmilk, even if the mother is anemic. Iron supplements taken by mom may produce constipation in baby. Anemia in the nursing mother has been associated with poor milk supply, however. "
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/iron.html

Answer 2

The medela pump is the best (I think). The bottles/nipples you end up using will pretty much be determined by the baby, whatever he likes best. Have a few on hand of several styles and then you'll have a few options. Don't introduce a bottle sooner than 6 weeks though. No, a boppy is not necessary. Buy a bra a size bigger or maybe two sizes bigger. Again, you will find out more afterwards, as one can never really tell. What may be comfortable for you may not be comfortable for another.

Remember to relax. this is so, so important, next to drinking a lot of water. Just relax, all will be just fine. Also, I wouldn't worry too much about bottles if you are a stay at home mom. Good luck and RELAX!

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Answer 3

Im a first time mom and am also breastfeeding my 1 month old. Medela is a really great pump if you have the $ to spend. But i dont recommend pumping and giving your baby a bottle of breastmilk until you both get the hang of breastfeeding atleast a couple of weeks. I use the playtex bottles with the drop in liners they are super easy to use and clean. Also i got my nursing bras from motherhood maternity. I was a D before i was pregnant and im wearing an E bra now and am overflowing in it. Hopefully you wont go up that much cause its a pain to find bras and bigger than that unless you special order. My milk came in on the 4 or 5 day. Boppy pillow is a MUST HAVE!!! I love mine it makes it easier on you holding the baby. Good luck with breastfeeding. Just remember to stick with it cause the first couple of weeks are hard but its sooooo worth it once you get the hang of it. Oh yeah and make sure you buy a BUNCH of the lansinoh nipple cream cause your nipples will feel like theyre gonna fall off if you dont.

Answer 4

I nursed both my guys until they were a year old. My youngest was only 8 weeks old when I went back to work full-time..it can be done very easily! The best thing to have is an reliable pump. I used a Medela Pump In Style..a little pricey but worth every penny! I preferred using disposable bottles because I felt they were more sanitary, though they were only bottlefed at daycare. I did have a boppy..I used all of 3 days in the hospital and never picked it up again. I don't have any idea what brand of bra I used, but the easiest one to open and close kinda hooked on to the top of the snap, it was a one-handed design..hard to describe, but check out K-mart's that is where I bought a lot of my maternity clothes. My milk came in post partum day 3 with both boys. I was a small B and jumped to a double DD each time, but that only lasted for about 2-3 weeks, then I was down to a large C for at least 6-8 months. My husband was involved with changing the babies before feeding and sometimes burping.

Just an extra bit of advice, freeze your breastmilk in ice cubes trays then store. Makes measuring out bottles and defrosting the milk so simple!

Congrats on your baby and your decision to breastfeed!!! My "baby" is 3 and some of my best bonding memories are of nursing him!

Answer 5

I daughter didn't like any of the bottle so I just breastfed her. When I did pump I pumped into bags and put it in the freezer. Boppy pillow made my life much easier. I bought my bras at walmart. I would wait until the week before u are do to get the bras i went up a cup size. My milk came in about 3 to 4 days after my daughter was born. I tried to invole my husband but my daughter didn't want the bottle so that just didn't happen. Glad to hear u are breastfeeding. My daughter just decided she was done at 11 months. The pump brand is medela it worked well and the bags are good to. best of luck its the best for baby

Answer 6

I see you already got a wealth of information from other users, so I won't overwhelm you with too much more information. The single most important thing you need to breastfeed your baby is SUPPORT. You must acknowledge ahead of time that it will not always be easy and then commit yourself to sticking with it as long as possible (the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests at LEAST one year, and the World Health Organization says for two years!). But above all, get the support now. You don't want to be searching for someone to help you when your baby is screaming and you're having a problem. I highly recommend La Leche League. They have leaders who are experienced and who you can reach at any time with a question or a problem, day or night, by phone or however. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions; I'm still breastfeeding my 13-month old son and breastfed my daughter for 11 1/2 months (she quit on her own when I got pregnant with my son). And good for you for making the right choice for your baby !!!! Oh, and by the way.... you might change your mind about work. I went back for a few days with my first child before deciding there was nowhere I'd rather be than nursing my baby at home!

Answer 7

the madela pumps are expensive but really are the best. any bottles should be fine...in the begining the baby will not eat a lot so you can pump often and and then freeze trhe milk so you will have a good supply once you go back to work....those pills are supposed to help with brain development they are not to replace your prenatal pilss but to be used with i was told to take them in the last trimester

be prepared your boobs are going to HURT!! alot if you go too long without feeding or pumping can bring tears to your eyes, so get yourself on a schedule and stick to it

Good luck!!