Planning on breastfeeding. Do I need to buy bottles?

Question

I am currently buying thing for my new arrival in April. I am planning on breastfeeding. My question is, should I buy bottles and a steriliser etc before the baby comes, or just see how I get on? Is it a good idea to have these things at home just in case?
If so, what do I need to buy - how many bottles etc?

If I decided to switch to formula I could easily go out and buy this and I don't want to buy more stuff than necessary at the moment.

Thanks!

Answer 1

I'd buy a few bottles and a steriliser.

You can then store your breast milk extracted from a breast pump for times when you go out and your sitter can continue to feed the baby with your breast milk.
Also...it means that hubby dearest can get up through the night to feed the baby to allow you a long lie in....

Trust me....If you can get a good night sleep every now and again..it'll do wonders for you and also increase the bond between daddy and his little darling.

You can also use the steriliser to clean all of the babies things like soothers and bottles for drinks of water or juice when its a little older.

Good luck for April..

Answer 2

I planned on breastfeeding and I did for the first 4 weeks until I was not producing enough milk for my little one. I bought bottles and a steriliser before she was born, just in case, and I am glad I did because when she was 3 days old, my nipples were so sore, I got to the point where I just did not want to feed her, not a nice feeling at all, but I just couldnt do it. I sent my husband out to asda to buy formula milk at 8pm that evening, and I was just lucky that we had already the bottles and steriliser in the house, or my little girl would have gone hungary that night! Well not actually, I would have fed her, but you know what I mean! As it turned out I needed the bottles anyway. I bought 4 to begin with, but then when we changed to formula milk completely, I bought another 3. 7 bottles is plenty, I think! If you do decide to buy bottles, I reccommend the 'Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature' bottles as the teats are designed/shaped to feel like the the mothers breast. They are great! Good Luck!

Answer 3

Hi,
I would get say 2 just because you may decide to express, and then you will need them, and the steriliser, to sterilise the pump, bottles etc. Plus, you can usually get the bottles / teats etc as a freebie with the steriliser and / or the pump. My son is exclusively breast fed, and we still use the steriliser and bottles a couple of times a week, for expressed milk. Expressing helps with the supply, and allows your partner to join in with feeding. It can also be a way to relieve the over full feeling you may get from time to time. Also, it's handy for when you're out and about! We have only needed two bottles in the small size (free) and two in the bigger size (which we bought later)

Answer 4

Deffinetly buy bottles! Although they say breast is best.. your baby might not agree!I know my little girl didnt!
Not all babies take to the breast feeding thing so its always best to have bottles on stand by! Also you have to think of when grandma and grandad babysit!! you will need to have bottles to store your breast milk in for babies feeding time after all your not always going to be there when they need a feed! Its a good way for DAD to get to bond with the baby too!!
You dont always have to buy a steriliser a pan of boiling water and some sterilising solution works just as well, and an average of six to 8 bottles should be enough!
Plus i think bottles also give the baby an early stage of independance and a good learning skill for them to evelop in the grasping of the bottle ect!!

Hope thats of some help!

Answer 5

I would say just buy a few bottles and have them ready to use just in case. When I had my daughter I planned on breastfeeding so I didn't buy any but if you are planning to have anybody else feed the baby for you then you are going to need bottles to pump your milk into. I totally forgot about that fact so I think it's a good idea to have bottles around for that reason. Good Luck!

Answer 6

Firstly i would personally buy an ointment called KAMILLOSAN for the tender moments you will have at first usually the first day or so i really recommend it it worked for me.
I would buy bottles(the full set of 8 plus steriliser) i breastfed and only truly know when you are tired and just want that break, it is really helpful for someone else to take over so i bought a breast pump for that lucky night out eventually,
I have a healthy five yr old son who in the end decided himself too give up on breastfeeding and wanting the bottle himself.
BE PREPARED its the best way!.. Good luck and Enjoy....

Answer 7

Yes. Buy some bottles. You may want to extract some milk if at some point you need to pop into town for a break on your own and then there's milk for the baby while you are out. Or if someone want to feed the baby while you have an extra well deserved rest. Two small bottles and a couple large will do until you know exactly what you want. They will not go to waste

Answer 8

I am just coming to the end of 6 months of breastfeeding and am so pleased that sometimes I expressed and fed my son using a bottle - it is now so easy for him to go onto a bottle. I have friends who didn't get their baby used to using a teat and now they are having a really hard time getting their babies to eat from a bottle. I found it useful to express and take milk with me when I was going out to somewhere where I did not feel comfortable breast feeding. I also sometimes gave the odd bottle of formula if I was really tired... I have expressed to get my milk supply increased (as per contented little baby book by gina ford - I loosely used this book and now have a baby who is very content and hardly ever cries and who sleeps like a dream!!) I use bottles now to give my baby water from 5 months. (breast fed babies don't need extra water when they are fed as they get enough water in the breast milk so don't worry about that until you start to wean). I would just get three bottles if you are breast feeding. I have the Avent steam steriliser..and avent pump so it all fits into the steriliser

Answer 9

I would definitely buy a few bottles. You need to feed the baby every three hours at first. Breast feeding can sometimes take an hour or so, once you've changed baby & put him back to sleep, you may only get 1-2 hours sleep at a time. If you express, the dad can share responsibility & you can get some sleep. Also, if you go out for the day, some places don't have very nice facilities to breast feed, so expressed milk in a cool bag is a lot easier.
Good luck

Answer 10

Don't buy them now as they are so widely available you can get them at anytime. I'm breastfeeding my 5 month old baby and have only recently used a bottle (with expressed milk). In terms of the experience it has been the best ever, i initially gave my self 2 weeks, then 1 month and decided if i got that far we'd just keeping going and see. Yes it can be tiring (drink lots of water and nap with your baby) and some days it feels like all you've done (in the first days my baby was fed every few hours, she now goes 4 hrs and has slept through the night since 4 weeks old.) breastfeeding is such a rewarding experience and a nice feeling. If problems occur its usually due to latch and as mentioned get the profession in to help (its their job) the LaLeche league is also very good. My last point is that breast fed babies do not need additional drinks of water they get all they need from you - if it is hot then baby may have a small extra feed, i see this as having a thirst quenching drink, i also find if my baby has been very upset and crying she likes to have a comfort suckle (when I've been crying i need a drink as throat is dry!). Water only needs to be introduced when solids are.