Hey ladies
So I have just purchased a Tomme Tippe Microwave steriliser, a tomme tippe breast pump and some bottles.
I thought as the microwave one is less expensive then the electric I may as well get that one as surely I wont be using it that much if breast feeding.
And when I do go on to formula it will still be good for then too right?
Or are the microwave ones not that great? please tell me what you think? They hold 4 and the electric 6 bottles.
Also what else do I need for breast feeding? I have the above along with breast pads, I need a nursing bra. What about a bottle warmer and the bottle warmer bags, do I need any of those?
Also where do you get the Tomme Tippe Lids from to store the breast milk in the bottles? Anyone know?
Any help or advice would be great, first time Mummy to be Lol!
Thanks so Much
XxXx
November 29th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Hi. Here are a few things that worked for me in the first few months.
Nursing pads
Lanolin cream
Hydro gel pads (THE BEST INVENTION EVER) You can’t use them with lanolin cream at the same time though
If you are going to be breastfeeding the only time you will be giving a baby a bottle is when you are out on the town or if you just need a break. You can pump right before leaving and breast milk can be at room temperature for 6-8 hours. So, pump and put the milk in a bottle and you won’t have to heat it. If you pump and put it in the fridge for a couple of hours and then need to heat, I always just put it in a bowel of warm water. It takes a little longer to heat then a bottle warmer… but every time I’ve used our bottle warmer to heat breast milk it smells funny, like I’ve heated it too much.
I’ve never used a sterilizer with either of my children. When I first purchased the bottles I boiled them for 10 minutes, then washed them by hand. When they got dirty after that, I just put them in the dishwasher. I actually didn’t even know what those things were!
Mastitis is an infection. Baby had a bit of bacteria in their mouth or on your nipple that got into your nipple through an opening. You treat mastitis with an antibiotic. You can get a plugged duct by inadequate draining of a breast, poor latch, or engorement. You massage the area above the plugged duct, so you are working the milk down into the nipple. You apply heat in between feedings and feed often.
Good luck! If you need any more advice or want to talk, email me anytime!
November 29th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Okay, if you are pumping at all and might end up with a larger stockpile, Lansinoh makes breast milk storage bags for freezing, having some of those on hand doesn’t hurt. You will want breast creme for the chapped nipples, if you happen to get any. I can’t help you with Tomme Tippe, as i don’t have it, but you can use formula at any point, BUT I would recommend not using it all during the first 2 months. If you are going to offer a bottle. pump some milk and let daddy try to give baby a bottle.
November 29th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
The bottles and pump…why?
“Also what else do I need for breast feeding?”
Nothing. That’s the nice thing; you don’t need the plastic stuff. Take the Tommee Tippee stuff back to the shop. You also never need to ‘go on to formula.’
Useful:
“Do all breastfeeding mothers need a pump?”http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/is-pu…
“Breastfeeding — starting out right”http://www.kellymom.com/newman/01startin…
“What should I know about infant formula?”http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/milk/i…
re. “When I use my breast pump, what do I put the milk in a mug? lol no a bottle” — you asked a question about _breastfeeding_, hence the confusion. Why do you feel you’ll need to use the breast pump?
November 30th, 2009 at 3:01 am
its best to demand feed for the first month or so so that bonding & feeding is established
Im not keen on using bottles at all but i plan to so that other people can help & so that i don’t get engorged/sore etc
your midwife can maybe advise & if you google a product you can find reviews & there are quite a few support networks here’s 1 i found http://www.abm.me.uk/
November 30th, 2009 at 4:53 am
hi hunni x never listen 2 know it all the answered 1st! yes i would buy bottles/ bottle warmer. also, just to have a back up plan, i would buy some formula (check up all the diff brands and decide which is best for you). some nursing tops- you’l find them in mothercare, etc. can’t really remember, god i’m outta practise! lol x hope this helps
November 30th, 2009 at 10:48 am
A nursing bra and breast pads are pretty useful, but, er, bottles? Did no one tell you that your milk goes straight from your breasts into the baby?
November 30th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Contact La Leche League, they are great with help for breastfeeding Moms. http://www.llli.org/
November 30th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
Best breastfeeding advice I can give you is to do what works for you, and post here often when you have questions, as you have questions. You will get tons of advice, and you get to pick which answer is best for you. What is best for you and your baby is best. Period.
I will say Yahoo! Answers got me through a lot of breastfeeding’s trials and tribulations. Although it also leaves me feeling like I have to justify a lot of my decisions…. (Grrrrr.)
Congratulations and good luck!
December 1st, 2009 at 12:35 am
my cousin had a microwave sterilizer but was told by the health visitor they are a bad idea due to the fact it can melt the bottles causing the BPA (if they are made from this) to become poisonous. i have settled with a cold water sterilizer from mother care £15. if i be honest i would take it back and get something else. also tomme tippe pumps have had a good response, i have seen it asda, as its mother and baby and will be buying the pump but still unsure as i dont know weither i can breastfeeed or not.
as you are breast feeding you will need some nursing bras and pads. but other than that your pretty sorted. i wouldnt bother with the bottle warmers. i plan to go to 6 months breast feeding (if i can) because after that the milk no good.
check out mothercare they have alot of tomme tippe and others.http://www.mothercare.com/?extid=ps_ggl_…
if you become a member you have discounts and the delivery is free.
hope ive helped
x
December 1st, 2009 at 4:46 am
Microwave sterilisers are just as good, infact i was always told they were better and yeah if you decide to go onto formula then you’ll be able to use the microwavable one. I’m formula feeding now and i’m still using the microwavable steriliser.
You’ll want to get some nipple cream too as your nipples will probably chap, you can get this from mothercare.http://www.mothercare.com/b/42860041/278…
A few things you might want to invest in, storage bags, gel pads etc.http://www.tommeetippee.co.uk/product/cl…
Is that the lids you are talking about? I’m sure you’ll be able to find them elsewhere and if not then you can always get them from that website, check Lloyds pharmacy.
You don’t need bottle warmers and such, when you express the milk can stay at room temp for i think it’s 4-6hours (you’ll need to double check that) and you can put them in the fridge for 5-7days, if you refridgerate them then you just need to pop the bottle into a bowl of warm water to heat it up, if you’re going out you just need to pop the bottle into the bottom of the pram and it’ll stay warm.
December 1st, 2009 at 9:40 am
I bought an Avent microwave sterilizer and it was great. It’s really quick and I’ve never had a problem with it.
Here’s a list of my breast feeding stuff:
- 3 or 4 nursing bra’s
- disposable breast pads for the leaks and let down reflex
- muslins for burping, vomiting and general catching the drips
- some nipple cream for the early days when breast feeding is quite uncomfortable
I’d get a few bottles just in case you have problems and some formula. If all goes well you can just use it later on if you switch to formula.
You might also want a breast pump so you can express milk if you decide to go out and leave baby with someone.
I know this isn’t part of the question but also I wish someone had warned me that breast feeding is quite painful to start with and very hard work. Especially if you’re in hospital with someone who is bottle feeding because it makes it look so easy. Breast fed babies seem to feed non stop to begin with. It does get much better though and it’s well worth sticking with it. It doesn’t hurt for long and then it is actually a really relaxing thing to do and very rewarding. Good luck.xxxxx
December 1st, 2009 at 1:09 pm
dont think about pumping in the first few weeks until ur milk settles down cause u can get mastitis which is very painful i had it twice its when ur milk ducts get blocked… the ONLY necessary thing you need for breastfeeding is LOTS of breatpads! i went through a good few boxes in my first couple of weeks cause i kept leaking milk, also 3 good nursing bra’s and you will be fine, get used to breastfeeding before u start worrying about pumping and formula and sterilisers, and microwave ones are just as good! also my hubby bought me a nursing pillow which took a huge strain off my body and helped me to relax,
December 1st, 2009 at 3:45 pm
I started with an advent steam steriliser, however went onto a tommee tippee microwave one. Just remember to fill the steriliser up with water as it will melt your bottles (i had a bit of an experience!!). One thing i got when i started breast feeding was the storage freezer bags from boots. The first week you will need to feed buba as you wont have any “milk” until buba has got the first bits out. Then, if your like me, all buba will have to do is cry and well i used to hold a bottle to one boob and have my daughter on the other :0) i only breast fed for 2 weeks then went onto formula. In my mind it was the best thing i ever did as my daugheter was comfort feeding every 2 hours so got no sleep and couldnt do anything. But switching her onto SMA wow i could relax as she was going through every 4 hours and my partner could do it. Dont ever let anyone try and tell you what to do. I used to be worried (i was 19 when i had my daughter) and i remember calling my mum up in tears because the health visitor told me i should breast feed and would be stupid to give up. If it wasnt for my mum saying just do it then they cant say anything i would have got myself in such a mess!!! Do what your gut says, dont listen to all the other drama queens :0)
Also one thing to get too is nipple sheilds. You can put them over your nipples when feeding, so if you are sore and buba falls asleep and tugs then it wont be as bad. These stopped mine from being red roar and horrible.xox
December 1st, 2009 at 6:20 pm
for breast feeding all you need are your boobs !. get loads of breast pads because you do leak and make sure you have them on you at all times, a good nursing bra, a towel – if you want to feed in a public place (pop it over your shoulder and baby so no ones embarrassed) and lots of nappies. i found that breast-feeding made my sons bowel movements very watery, so maybe an extra set of clothes for baby if you go out for the day. congratulations on being a mummy, breast-feeding is so much better than bottles – i bottle fed my daughter and breast fed my son, and it was sooooo much easier. you will loose loads of weight and its great for your baby.
December 1st, 2009 at 11:09 pm
i had the avent microwave steam steriliser it held 6 bottles and it was great jus wash the bottles n teats etc put them in the steriliser with so much water and bam in the microwave 6 mins its done!
you may want to get a few nursing bras, i didnt breast feed but my boobs were huge i had to sleep in a soft bra to be comfy at nite!
i dont think you’ll need a bottle warmer bag, if you are feeding expressed milk frm the bottle when out and about most places can warm the bottle for you either in a jug of warm water or the microwave(dont let it get too hot tho) will you be doing all the breast feeding at home i wouldnt see the need for a bottle warmer either, but again if your using expressed milk for feeding in the bottle you mite need a bottle warmer, i had a day and night feeder for my daughter(formula fed) and it was great on a night.you make up some bottles and it keeps them cool then when you need one you can warm it up there and then. try mothercare and supermarkets for the bottle lids im sure ive seen them somewhere! or the website. congrats and good luck x
December 2nd, 2009 at 5:49 am
pippin has the best answer
You truly don’t need anything besides breastpads, a few nursing brad and some lanolin nipple ointment for sore nipples (the first few weeks are the hardest)
I only gave a bottle to my first on rare occassions like me going out of town and leaving him with my mom.
My second will get his first bottle of breastmilk this Friday as me and Hubby are going to the movies and my mom will have both boys. My second is 3 1/2 months old.
If you are mainly breastfeeding you don’t need a sterilization device because hot water and soap will clean it or even boiling water will be fine.
I font suggest having formula in the house because at an exhausted moment you make weaken and give formula and start a cycle that will ultimately cause you to lose your milk supply.
You never should feel you have to give formula… If you do just understand the risks to your milk supply .
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:09 am
All bottles have sealer caps that come with them to store breast milk in the fridge.
Steriliser best one i found was the electric type steam steriliser better than the microwave ones.
warming bottles, a kettle and a plastic jug is quicker and cheaper.
But i did keep sterilised bottles and some cartons of baby milk (boots chemist) as an emergency back up for breast feeding in case of emergency
When you breastfeed you need 3 bra, plenty of breast pads.
tops in pale colours in case you leak milk (harder to spot on pale coloured tops)
take advice from the shop when you buy your bra, get measured a week before and they will tell you what size you need to allow for when your milk comes in and your boobs swell. some nipple cream for cracked sore nipples (mothercare)
Only wear one pair of bra, keep the others in the boxes unused and keep receipt in case you need to change them for a different size.
you may not ever use formula milk, some mothers just breastfeed right up to weaning. The good thing about a bottle and expressing is you can occasionally have a night out
I breast fed 2 of my children and loved it.
The twins well one of them was too small latched on but wouldn’t feed and the little girl just would not latch on so i had to bottle feed them and i hated it lots of work preparing bottles, sterilising
Yep breast is definitely easier and best
and easier
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:07 pm
First off, if you’ll be breastfeeding, you don’t need any of that stuff. You don’t need to invest in a bottle warmer and certainly don’t need a sterilizer. (Will you be sterilizing your breasts?
) If you expect to give the occassional bottle of pumped milk (so you can be away from your baby) 1-2 bottles, washed in the dishwasher or sink is all you need. (If you store/freeze milk, you’ll do so in storage bags. If you pump just before going out — fresh breastmilk is a living substance, and doesn’t grow bacteria easily. If the milk has been chilled, you can warm in it a bowl of hot water.
You then say ‘when I go to formula.’ Why do you expect to need to do that? Breastfeeding is recommended for a full year or more, at which point you would go to cups and regular milk, not bottles and formula. IF you find, at some point, you want/need to wean to formula and bottles earlier, you can buy the necessary supplies at that time. No sense wasting money on it now.
All you ‘need’ to breastfeed is breasts. I would recommend a few nursing or sports bras, for easy access to the breast. If you’ll be expressing milk more than occassionally, you’d want to buy a pump. (For the rare bottle, hand-expression works pretty well.)
Beyond that — you may want a boppy pillow, (or just use a regular bed pillow to boost baby up a bit) or some special nursing tops, (or wear regular clothes) or a nursing cover-up (or use a receiving blanket to cover, or just wear regular clothes and nurse discreetly that way).
EDIT: Nobody was being rude or bitchy. You asked about ‘breastfeeding essentials’ and for ‘any help or advice.’ A sterilizer and formula for ‘when you wean’ are not ‘breastfeeding essentials.
And yes, many women ARE poorly educated, and believe that breastfeeding is something you do for just a few weeks/months and then wean to formula. If you CHOOSE to do that … that’s your right. But it’s not something you should have to do. And there are many risks to weaning early, and many benefits to nursing for a full year (if at all possible.) So I would encourage you to be sure that you ARE well educated about your decisions.
Finally, if you want your partner to give the occassional feeding (again, not necessary … but may be your choice), I’d encourage you to wait until 4-6 weeks, to allow your supply to become well established and baby nursing well. Then, limit it to just 1-2 feeds a day at most. And you can just pump into the bottle and have daddy give the bottle immediately. (You’ll need to pump at that time anyway, to keep your supply up.) So there will be no need to sterilize or warm anything.
Don’t make more work for yourself. You’ll be busy enough with a young baby.
EDIT: #2 : “Wanting” is not the same as ‘thinking you have to.’ But again, be sure you understand the risks you accept by weaning to formula. If you DO understand and accept them, that’s fine.
EDIT #3: Breastfeeding doesn’t make a person a ‘better mother.’ But breastfeeding IS better for the baby (and you) than formula feeding. And you will never find a single reliable source anywhere that will claim otherwise.