What do you need to be able to breastfeed...

ok obviously at first this looks like a stupid question - you need a boob and a baby right?



haha what I mean is... the other things like nursing bra's (or are they a waste) big muslin's or cloths to cover yourself etc etc.



Ii really want to give breastfeeding a go this time and want to be prepared - it's so hard to get things here that i want to try and find what i need for cheap now rather than have to rush out and get it from the first ridiculously overpriced shop I can find IF I need it.



So what do I actually need?

Breast pads!!

As for bras/tops I know a lot of people that only wore nursing bras and nursing tops but I can't stand a bra without underwire &a bit of padding so they don't droop, so I just wore normal bras and slipped my boob out the cup bit. I found it easier than faffing around with the clips. Same with tops really I just tended to wear tops with lower neckline so I could just pull the top down a bit.

As for covering up i used a muslin or one of her blankets, after about a month or two i didn't care much about covering up. Her head covered everything.

Other things you might want to think about are breast pump - I loved the avent manual one and hated TT one, and some of those fridge/freezer bags for milk. Just in case you need to go out and someone else looks after baby

ok my personal list is:

-breast pads - you will need them, and LOTS of them (in the early days i went through probably 4 pairs a day easily especially at night, if i didn't wear them i would soak the bed) you will need to shop around for your favourites (if you can). i loved johnsons breast pads at first as they were sooooooo soft, absorbent and had a dimple for your nipple (good for sore nipnips!), i preferred lansinoh pads later though as they were thin and discreet.

-nursing bras - get a minimum of 4 as at first anyway you will probably wear them day and night, get fitted at about 36 weeks so they fit pretty well although you may need to go up a size when your milk comes in so maybe get 1 or 2 at first then more.......i absolutely loved mine as you can umm pop a boob out with minimal fuss and i found underwires sore with full boobs (plus apparently you are recommended to go without underwires to allow milk flow etc)

lansinoh lansinoh lansinoh!!! - i absolutely couldn't have lived without it. at first your nipples will be really sore, that's totally normal, but lansinoh will help protect them and you don't need to wipe it off as its safe for babies. if you can't get it there i would strongly recommend you get someone to post a couple of tubes over, you will be so grateful for it!!! start using it from the first feed (just slather a bit on afterwards!) and keep going at each feed for quite a while (weeks/months until you are healed etc)

-vests- a great breastfeeding combination is a decent nursing bra, a thin vest and something over the top like a baggy shirt or top so you can pull the top up, the vest down and you really aren't showing anything - i know lots of people use clothes etc but i was so scared of smothering elijah with my superfull boobs! the combo worked great for me but it might be less comfy if it's really hot to have 2 layers on....good for hiding post baby tummy too

like shell says you might want to think about a breast pump - i would probably start with a manual one as they are cheaper and expressing doesn't suit everyone, plus some breast milk storage bags/a couple of bottles so you can get a break once your breastfeeding is up and running.

other important things to know are that you need to drink ALOT of water/juice/anything as you will get dehydrated easily and feel rubbish so it's nice to have a few water bottles etc handy that you can refill and carry everywhere, you also need to eat about 500 extra calories a day at first (nom nom nom) and its a good idea to avoid loads of citrus or spicy foods but you will learn this

some people find it useful to have formula in the house so they feel if it gets too much they have a fallback - some people are totally against it as they feel it will encourage them to give up, you can decide for yourself i liked knowing there was an alternative.

the main thing to be prepared for is the fact only you will be able to feed your baby for a while, and that means VERY little sleep at first (your baby may feed every 2 hours for an hour...so feed 2-3am, then again 4-5am....then 6-7am etc) but remember it isn't forever

ahem sorry for the monster post, but these are some things i wish someone had told me

Hmm i think I had it ridiculously easy then... I used one set of pads a day, none at night. I didn't need nipple cream, never had soreness. I wore underwire and never had any problems with blocked ducts or mastitis. Maybe I should be prepared for a harder time this time round.

I found nursing bras really helpful, especially when your milk kicks in and they get a bit sore. I found the crossover style ones much better than anything with buttons/clips, as they just tend to dig in to you/baby.

Breast pads also, unless you want to keave a tiny trail of milk behind you wherever you go! big muslins are useful for a bit of privacy and mopping up.. nursing pillow, got a maternity scarf for bfing outside.. i think thats it!

Vests - just a got a couple that button open up at the front, everything else gets heaved up out of the way

And, everything that mari said! I haven't needed nipple cream this time, and haven't bothered with a breast pump, although I have a bit of formula on standby.

I bought some b/f bras but hated them, for the first few days i was wearing tesco value crop tops. my boobs were supporting themselves lol!!! then i just went back to normal ones in a bit bigger size. I always used to forget breastpads and end up with big wet nipple patches lol so always had a cardi handy. I didn't really get sore nips so didnt need cream. Make sure when you sit down to feed that you have everything to hand that you might need... tv remote, magazine etc. i never used anything to cover up... i did the 2 tops, one up, one down method lol. i had it pretty easy too.

thank you girlies lots of good tips

Mari luckily you can get lansinoh here they gave some to me at the hospital last time when I had bleeding nipples from trying to feed Tyler. I obviously didn't carry on breastfeeding but found other good uses for it too (it cleared up Tylers baby acne and was fab for rash's!!)



Mari don't apologise for a "monster" post I'm grateful you took the time out to reply like that. I need all the help I can get I won't be getting any useful advice from the nurses at the hospital so BandA will be my saving grace

^ ooh forgot - widgey or similar nursing pillow, my 5ft pregnancy pillow was a godsend to support my back/elbow/child

yes that's deffo on my list

I think I'd agree with Mari. I found the tommy tippee pads the best. I sprayed milk everywhere for the first few months so went through loads.

I'm another that would say get nursing bras. I think its so much easier (although am large breasted which might make a difference). I did get nursing tops early on but I don't really think they're necessary and stopped using them. The baby covers everything anyway.

Muslin cloths was a must for me. I covered Jamie in them to protect him from my spraying milk. I also used them to stop my milk flow when he came on and off the breast.

I actually found a pillow less comfortable than just feeding him but I guess it depends on you.

As Mari said be prepared to feed lots, especially in the early days. The second night Jamie literally fed all night. Then he quite often fed hourly and rarely went more than two hours until he was 41/2 months (although he doesn't take more than 4oz if you give him a bottle so I suspect he feeds little and often). Also don't forget its not unusual for them to cluster feed. Sometimes Jamie would feed all evening and its easy to get down but then they will probably go a bit longer.

I actually got bottles, a steriliser and a couple of cartons of formula just in case as it made hubby feel better. I didn't bother getting a pump until after he was born based on the fact that I didn't know if I'd be able to feed and didn't see the point spending the money if I didn't

I would leave bottles of water all over the house as you get really thirsty and I never remembered to get a drink before I started feeding. Also, I was told bf babies don't get wind but that's just a lie

Quote :

Also, I was told bf babies don't get wind but that's just a lie

hahaha i agree, lies!

The johnsons pads are fab.

I could not live without my breastfeeding pillow. I got it from mc £22 its a lot but well worth it i found

Char

Remembered another one at about 3am! It's good to have a box of things that you need (like jessica said, remote, drink, magazine etc) it's also a huge help to have a "Tyler" box if you'll be on your own with the two of the at any point - a box with his favourite book/game/toy/juice box/snack.. something like that. I find that Milo doesn't mind me feeding Noah if I read a book with him at the same time, or give him a snack and a cuddle, so it helps to have all that stuff prepared Hope that makes sense, haven't had my morning cuppa yet

no that makes perfect sense Kat good thinking!!