Baby Due Soon- Looking for Tips on Breastfeeding and Pumping

I breastfed both my kids for a year after they were born. We also used AVENT bottles, because I guess they are the closest thing to the nipple there is. It was definitely hard to get the babies to take the bottle the first couple times, but don't worry! They always do when they are hungry enough! And they get used to it. Good luck to you guys.

I haven't read through all the responses, but my biggest piece of pumping advice is to get a set of the SoftFit shields and/or a larger set of shields than what come with the pump (I did best switching back and forth every few days between the soft ones and the large ones. Why they don't make them large AND soft is beyond me!)

Also, don't be suprised if baby goes on a bottle strike at about 4 months and you have to change bottles/nipples

Probably best to only breastfeed at first. The first couple of weeks can be painful, but hang in there and you will get through! Start doing a bottle a day (or how ever many the baby will have in a day when you are out working), a couple of weeks before you go back to work, to get them used to a bottle. That is when you will begin pumping. Hope it goes well for you!:)

I have breasted both my babies. The Lacation Consultants had me purchase Pur nipples from the hospital for bottle feeding. These are important at the beginning due to the shape of the pur nipple being the same shape and slow flow as a breast. Now, I am using the nuk nipples that are suppose to be for breast fed babies. We love them and they fit on our wide mouth bottles. But we didn't switch to those until 2.5 months old. I wanted to make sure the breast feeding was well established before then.

Well, whatever you do, don't stress out about it! I have breastfed 2 kids, and mostly by bottle because pumping was my only option. My 1st baby was a lazy eater, he would start to nurse, then fall asleep, i had to do all i could to keep him awake, i would get so frusterated and give him formula while i pumped and finally he just wouldn't nurse because he figured out the bottle was easier....so I just pumped and pumped and pumped! It was kind of a pain, but i did it for 11 months because i wanted him to have the best, and it was free! Just remember, whatever you do, when she is eating (someone else is feeding her - you should pump) or what i used to do in the middle of the night for a very long time, was set the alarm clock and get up and pump, even when he didn't eat, becuase it builds up your milk supply. I didn't have as much luck w/my 2nd because I had Thrush, then the baby got it, then i found out i has a little PDD and had to take medication, so i quit pumping when she was 3 months old....i still hate myself sometimes for stoppiing, but being a stay at home mom of 2, i needed my sanity and time for me! But 3 months is better than nothing! So, anyhow. Just take your time. The lactation consultants at the hospital are there to help you! Make sure you have them help as much as possible before you go home & have the visiting nurse come, if you get that option! It helps! I know some women can do it so easily, and it looks so easy, but it's just not that easy for some people! Hope this hasn't scared you or anything like that..but I have been there 2 times....and each was a different issue! But in the end, pumping was best for me!
Good luck!

exclusive breast feeding for at least 1 month to build up a supply, then pump for a feeding or in between. You won't generally get much, but any little bit helps. Have hubby feed bottle.

With my 1st, we supplemented early on, 9# baby, always hungry and not content, bottles were not an issue. I used the medela bottles/nipples, a bit more costly than normal bottles but he liked it.

#2 Breast exclusive, some supplementing. Didn't like the medela nipple, used Avent bottles. Took bottles at a time early on, then went on a bottle strike and really fussed with them. Only liked milk REALLY warm. Now 9 months old and just finished nursing/weaning. Takes bottles, but still only very warm.

I waited until my son was about 3-4 weeks old before I pumped for the first time and then I did it about once/day until I returned to work. I was told that pumping after a morning feeding, around 10am was best. Then once at work, I pumped approximately every 3 hours. We introduced the first bottle and the pacifier around 4 weeks old. We used Born Free Bottles. My son never had a problem taking the bottle. He is 10 1/2 months old and we are just now weaning off of breastfeeding. But, then again every baby is different...this is just what worked for us.
Congratulations and Best of luck to you!!

Both of my kids were large babies (8 lb, 10 oz and 9 lbs 9 oz) when they were born. To help them gain back to their birth weight, we supplemented my breastmilk with formula from a bottle.
My sister had inverted nipples and found it easiest to pump her milk and then feed it to her child from a bottle.
We both started our kids on bottles from the beginning, and it didn't interfere with breastfeeding and they took the artificial nipples just fine. If you do like I did, it's very important that you feed by breast first, then a little bottle afterwards. We limited their bottle supplements to one ounce so they wouldn't overeat, and so they'd be hungry for the breast again in a couple hours.

Hi L.,
I used the Pump In Style and it is a great pump (I only pumped as we had issues with thrush and mastitis). One thing to recommend that I didn't think about in the business of being a new mommy- Make sure to look in the instructions to see how to size the shield and make sure it fits correctly- I had mastitis because of my shield fitting incorrectly. As for bottles, we were recommended to use playtex drop-ins, as they are supposed to help babies keep the latch. We had great luck with them. We were also told to wait until baby has the latch down before introducing bottles, as bottles are easier to suck from. Good luck and I'm sure it will work out well!

You are getting alot of great advice. Yes definitely talk to a lactation consultant before you give birth. Make sure you let the nurses know that you want breastfeed. If possible have a lactaion consultant or a nurse recomended by the consultant help you when you first try. It is harder than you would think & some babies & mothers need extra time to get the hang of it.

If you have problems at first try not to get frustrated & keep trying. If possible wait until you both get the hang of breastffeding before you try to introduce the bottle. (I had to introduce a bottle in the hosptial because my milk did not come in right away & DS was jaundiced & needed the fluids. This did make breastfeeding harder since he had to work at it rather than just suck like with a bottle.)

As for nipples every baby is different. My son preferred the nuke style nipple for bottles but refused it for a pascifier & would only accept the round pascifier. Have a couple different styles on hand & if she does not take to one style after a few tries switch to another until you find one she likes.

Good luck & congrats!

First of all, its not necessary for dad to feed the baby to bond. That is the worst excuse for not breastfeeding in my opinion. My husband never fed our boys, and never had a problem bonding to them through holding them, talking to and playing with them, changing diapers, bath time, etc. Feeding is not the only way to bond with a baby. Dads have a different bond with children than mom does anyway, and again its not necessary to use feeding times to bond.

Take a breastfeeding class,and ensure that the hostpial you are delivering at as an IBCLC (Lactation Consultant). Surround yourself with other moms and people who will support your decision, and support you when you need it. Inform your husband that you will be breastfeeding nad you need his support and encouragement. Even your mom and mother in law, they need to be supportive. If anyone is a downer about it, then don't have them around until breastfeeding is goin well.

You can intro a bottle when your baby is nursing well, your supply is in, and baby is latching, and you two have a routine. Sometimes thats as early as 2wks, sometimes not until 6wks. Once you have breastfeeding down, baby has good latch, and you are both comfortable, then intro a bottle.

But mostly don't panic if she doesn't take it right away. its something new, and it will take practice for her too to learn how to drink from a bottle. My boys each liked different bottles... my oldest took the Avent, my youngest the Playtex with drop ins.

So it may be trial and error, but relax, get breastfeeding down first, surround yourself with support, seek help from a lactation consultant if you need it, and then intro a bottle when all is going well.

Congrats on your baby girl!

Good job!! You'll be fine with breastfeeding. It can be offputting at first because it sometimes takes a while before Mama and Baby are in sync and know what they're doing. That's usually the painful part and the time when most people quit. So keep at it, read some of the references others have suggested and see a lactation consultant if you can.

My lactation consultant said it would be ideal to wait 6 weeks before introducing a bottle of expressed milk. That's to avoid nipple confusion. And then you may want your husband to give the first few bottles instead of confusing the baby if you feed her.

We also use the Medela PIS and I think it's great. The bottles and nipples work fine for us, but every baby is different. You'll figure out what she likes as you start into it.

Good luck!

This tip was indispensable for us: our midwife told us that we should introduce a bottle right around 3 weeks. It was perfect. We had no issues at all. Of course, we used those glass Evenflo bottles which only came with the slow flow nipples. Even those seemed to be too fast for such a little baby, but we controlled the bottle with our hands and he got used to it.

I nursed my first for 22 months. We are due anytime in the next 4 weeks with twin girls. I plan to BF again, but also use a bottle as needed to get away!

I've been speaking with several moms that have the same plans as you do. Many and most didnt introduce a bottle until 4 weeks of age. Up to that point, they nursed on demand. Many also used a pacifier during this time and didn't seem to have any nipple confusion issues. At 4 weeks, they introduced the bottle a couple times a week (not daily).

Please note that daddy can bond without feeding your daughter. My hubby bonded pretty much immediately after our first's birth when I was in recovery from a C-section. He didn't mind not feeding her. He did have the opportunity to feed her for about 4 weeks when she was 10 weeks old and I returned to work before becoming a stay at home mom.

Our first never really liked the bottle, so I didn't push it since I was at home. During my work time those 4 weeks, he just brought her to work and I fed her (which was quicker than pumping anyways!). Pumping was ok for me and I used a Medela single pump electric. I have a double pump in style this time around for efficiency mainly. Can't really suggest a good bottle/nipple. So I am looking forward to other moms posts for my information :)

Good luck and remember BF is best, HOWEVER, it doesn't work for everyone. I was just very strong headed and determined it would work for us!

For many reasons, I only BF my first for 7 weeks, and my second for less than 3. They each were given bottles also from the very beginning. I LOVE the Playtex drop-in bottles and used the silicone nipples. My boys didn't seem to mind going back and forth, probably because I did it from the beginning.
With my second, I switched to pumping exclusively (I used the Ameda Purely Yours) and plan to do that again with the one on the way. Since I have no problem producing milk, it doesn't take a lot of time, and being able to use bottles gives me a LOT more freedom.
Sometimes you need to try a few different nipples before you find one your baby likes, so be prepared for that and don't give up. Just make sure you get the slow flow ones made especially for newborns.

one of the first things i did was give my baby a nuk pacifier. and to much dismay of the hospital staff i breastfed and gave bottles. the bottle was formula not pumped. i did this because you can throw away a pacifier but not a thumb. and you never know when you may end up in a crisis and need someone to care for your child and use a bottle and may not have breast milk ready.

i actually made that decision when i babysat a 6 week old and she litterally cried all day. 8 hours and only got her to eat 1 ounce. come to find out when mom picked her up the baby had never had a bottle or formula. not nice to do to a baby.

worked out well especially for second son because i got really sick when he was a month old and i was no longer able to breastfeed. no trouble going to all bottles and formula.

good luck and dont let the nurses tell you it cant be done. and they will try and wake your baby in middle of night for feedings too..... i told my nurses that if the baby is sleeping then they obviously arent hungry. they didnt like that .. LOL.

have fun with your little bundle of joy!

I used Dr. Brown's bottles - they are very similiar to the breast and worked very well for my daughter to nurse and take the bottle.

well there are many ways you can do this but the one thing to keep in mind is make sure that you pump on a regular basis so that you keep your milk supply up. after i had my second son i breast fed him until i had to go back to work,my friend had a baby the day before me and she just pumped like 5 or 6 times and just gave her daughter the bottle and her baby did fine. now that i'm back to work i feed him formula and breast feed him at night. he had no problem taking the bottle for my boyfriend. i used soothie bottles and thoes seemed to work better then just the regular ones.

You will want to breastfeed exclusively the first 6 weeks if you can. Once breastfeeding is established than you can introduce a bottle. I started pumping day I was home from the hospital to avoid engorgement and to start a stash of milk. I went back to work after 10 wks.
My baby is 10.5 months now and still nursing and gets 1-2 bottles a day during the work week. Be careful with introducing the bottle too early or giving it to the baby a lot. It's a lot easier getting the milk from the bottle than to nurse. My baby went on a nursing strike when I went back to work. Kellymom.com has a lot of great information on breastfeeding, pumping and going back to work. This is my 4th baby I've breastfed and I'm so glad I'm able to do this for her. It can be difficult in the beginning but stick with it. It does get easier. Good luck and Happy Labor Day. B.

I used the Medela as well, and it was great! As far as bottles/nipples are concerned, it's a matter of choice...and select bottles that are BPH-free. I used Avent, my sister uses the Playtex drop-in's with her son...whatever your preference is! Also, I think it's recommended to wait until your daughter is about 4 weeks of age if possible to introduce a bottle when breastfeeding, but depending on circumstances, milk flow, etc, sometimes you have to start sooner. Just know that breastfeeding is NOT the easiest, most natural thing in the world--it takes a little patience and perseverance, and although it is the best option, it doesn't work for everyone. A BF book or a class can be helpful and supportive.

The baby runs a risk of getting nipple confused if you introduce the bottle too soon. I gave my oldest a bottle in the hospital and also did this tube thing where you tape the tube to your finger and the tube connects to the milk and so the baby doesn't actually have a nipple at all. Well, my oldest didn't get nipple confused as far as I can tell but it did take a horrible month and emotional up and down for me to get her to latch onto my nipple. My youngest latched right away and had a bit of formula in the hospital because she didn't seem content but at home it was all breast until 8-9 weeks to prep for daycare at 12 weeks. My youngest was nipple confusted the other way where she wanted me but not the fake nipple. I called the lactation lady and she said to make sure breastfeeding is established before introducing the bottle and usually transition to a bottle and breast at 4-6 weeks. Anything later could cause the nipple confusion the other way.

Personally, I didn't want my husband to help because when he did I was up pumping during the night to relieve the fullness. He would get done feeding our oldest and I'd still be pumping. The pump doesn't drain the breast as well either and it just stunk. I had him help twice before I took it all over. It was a motherly instint as well and he just seem irritated and bothered so why even deal with that ontop of being sleep deprived. Just my 2 cents but your situation may be different and all the better for you:)!

I believe that it is recommended to wait a few weeks to introduce a bottle or pacifier to baby in order to make sure that breastfeeding is well established. Our first child had to have a bottle after about a week because I had to go to school, but with our second, we waited about 2 or 3 weeks I think. They both did fine with bottles. We use the playtex nursers with disposable liners. I did notice that right after the kids had pacifiers in the first few weeks, they did have a harder time latching on for the next feeding. We tried not to use pacifiers too often for the first month. As far as pumping goes, I would recommend pumping as often as you can and trying to stay relaxed while pumping. I have found that when I am tense or in a hurry, I don't get as much milk. Good luck!

Knowing I was going to go back to work at the end of 3 months -- I took a different route and Exclusively Pumped for 10 months. When I was exploring options all that was presented was BF or Bottle. However by pumping I was able to provide breatmilk ONLY for my baby through a full 8 months and then weaned completely from the BM when he was almost 11 months old. This allowed my husband a chance to feed, made the transition back to work easier, and still provided all the nutrients of BM. I should add the "bonding" was not much of an issue because both my husband and I did a lot of skin to skin cuddling with our son early on as well.

I do not intend to criticise anyone, but many people who promote BF talk about switching to the bottle as though it will not be a big transition later ---- this is VERY contrary to what people I know have experienced. Also, you will probably be able to look up many postings on this issue right here on Mamasource. Now if you are o.k. with that battle later and prepared for it then by all means, this was just a struggle I looked to avoid.

There is a chat forum for Exclusively Pumping Moms on ivillage online if you are interested. Since doing it myself I have also know another Mom who did this with her second child and my sister-in-law is now doing it with their little one as well. It takes just as much work as BF during the first 3 months, but then is gets easier. And your hubby would get to share the feedings.

Good luck -- whatever your decision.

If there is one thing I wish with #1 is that I hadn't been so worried about this topic. I just had #2 and it was so much easier the second time because I didn't have time to "Worry" about these things!

First, just breastfeed for a while. Your hubby can do other things (just give him space to do it his way - like changing diapers, burping, bathing, etc). After you feel comfortable with breastfeeding (don't worry about him - just concentrate on getting comfortable with the process) then you can try pumping. I would suggest you pump regularily (once a week, every few days, once a day, whatever works for you) after a month or two. I had an abundance of milk so I didn't pump but after about 4 months I couldn't pump (even though I breastfed till 1 year). I don't know why but I could pump for an hour and I would get like 1/4 ounce. Since I had so much milk before that I didn't have a stash in the freezer for when we wanted to go out! Your milk supply will go up and down depending on how much baby is getting. And you might not know hy some days you feel like you are going to burst and why some days you feel like you don't have enough to satisfy the little one.

I used Avent bottles the first time. They were fine. This time, because of the BPA thing, I turned in my old bottles for new ones but thought the new Avent ones were way too expensive. So I got the Playtex drop ins. Mine took his first bottle at probably about 4 weeks (I wanted my daughter to try feeding him) and he was fine! He has taken a nuk (soothie brand) since day 1.

I think they are not nearly as worried about nipple confusion. If your child eats well, it isnt' going to be a problem. I have known babies who didn't like bottles. It is a lot different from you, so you might need to try a few types of bottles if the first don't work. So my suggestion is to pick the bottles you would ideally like to use. Then wash 1! Try it the first time and if it works, you can open the others. Otherwise you might be left with a bunch of bottles that are open, washed, and your child hates!

If you just breastfeed when your child gets hungry (or about every 3 hours to start) and feed him or her until he or she is done (pulls off or can't be woken up to eat any more) they will be fine!! And you will never know exactly how much they are getting - that is OK!!

Good luck and congratulations!

The medela pump can pump directly into medela bottles. I LOVED this feature! I went back to work at about 12 weeks and I worked 10 hour days, so pumping was really the key to successful breastfeeding for my son.
Some great resources are kellymom.com and your local La Leche League group (or check on their website too).
My lactaction consultant said we should wait til after 4 weeks to introduce the bottle. I know that isn't always possible with work schedules, but I think it's pretty sound advice. Once you start with the bottle, it can change your supply too. You'll want a few weeks to get adjusted to breastfeeding before you worry about pumping and giving bottles.
Good luck and congrats on the babe! (I'm due the 7th with babe #2)

I really think you should wait and see before you worry. Especially with the first, there are so many things to possibly worry about, and adding nipple confusion to the list just makes everything harder. I nursed my daughter for 18 months and worked full time for most of that. She had no problems. In addition, she was in NICU for the first four days and while I pumped, they gave her my milk in a bottle, still no issues when we were sent home. Every kid is different, but you will have so many things to worry about that there's no reason to start the worrying before your little girl is even here. Cross that bridge when/if you come to it! (and FYI, I used the Medela pump as well, and bought the Medela nipples that fit on the storage bottles that came with the pump--worked beautifully) Hope this helps!

i could give you SO MUCH help, but in the interest of time (for me) i will give you a couple resources.

first www.askdrsears.com.
dr sears, and his wife martha, have many books, one devoted almost entirely to breastfeeding. fantastic stuff, an absolute must have. i have a few more books in my 'library' that are great for breastfeeding mothers including one about medications and mothers milk... which is great if you anticipate taking any amount of any medication during your nursing experience.

also, www.llli.org (i think) la leche league.
a MUST HAVE for a nursing mother. there should be a group either in your town, or a nearby town, so make sure when you go to the official website and look up locations, check neighboring towns too. or just get the contact information of a representative in the area who can help you answer questions - she might even come to your house and help you out - you never know unless you ask and form a relationship with the la leche league! :D

i didnt go until my son was older, and i regret every minute missed while my son was a baby. though i didnt have trouble breastfeeding, i REALLY could have used the support when no one, not my family, or current friends at the time, was supporting my decision to breastfeed for an extended period of time.
you will NEED this moms group to help you along the way, even if you dont have trouble, just for the mom-friends! :D

anyway, if you need more help or just want to talk through everything with a mom who breastfed, please send me a message. im more than willing to help you out !

Hi L.,
I'm sure you'll get lots of responses, but here's my two cents. I did both bottles and breastfed from day 1 with both of my kids (4 and 6-months) and in my opinion, that was key. To just get them used to both from the start. Maybe I'm lucky because my kids didn't have a problem with either. As for the bottles, I use the Medela PIS at work with the Medela bottles. The nipples aren't the best, but Dr. Brown nipples work well with the Medela bottles. I don't know if they're the BEST bottles in the world, but they work and they're relatively inexpensive...and you can just pump right into them, which is the best feature.
Best of luck and congratulations!
J.

I will try to make this short...I recommend the Playtex Nursers with the wide nipple. THey worked well for us in going back and forth from breast to bottle. I also used the Medella PIS. I will also say that you should breastfeed your baby as much as possible when you are home and minimize the use of the bottle when you can breastfeed. I say this because pumping doesn't keep your milk supply up quite as well as nursing does. Good Luck! Congratulations! And enjoy your baby.

I can't help on breastfeeding, because neither one of my babies could get latched on properly even with the help of a lactation consultant. I pumped for 7 months with my first son and am pumping right now for my 3 month old daughter. I use a Medela Pump in Style Advanced and my tips for pumping are these:
1. Take an old bra or sports bra and cut a small hole in the nipple area. Take you "trumpet" piece and put it under the bra and through the hole. Attach the rest of the pump piece to the outside and you can pump "hands free".
2. Make sure when you pump that you get all of the milk out. I pump for 15-20 minutes. Massage your breasts at the end to make sure you've gotten all the milk out. You can feel "pockets" of milk in ducts and gently massage them to release the milk.
3. My lactation consultant told me you don't have to wash the pump pieces after every use, just once a day. Just rinse them with warm water afterward. Breast milk is not dirty.
4. Try to let your nipples air dry for a few minutes after pumping or breastfeeding.
5. Use your nursing cover-up for pumping if you have friends/family over and don't want to be refined to a different room.
Also, I use Dr. Brown bottles and have had no problems with either child. They are kind of a pain to wash, but a friend has a baby with colic and the bottles helped tremendously.
Also, the Dr. Brown bottles fit on to the pump, so you can pump right in to the bottles. I produce a lot of milk (16-22 oz. this time, avg. 32 oz per sitting with my first child) so its nice to be able to pump in to a bigger bottle (8 oz).
Hope some of that helps. Good Luck!

Congratulations on your baby! My first baby was also due on February 16th (of 2006) - she was actually born on the 12th:)

Regarding Breastfeeding:
-Take a breastfeeding class before you give birth and made your husband come with. Nursing is very hard at first and you'll need all the support you can get. He'll need to understand that.
-Breastfeed early and often. Let your labor nurses know that you want to BF as early as possible after labor. Then while you're in the hospital feed as often as the baby will take it (basically every time she's awake).
-Wait to give her a bottle between her 3rd and 4th week. Then give her a bottle once every few days until you go back to work. Don't worry about nipple confusion, as by her 3rd week, she'll still prefer you anyways.
Good luck!!!

Hi L.,
First off, make sure you take a breastfeeding class with your husband - one that's offered by your hospital will suffice. You'll get so much information and it really demystifies the whole BF process, which gets a little scary once the baby actually comes home. That being said, it should not be too tough to get your baby accustomed to the bottle. They say to wait 4 weeks before introducing the bottle, as there might be some "nipple confusion" between breast and bottle, and the babe might prefer the bottle (since the milk flows a little faster). We introduced the bottle at 3 weeks, and my son never had "nipple confusion" issues at all. If you have someone other than you give that first bottle (and subsequent bottles as well), things will mostly likely go smoothly, and you'll be able to switch from bottle to breast with ease. Just like everything else with kids, give it time and don't give up - your little girl will be fine with it if you're consistent. When you get bottles, try to find wide nipples that are more like the breast, and make sure you get the slowest flow possible. This will make that difference between plastic and the real thing seem less obvious to the baby. I breastfed my baby boy for a little over 12 months, and he loved bottles as much as M.'s ta-tas! ;)
Best of luck and congrats!
Amy K

L.,
I just had my 3rd child in October I had a baby girl. I will let you know that breastfeeding is tough at first it was even for me, I have breastfeed all three of mine I have 2 boys ages 12 and 8. Be strong and do not doubt yourself. It will take about 1 to 2 weeks before your nipples will become use to it. If they start getting soar ask for the Lansinoh cream when you are in the hospital they will give you a small tub it should be enough and you put it on after nursing it will help alot.
I had alot of trouble getting my daughter now 15 weeks old to get use to a bottle. I am luck enought where she is able to come to work with me until March and she just started accepting the bottle. I used Playtex bottles with the brown nipples she will not accept the clear nipples. I had to sit her in the car seat and I had nursed her a little bit about an hour before so she was not overly hungry nor was she full. I just kept putting the bottle in her mouth and eventually she latched onto it. I have been giving her 1 bottle a day with breastmilk in it since.
She started out with a bad reflex and gaged everytime I tried to give her the bottle or a pacifier. She still does not take a pacifier, but now is doing great with the bottle.
That is my experience. Good luck and try different things but don't give up, especially on the breastfeeding. Even when people tell you differently. Hubby will get his chance to feed her and bond with her.
Good luck.
Sheree'