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SanHawaii08
member
- pumping wipes
- bottles, nipples, etc (clearly needed - but which ones? how many bottles of how many brands, since we don't know which ones the LO will like? bottles come with nipples, it seems, but should i get other ones? etc.)
- bottle brush
- drying rack
- microwaveable sterilizer bags and wipes
need help with bottles/pumping supplies
SanHawaii08
member
hi ladies, i'm pretty much finished with our registry, with the exception of bottles and other pumping-related supplies. i'm a bit overwhelmed.
here's some stuff I've seen mentioned in various places. do i need all of these? are there specific ones you'd recommend? linkies would be super helpful!
- hands-free pumping bustier (I registered for the PISA, but i recall inamra used an old bra and cut it to fit?)- pumping wipes
- bottles, nipples, etc (clearly needed - but which ones? how many bottles of how many brands, since we don't know which ones the LO will like? bottles come with nipples, it seems, but should i get other ones? etc.)
- bottle brush
- drying rack
- microwaveable sterilizer bags and wipes
anything else I'm missing?
thanks so much!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: need help with bottles/pumping supplies
- hands-free pumping bustier (I registered for the PISA, but i recall inamra used an old bra and cut it to fit?) I don't have hands free capability and don't seem to need it. i balance the big glass bottles on my legs - no spills yet (from that anyways). Some people swear by it though. ummm, could be my body shape?
- pumping wipes - also haven't used but just bought some for my evening out to the winery (and bought a hand pump since I will be gone 8 hours).
- bottles, nipples, etc (clearly needed - but which ones? how many bottles of how many brands, since we don't know which ones the LO will like? bottles come with nipples, it seems, but should i get other ones? etc.) I would say buy 1 (or 2 if you want to over plan) and see if it works. The pump also includes a simple nipple attachment for another option. If it doesn't work try something else, if it does (or a subsequent one does) but at least 8 if you end up working outside the home. I send 4-5 pre-made bottles to daycare every day. I would say not to worry about extra nipples until you find a bottle that works and even then they last for months?? I haven't replaced ours yet. If BFing you can skip moving up to the faster flow nipples if you want.
in case you are curious we use tommee tippee - I like that I can see he has a proper (bf friendly) latch. We started with born free glass b/c I wanted glass but I didn't like the extra pieces. He never refused one but he would develop a poor latch after using a smaller nipple (like evenflo). Really, it's all personal (baby) preference though.
- bottle brush yes you need one - I used it until it started to look worn out. I like the avent one, MIL prefered the munckin one.
- drying rack I bought a cheap munchkin one at target. I count it as a necessity b/c there is always something in our reg. dish rack and it's nice to have a special place for bottles since we wash every night.
- microwaveable sterilizer bags and wipes - we don't sterilize bottles and I only occasionally use the steam bags for my pump parts (nights that we don't end up washing bottles). I guess some people steam/sterilize everything every night.
anything else I'm missing? people that steam/sterlize everynight swear by a project just for that purpose. never looked into it.
thanks so much!
I just keep the pump parts in the fridge in between pumping at work (tip I got from this board) so that is another reason for me to not need the steam bags on a regular basis.-hands-free pumping bustier (I registered for the PISA, but i recall inamra used an old bra and cut it to fit?)
I am all about multi-tasking but honestly, I never use the hands-free features on my FreeStyle...too much of a PITA to arrange the holders onto my nursing bras/tanks. The bustier would take to long to put on/off at the office and I only pump 8 minutes max, so I just use the time to chill for a minute. If you find that you need to pump longer you could look into getting one or DIY...if you Google it you'll find ways to rig rubber bands to your bra straps and/or just cut openings in an old bra. Way cheaper than $50 for a nursing bustier that holds the bottles for you!
- pumping wipes
I've never used them...but I have ample access to water at work (we have a full kitchen). I wash my pump parts at home anyway. I bring them to/from work in a gallon sized ziploc bag that they then go into after I pump. If I need to pump more than once that day (I usually don't but on occassion need to) the parts in the bag go into the fridge. I bring them home each night at wash them at home.
- bottles, nipples, etc (clearly needed - but which ones? how many bottles of how many brands, since we don't know which ones the LO will like? bottles come with nipples, it seems, but should i get other ones? etc.)
We wash our bottles in the dishwasher and have a bottle brush but honestly never need to use it. We did get a basket for the top rack of the DW that holds nipples, caps, etc. I would recommend using the bottles that come with your pump for pumping and getting a couple of bottles of different brands to try with LO. We have quite the collection and she took NONE of them. We had the best luck with BreastFlow and Playtex Drop Ins. But seriously, I have at least 20 bottles and all of their accompanying paraphenalia and my DD has been taking EBM from a cup (actually the caps to a few of those rejected bottles) when I am not with her to nurse her.
- bottle brush
See above
- drying rack
Yes, we use ours daily, especially for drying pump parts which cannot go into the DW. Also the bottles come out of the DW not fully dry so they go onto the rack as well. We got a cheapie one by Muchkin at Target (it is green) and it's perfect for our small kitchen. We dry her bibs and utensils/plate on it now that she's on solids.
- microwaveable sterilizer bags and wipes
I have some of the bags but rarely use them.
anything else I'm missing?
TTC/PG Blog | Mommy Blog
- pumping wipes
- bottles, nipples, etc (clearly needed - but which ones? how many bottles of how many brands, since we don't know which ones the LO will like? bottles come with nipples, it seems, but should i get other ones? etc.)
- bottle brush
- drying rack
- microwaveable sterilizer bags and wipes
Malia & Dave & Alexa
Happily married since 2-17-08! Three since 9-9-09!
Baby Blog
Note: I only pump at home. Some things might be different if you will have to pump on the go or at work.
- hands-free pumping bustier Don't have one and don't feel like I need one.
- pumping wipes Don't have these either. What do you wipe with them?
- bottles, nipples, etc (clearly needed - but which ones? how many bottles of how many brands, since we don't know which ones the LO will like? bottles come with nipples, it seems, but should i get other ones? etc.) I mostly use the ones that came with the PISA. I also have the BreastFlow starter set, which I use in its entirety. And I have a Playtex drop-ins starter set, but haven't opened it yet. (We only use a few bottles a week at this point, so the small supply has worked.)
- bottle brush Definitely need this. I use the one from my BreastFlow starter.
- drying rack Don't have one. I just dry things in the dishwasher or in the Avent microwave sterilizer we have.
- microwaveable sterilizer bags and wipes Don't have these either. I clean the pump parts by washing and then steaming them in the microwaveable sterilizer (same one we use for the bottle parts).
- hands-free pumping bustier (I registered for the PISA, but i recall inamra used an old bra and cut it to fit?)
Yeah, I took an old sports bra (so it's tight and stretchy) and cut a slit in the middle of both sides (measured so the flanges of the pump can fit when the slit stretched out but not too big so that the flanges will hold without falling out when the weight of the pumped milk in the bottles start weighing it down--I actually had cut them a bit too big and sewed the slits smaller but they work like a charm now...I was planning to sew the ends anyway so they don't rip further in the wash). Then I just put on the bra, slip the pump flanges into each slit in the bra and pump away while using my computer. Granted, I only use it at home, but it's great for doing something while pumping other than pumping
- pumping wipes
Don't have/use these. I just rinse and soak the pumping parts in boiling water (I have an electric kettle at home that's super fast and easy to boil water) every time after I pump, then air dry from there. It dries faster if I shake them really hard after getting them out of the water. MH usually does this stuff and I recently ordered another set of the pump bottles/flanges/diaphragm/tips to make his life easier so if he doesn't wash them right away, I can use the other set.
- bottles, nipples, etc (clearly needed - but which ones? how many bottles of how many brands, since we don't know which ones the LO will like? bottles come with nipples, it seems, but should i get other ones? etc.)
I'd wait on getting these, or save all your receipts and get one of each brand that you're interested in but not too many. You never know which ones LO will like. I don't think the bottles matter too much, I'd just get whatever bottle you want (but preferably standard-sized openings so you can switch out the nipple)--we got Evenflo glass bottles because they were reasonably priced, rated well on Amazon, and because we don't like the idea of heating plastic, so we wanted glass. But the nipples really matter IMO because that's what LO gets picky about. The hospital gave us a NUK paci at the hospital and that's the first paci LO used. He really loves it and now he won't take his bottle anymore, so I had to go out and get NUK nipples that are shaped like the pacis so that he'll take the bottle.
- bottle brush
We got a The First Years starter kit as a gift (but it came with plastic bottles, so we're saving it for juice/water later on) that came with one and we haven't had the need for more, so that works well, but if you're planning on using the dishwasher for your bottles, we personally haven't found the need to use the bottle brush with the dishwasher--only when washing by hand.
- drying rack
We just use our existing dishes drying rack, since it's only for clean dishes anyway, so it's clean.
- microwaveable sterilizer bags and wipes
Don't have/use these. I prefer to sterilize with boiling water anyway, and with my electric kettle, it's really easy. We have a dedicated pot for sterilizing too.
anything else I'm missing?
I don't know if you're a dishwasher person, but MH does all the cleaning in our household and he lives by the dishwasher, so the bottle dishwasher baskets/racks are super useful and he LOVES them, especially the top half (the top half comes apart from the bottom half) since they keep the nipples in place so they don't end up falling down into the bottom of the dishwasher since they're small.
ETA: I also second the milk bags, if you plan to freeze. But I wouldn't recommend using them if you're not freezing. I started to use them for milk that I was just pumping, but not freezing and it ended up being a waste because you have to pour them into the bottle to feed anyway, so I was just wasting bags. I personally use the Lanisoh bags. They include samples of their bags in their nursing pads boxes too. On a side note, you may need nursing pads, but it depends on if you leak or not. I do pretty often, so I ended up getting a fat pack of nursing pads from Amazon. Also, if you just add the Lanisoh pump to your registry, they'll send you lots of samples. I ended up using everything Lanisoh, mainly because their pump was well-reviewed and way cheaper...and I just stuck on to their brand from there since I liked my pump...
- bottles, nipples, etc (clearly needed - but which ones? how many bottles of how many brands, since we don't know which ones the LO will like? bottles come with nipples, it seems, but should i get other ones? etc.) - start with small bottles of 1-2 kinds to see what LO likes. I had BreastFlow and a myriad of others. Ended up with Dr Brown's for his gas issues. Just start with the regular nipples they come with - they are mostly for flow control.
- bottle brush - use it daily
- drying rack - use it daily
- microwaveable sterilizer bags and wipes - never did this... asked pedi and he said not necessary.
oh yeah - milk bags are a must if you are freezing. I like the lansinoh ones too (cheaper than medela and readily availible at my grocery store).
I like the lansinoh disposable pads too - I still wear them for work because they are more discreet and bullet proof than the reusable ones I bought. I would prefer to always use the reusable ones but I am unusually worried that I will leak at work because I sometimes get caught in a meeting. These days it takes me hours to get tot he point of leaking, but it still does happen.
I freeze them flat and then just stack them on their sides in my freezer drawer (don't have a deep freeze unfortunately).
we got a drop in set as a gift and I never use it. It came with the breastfeeding storage rings kit and it leaked in my fridge!! Maybe user error but that was as good of reason as any to not use those bottles.
- hands-free pumping bustier (I registered for the PISA, but i recall inamra used an old bra and cut it to fit?)
don't have one and it'd be nice sometimes but i rarely pump at home. mostly just at work and i don't multi-task there
- pumping wipes
i've never even heard of these! i just put the flanges in a large gallon size ziploc, stick in the fridge and re-use the next time i pump. then i take them home and wash at home. even if i needed to to wash them at work i'd just use the sink
- bottles, nipples, etc (clearly needed - but which ones? how many bottles of how many brands, since we don't know which ones the LO will like? bottles come with nipples, it seems, but should i get other ones? etc.)
the JBF sale is a great place to get these b/c you can get them for $0.50-1 each and not worry about spending a fortune to get a "starter kit" of multiple bottle/nipple types to figure out what LO likes. just boil everything for 10 minutes before use to sterilize
- bottle brush
i have one of the Dr. Brown's ones...it was new and came w/a set i bought at the JBF sale. i've used it once or twice but otherwise i haven't needed it.
- drying rack
don't have one. i either let them dry in the dishwasher or set them out (upright) and let them air dry after shaking the residual water out
- microwaveable sterilizer bags and wipes
would be nice sometimes but i never got any and was ok. the medela ones are supposed to be reusable like 100 times or something i think. can't remember what the LC said.
Jaime & Brent
Oahu, Hawaii | Sept. 9, 2005
My Food Blog - Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats
Oh, I use Sensible Lines Freezer Trays for my milk...never did the storage bag thing. I make "milk sticks" and then transfer them into gallon sized freezer bags in two week intervals (one bag has two weeks worth of pumping in it) and they go in the middle of the freezer. After 4 months of pumping WAY more than she eats I've got quite the stash. I am thinking about donating.
https://www.sensiblelines.com/
And I second the Lanisoh pads...they're awesome! I wish resuable/cloth pads worked for me, but I leak a lot and the Lanisoh ones have been bullet proof for me. I've tried the Gerber disposable ones too and they're good as well, but not as soft/thin as the Lanisoh ones. Lately, I can use one set for two days or so...I don't use the stickers because one time they wouldn't come out of my bra! So I just leave the backings on and place them in...tey don't budge!
TTC/PG Blog | Mommy Blog
As a EP, I can tell you that a hands free pumping bra would be a total waste of money! I too made small holes in an old sports bra and put the pump parts though there. It worked well but was such a PITA to put on the sports bra when I wanted to pump. I REALLY rec googling the rubber band trick!!!!! It has been a lifesaver! I can hook the bands & pump to any bra, or tank top if I'm not wearing a bra. It's so much quicker!
I use the playtex systems (ventaire & drop ins) and really like it. Ryan insists on eating himself to sleep so we don't ususally burb him. With the Ventaire bottles, and even the drops ins, he never ususally has anything to burp anyway! You can use the same nipple for both systems so that makes it really nice. The blue rings work REALLY well for me. I pump into the liner, store it w/the blue rings, and then set them in hot water to warm them. Also the adapter that comes with the rings makes it so I can pump directly into the ventaire bottles so it cuts down on the liners (which cost $ & not great for the environment) and it also cuts down on washing the pump bottles.
I know I'm rambling, and I didn't answer all your questions but HTH's!