I will say that the one baby food gadget we like is a pouch filling station we got on Amazon. Pouches are super super convenient (even into the toddler years!) but the ones at the store are SO pricey compared to making them at home! It's a little time consuming but easy and you have total control over what you're filling them with- your own puree, store bought puree, applesauce, yogurt, whatever. We love ours.
Breastfeeding exclusively for us! As long as we can. I made it 22 months with DS, so I'm hoping to be able to do the same for future kids. At 6 or 7 months, we do baby-led weaning (I highly recommend this!) and we'll probably do some homemade yogurt/puree pouches as well.
This exactly! I am very pro breastfeeding and so happy we made to almost 22 months with babe number 2... DS number 1 was only BF for a few weeks until we went to formula. I was determined with number 2 and so happy I stuck with it and made it. The bond and health benefits are seriously endless!
My goal is to EBF for the first 6-8 months until this LO shows they are ready to try solids. We do a combo of BLW and puréed foods. I will continue to BF until this LO decides to wean. We will nurse past 1 year, and at that point I will let him/her decide when he/she is ready to wean.
These are all just my goals for now. I learned quickly with my first to go with the flow.
I would love to be able to BF...my goal is to BF for the first year, and see how it goes after that. DH and I really want to try BLW, as we've heard such wonderful things about it. (Going to buy that book after I post here, thanks @AdventureMama!) I'm really hoping I'm able to successfully BF. I'm going to be a SAHM, so I don't have to worry too much about pumping. I'm hoping to pump some so DH can help with feeding, or if someone is watching LO, then they can feed them
If we need to supplement with formula, I'd like to stick with a more natural type, but obviously who knows what will ultimately work best for baby lol.
I tried to BF my oldest, but it was so painful that I found myself getting angry at my son so we switched to formula after a couple weeks. I plan on trying again this time and hopefully me being more mature will bring more patience.
@je5sc0 I would wait a few weeks until your supply regulates and BF is easier for you and LO. I would add a pumping session in the morning because that is often when your supply is up. I probably pumped once a day from month 2-8. I had a decent amount of milk. I would also pump if away from LO for an extended amount of time.
I'll be the only other oddball so far, but more than likely we plan to FF. BF didn't work out with my first son and we were both miserable, so I may try and EP for a couple weeks and then change over.
Benjamin born on - 4/5/12 BFP 12/31/14, EDD 9/08/14 ~ Natural M/C 2/21/14 at 11.5 weeks BFP 5/24/15 - EDD 2/4/16
I'll be the only other oddball so far, but more than likely we plan to FF. BF didn't work out with my first son and we were both miserable, so I may try and EP for a couple weeks and then change over.
I don't know how people EP! My sister did it for a year and I had a love/hate relationship just having to pump twice at work!
I plan on trying to BF but also definitely want to pump and use bottles sometimes so that the LO gets used to it and other people can feed him. I'm undecided on whether I'll return to work or not so I plan on playing all of this by ear and seeing how things go when he's born.
Yup another oddball here. We will be FF #3 from the very start.
As far as eating goes, we will probably start purees around 5-6 months and do a BLW type thing probably after the first month. it has really worked for us with the first two and they are such good eaters so i'm hoping that we've got something going here...lol. time will tell.
FTM here, I plan on BFing. I am hoping, after the first few weeks, to start pumping as well in order to make bottles so that H and my mom or mother in law can feed sometimes, mostly for my H though. Both my sisters, and everyone on my husbands side FF so it's going to be a transition for a lot of people for me to BF, but I am excited about it. My one sister in law (Brothers wife) BF and is pumped that I am going to try so that she can help and support me. I am just finally glad H is on board with me trying it since he really had no experience with anyone doing it. I am a cyber school teacher and will be off for the month and a half and then working from home until the end of the year, then home all summer, so I thankfully will be able to spend some bonding feeding time and won't have to stress about having to only pump because of work. If I am able to BF I hope to make it as long as I can (hoping a year).
I also would love to make our food as well. Steaming and pureeing. My girlfriend does that for her son and told me she can show me Can't wait!
I'm planning to BF, but I'm nervous I won't be able to. Lots of my friends have struggled. I go back to work after 8 weeks, so I hope I get pumping figured out by then.
We are planning to make our own purées. Never heard of BLW, to be honest. I have some research to do!
I've been fortunate to have a smooth breastfeeding experience with my first two kids. We've done only breastmilk until 6 months, breastmilk + some solids 6 mo - 1 year, and then weaned gradually around 1 year to whole cow's milk and solids. That will be our plan again, unless there are some bumps in the road that we haven't experienced in the past.
I also just want to say that we tried baby led weaning with my first and did not have a good experience. I had read the book and blogs about it, and tried 3-4 meals, but my son gagged around 20 times per meal while feeding himself. With purees, we experienced no gagging. (ETA I wasn't concerned for his safety, but that he was developing a negative association with eating because all the gagging was so, so unpleasant. Every one of those meals ended with lots of baby crying.) I just share this here because I hadn't read very many negative BLW experiences and was a little shocked and defeated that I felt it was best to quit, even though I had talked this method up to our friends and family for the couple months prior. I wish I had known that it doesn't work out to be the best choice for all babies:)
I would like to BF as long as possible. I'll be going back to work after 3 months and have a bit of anxiety about that as I have heard that supply starts to decrease with only pumping during the day. The daycare we plan to use is less than 5 minutes from my office and allow daytime visits so I will be able to BF on my lunch breaks, but for some reason I am still nervous about losing supply. We'll see how it goes, I won't hesitate to supplement with formula if needed. I just wish I wasn't so anxious about pumping at work.
Has anyone had much success with continuing BFing after returning to work?
This will be my fourth baby but second that I've had to plan and pump around a dedicated work schedule. Everybody is different and produces different. Every baby consumes different amounts as well. I was able to pump twice at work,once mid morn and once mid aft, for about 10-15 min each time. With that I was able to produce 17-20 ounces and that was more than enough while he was at daycare. You'll just figure out a schedule and time frame that works for you and baby. If you find you need more, just pump longer or add another session and your body will produce more and vice versa. Check and see if there are any breastfeeding mom groups in your area or if the hospital offers any classes for breastfeeding working moms. You'll be nervous at first but after a while it's just routine.
My goal with be to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months. With twins I'm not sure how it will go. I only made it 4 months with my youngest because I had to go back to work and couldn't keep up pumping. By that point I'm also sure we'll be at least starting cereals. This time I have that whole 6 months to be home so fingers crossed it will work out, but if not formula will work.
Plan is to EBF. I really struggled with LO with supply and latch issues, but it was really important to me, so a lot of my life (and stress) revolved around it for a while. We made it to 22mo (when I was around 7wks pregnant).
I know that this time, if I have the same struggles, I may not be able to make it as long without supplementing. You can only do the best you can, though (FF or BF).
For those that are planning to exclusively FF, I would encourage you to research/consider giving baby your colostrum the first couple days. You don't even have to latch baby for it, if you don't want to. It can be hand expressed and spoon/syringe fed. Your body will make it anyway, might as well give them some super nutrient dense stuff while their tummy is still tiny.
Plan is to EBF. I really struggled with LO with supply and latch issues, but it was really important to me, so a lot of my life (and stress) revolved around it for a while. We made it to 22mo (when I was around 7wks pregnant).
I know that this time, if I have the same struggles, I may not be able to make it as long without supplementing. You can only do the best you can, though (FF or BF).
For those that are planning to exclusively FF, I would encourage you to research/consider giving baby your colostrum the first couple days. You don't even have to latch baby for it, if you don't want to. It can be hand expressed and spoon/syringe fed. Your body will make it anyway, might as well give them some super nutrient dense stuff while their tummy is still tiny.
Yup, this is exactly why I'm going to at least pump for the first couple weeks before switching over!
Benjamin born on - 4/5/12 BFP 12/31/14, EDD 9/08/14 ~ Natural M/C 2/21/14 at 11.5 weeks BFP 5/24/15 - EDD 2/4/16
To all that have pumping while working questions and @hlmdeck
Yes maam! I started back to work at 12 weeks. I was a little scared about how we were going to do it but my friend, who is an LC, helped me come up with a pumping schedule and it went off without a hitch. Most think that you have to have this huge stash before you return to work but really, you only need a days worth. You pump when baby eats/takes bottle and thats the bottle for the next day (at that feeding time). I pumped at 10-12-2 and those bottles went to the sitters with him for the next day when he would take his bottle at 10-12-2. Of course times varied but you want to make sure you pump when they eat so your body is still use to that timing otherwise it will think it doesn't need milk at those times so it will produce less... make sense?
I am very pro breastfeeding and am willing to help any and all. I am all about a fed baby is best and if one wants to go straight to FF, that is fine. You do whats best for you and your family however, I dont want someone to stop breastfeeding over something that can easily be fixed. Never quit on a bad day. There is always a way if you are determined enough. My first child was FF. I quit BF at 2 weeks because I had no idea what I was doing or how to pump. I mean, how could I pump and still make enough milk if he was hungry 30 min later? I was uneducated on the subject and had no support. I made sure with DS2 that I read up on all I could and had a great support system and we made it to almost 22 months! If you are determined enough, you can do it. Its what our bodies were made to do (though I know there are some legit problems) I could go on and on really but Ill stop rambling. I just hate to see someone stop BF because they think they have too or its the only way... those are the ones I am desperate to help!
I have a question about pumping. I definitely want to breastfeed for as long as possible. As a teacher I get three months maternity leave and then I have summer break so I will be home with baby till they are 6mo. I was thinking I would just wait on buying a pump since I will be at home but then I read PPs talking about wanting DH to be able to feed baby to bond.
What I am wondering is does pumping and bottle feeding ever mess with babies ability to BF? I have heard that sometimes babies don't transition well back and forth and I am a little nervous that if we pump and bottle feed too soon baby will not want to latch on to me. Did anyone have this issue? When is a good time to start to do both?? Or is this not really an issue to worry about?
@ThecoffeeBunch It makes me sad when people really want to BF but stop because they don't have the resources to fix whatever problem they have or don't have proper support.
There are a lot of reasons why people FF or BF doesn't work out (don't want to, can't after returning to work, is causing undue stress, unfixable supply issues, etc), but I wish women didn't have to stop because they didn't have the help they needed/wanted.
I have a question about pumping. I definitely want to breastfeed for as long as possible. As a teacher I get three months maternity leave and then I have summer break so I will be home with baby till they are 6mo. I was thinking I would just wait on buying a pump since I will be at home but then I read PPs talking about wanting DH to be able to feed baby to bond.
What I am wondering is does pumping and bottle feeding ever mess with babies ability to BF? I have heard that sometimes babies don't transition well back and forth and I am a little nervous that if we pump and bottle feed too soon baby will not want to latch on to me. Did anyone have this issue? When is a good time to start to do both?? Or is this not really an issue to worry about?
We didnt have any issues really and the first 3 months I would use a manual hand pump that I got from walmart for less than 20 bucks. It did its job as far as letting me pump a little so I could sleep through a feeding and DH could feed him. I had a electric double pump for when I went back to work, that thing was a Cadillac. I still have it for this go around! I have heard others have small issues with the nipple confusion and thats why they say EBF for the first few weeks and no paci... I tried the paci but mine wouldnt take it. Also, make sure the nipples you use are slow release because if they let the milk go too fast he/she will get use to that fast "let down" and then get frustrated at the breast if your letdown is slower. Hope this makes sense... Thats awesome you get the whole 6months maternity leave!
@ThecoffeeBunch That's something that makes me sad, too.. When people really want to but stop because they don't have the resources to fix whatever problem they have or don't have proper support.
There are a lot of reasons why people FF or BF doesn't work out (don't want to, can't after returning to work, is causing undue stress, etc), but I wish women didn't have to stop because they didn't have the help they needed/wanted.
Exactly. I am sure I come off as the pushy BF lady sometimes but thats only because the most famous reason woman say they quit BF is because they weren't producing enough milk, which in reality, isnt true. I know its not for everyone and thats totally fine, just dont quit because you are stumped and had a bad day. Its truly so much easier, so rewarding and the benefits are amazing. I could go on and on, I swear!
I have a question about pumping. I definitely want to breastfeed for as long as possible. As a teacher I get three months maternity leave and then I have summer break so I will be home with baby till they are 6mo. I was thinking I would just wait on buying a pump since I will be at home but then I read PPs talking about wanting DH to be able to feed baby to bond.
What I am wondering is does pumping and bottle feeding ever mess with babies ability to BF? I have heard that sometimes babies don't transition well back and forth and I am a little nervous that if we pump and bottle feed too soon baby will not want to latch on to me. Did anyone have this issue? When is a good time to start to do both?? Or is this not really an issue to worry about?
We didnt have any issues really and the first 3 months I would use a manual hand pump that I got from walmart for less than 20 bucks. It did its job as far as letting me pump a little so I could sleep through a feeding and DH could feed him. I had a electric double pump for when I went back to work, that thing was a Cadillac. I still have it for this go around! I have heard others have small issues with the nipple confusion and thats why they say EBF for the first few weeks and no paci... I tried the paci but mine wouldnt take it. Also, make sure the nipples you use are slow release because if they let the milk go too fast he/she will get use to that fast "let down" and then get frustrated at the breast if your letdown is slower. Hope this makes sense... Thats awesome you get the whole 6months maternity leave!
Awesome thanks for the advice. Are the bottle tops that are supposed to be "nipple like" the slow release kind or will the packaging actually say slow release?
Also, if I pump so DH can feed I just stick the bottle in the fridge right? Then does he have to heat it up before he feeds the baby? We don't have microwave so he would need to heat it on the stove which might just discourage him from wanting to feed the baby at night anyway.
Sorry for the questions. I am not in the U.S and I have looked for a la Leche group here but there is not on in my area. Most women here FF so it's been impossible trying to find a lactation consultant. Are there any good books on the subject?
@bizzerbee I went to back to work when LO was 3.5 months and pumped until she was 14 months. Pumping can be a PITA, but you really do get used to it.
See if your insurance company covers your pump. If so, I'd just get it now. I ended up using mine from day one due to a baby that wouldn't latch (we finger/syringe fed for the first week) and trying to keep my supply up while she was using a shield for 3wks due to her inability to latch.
If you're pumping so that dad can bottle feed, you still need to pump during that time that baby is eating to keep your supply up, so I personally don't think it's something worth doing. (Rule of thumb is to pump every time baby is or would be eating). I think pumping so dad can take night feeds is the source of BF issues/failure for a lot of people (my SIL included) because milk is supply and demand. Giving a bottle without pumping tells your body baby doesn't need to eat as often anymore, so your supply goes down.
I had no issues with baby going between bottle and breast after I went back to work. There is a lot of talk about nipple confusion, but in reality, I think it's pretty infrequent. It was definitely something I was worried about. "Paced bottle feeding" is important for breastfed babies, so make sure anyone giving your baby a bottle knows how to do it. It will help prevent baby from developing a preference for the faster flow of a bottle. Also, you should never go above the newborn/smallest size of bottle nipple for a breastfed baby.
KellyMom is and awesome resource and everyone planning to BF should bookmark the site.
@bizzerbee Honey you are fine, ask away! I don't remember specifics but there are bottles specifically for breastfed babies... They are pricey so I would research and just see what works best for you. We didn't use bottles often the first few months so i just bough some random brand with "slow flow" or something similar. Check out the Medela brand bottles too. Research Research!
Yeah you can do fridge and we would always use the hot water from the faucet to heat the bottle up or fill up a bigger cup with hot water and set it in there for a few minutes. They say not to use the microwaves because it can cause hot pockets in the bottle and burn the baby. I haven't used the microwave for bottles in years so I am unsure how often this happens or could happen but using the hot water from the sink was sufficient enough for us. There is a time frame for room temp and refridgerated bottles but Im not clear on it anymore since its been a year since I have had to mess with them.
Check out Kellymom.com, the Le Leche League website, all breastfeeding forums (on here and what to expect when expecting app) and The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. That is how I learned all my knowledge before DS2 was born... I would read all the others questions and the answers given. I actually remember remembering most of it in the middle of the night after DS2 was born. Feel free to PM me if you want too!
I've enjoyed catching up on everyone's responses and WOW! The support is awesome!!! My SO is pretty adamant that I BF, but I pretty much shut him up when I said "well, if I can't do it, or it becomes stressful for me and/or baby, then I'm not going to do it and you're not going to make me feel bad about it". He's trying to be helpful with his information, but essentially, it's my boob. Sooooo... It's not really a decision he can "force" me to make.
Haven't read through all the responses quite yet but wanted to say that in an ideal world, I would have exclusively breast fed DS. Unfortunately, no matter how much I cried, took all the supplements, pumped/BFed around the clock, drank/ate all the right things, and whatever else you can think of, it didn't work out that way. I was still lucky enough to BF him until he was over 1 years old but we supplemented with formula because he kept losing weight. I even cut out all soy and dairy when he had bloody diapers from milk protein intolerance and continued on.
He also had GERD so when we did start solids, we had to keep it simple. I did make all of his food and it really wasn't that difficult. I just steamed a ton of fruits and veggies, blended them, and froze them. Then I mixed flavors and added seasonings as he grew. I would keep them chunkier as he got older as well. Then we mixed in real food fairly early but not particularly the same food we ate because we didn't eat very healthy things at the time. I still limit his salt, sugar, and butter because of family health issues relating to blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. He is the BEST eater ever. He eats everything and in quantities that surprise everyone.
I plan to BF baby#2 until I go back to work at which point I will try to pump. I had D-MER with pumping last time so I'm hoping I can power through. Food wise, I plan to have the same plan because it worked so well for DS. I would call it some sort of hybrid of purees and BLW. ETA: I'll also BF when I'm home so hopefully evenings and weekends.
My plan is the same as DD. I BF for six months before introducing any foods. Then I made my own baby food. Which was great because DD is such a great eater. When my dad was in the hospital for heart complications I bought some Gerber baby food for ease and DD wouldn't touch it, she preferred the fresh. Just like she loves fruit but won't eat frozen. DD did self wean at 10months which made me alittle sad because I wanted to go at least a year.
A thought on the thawing breastmilk. I recommend putting the bags is a separate cup to thaw because we had several leak out while thawing and wasted milk is so depressing. Also o agree with others that waiting 2-4 weeks before pumping is much better for your supply. Obviously when there are medical concerns or baby has to take a syringe its different. But I found women who started pumping too soon lost their supply quicker.
On the topic of pumping/thawing milk... We found it easiest to store in bags vs bottles (both frozen and fresh). They're thinner and the surface area is larger, so it thaws and warms up quickly just running it under warm tap water.
We mostly used the Target brand bags and had very minimal leak issues (and if you spill milk, trust me, You. Will. Cry.)
@bizzerbee Honey you are fine, ask away! I don't remember specifics but there are bottles specifically for breastfed babies... They are pricey so I would research and just see what works best for you. We didn't use bottles often the first few months so i just bough some random brand with "slow flow" or something similar. Check out the Medela brand bottles too. Research Research!
Yeah you can do fridge and we would always use the hot water from the faucet to heat the bottle up or fill up a bigger cup with hot water and set it in there for a few minutes. They say not to use the microwaves because it can cause hot pockets in the bottle and burn the baby. I haven't used the microwave for bottles in years so I am unsure how often this happens or could happen but using the hot water from the sink was sufficient enough for us. There is a time frame for room temp and refridgerated bottles but Im not clear on it anymore since its been a year since I have had to mess with them.
Check out Kellymom.com, the Le Leche League website, all breastfeeding forums (on here and what to expect when expecting app) and The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. That is how I learned all my knowledge before DS2 was born... I would read all the others questions and the answers given. I actually remember remembering most of it in the middle of the night after DS2 was born. Feel free to PM me if you want too!
Edit: grammer
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I really appreciate the adivce!
As long as my body and supply cooperate I plan to bf baby. I'm hoping to be home the first 3 months and will pump at some point to have a small stash so H can help feed and then I'll pump while I'm at work and bf when I'm with baby. That is the plan anyway, hoping it works out as insurance covers a nice pump and I would like to avoid the cost of formula if at all possible.
With my son we combination fed (primarily breastfed & supplemented with 2 formula bottles per day) for the first 7ish months until we discovered he had a lactose intolerance and switched him completely to hypoallergenic formula. We're having twins this time, so I'm hoping to combination feed again, because it was kind of the best of both worlds for us. My son got the health & bonding benefits of breastmilk, but we had the flexibility of formula and weaning him was a breeze.
We will start solids at 6 months, and I plan to make my own baby food again. I really thought it was much easier (and cheaper) than I expected, so I definitely want to do that again.
Re: What are your Feeding Plans?
These are all just my goals for now. I learned quickly with my first to go with the flow.
I would love to be able to BF...my goal is to BF for the first year, and see how it goes after that. DH and I really want to try BLW, as we've heard such wonderful things about it. (Going to buy that book after I post here, thanks @AdventureMama!) I'm really hoping I'm able to successfully BF. I'm going to be a SAHM, so I don't have to worry too much about pumping. I'm hoping to pump some so DH can help with feeding, or if someone is watching LO, then they can feed them
If we need to supplement with formula, I'd like to stick with a more natural type, but obviously who knows what will ultimately work best for baby lol.
BFP 12/31/14, EDD 9/08/14 ~ Natural M/C 2/21/14 at 11.5 weeks
BFP 5/24/15 - EDD 2/4/16
DD1: 9/19/11
DS: 1/1/14
DD2: 1/31/16
We are planning to make our own purées. Never heard of BLW, to be honest. I have some research to do!
I also just want to say that we tried baby led weaning with my first and did not have a good experience. I had read the book and blogs about it, and tried 3-4 meals, but my son gagged around 20 times per meal while feeding himself. With purees, we experienced no gagging. (ETA I wasn't concerned for his safety, but that he was developing a negative association with eating because all the gagging was so, so unpleasant. Every one of those meals ended with lots of baby crying.) I just share this here because I hadn't read very many negative BLW experiences and was a little shocked and defeated that I felt it was best to quit, even though I had talked this method up to our friends and family for the couple months prior. I wish I had known that it doesn't work out to be the best choice for all babies:)
We tried baby led weaning and I was a real wimp about the gagging so I stopped.
I know that this time, if I have the same struggles, I may not be able to make it as long without supplementing. You can only do the best you can, though (FF or BF).
For those that are planning to exclusively FF, I would encourage you to research/consider giving baby your colostrum the first couple days. You don't even have to latch baby for it, if you don't want to. It can be hand expressed and spoon/syringe fed. Your body will make it anyway, might as well give them some super nutrient dense stuff while their tummy is still tiny.
BFP 12/31/14, EDD 9/08/14 ~ Natural M/C 2/21/14 at 11.5 weeks
BFP 5/24/15 - EDD 2/4/16
Yes maam! I started back to work at 12 weeks. I was a little scared about how we were going to do it but my friend, who is an LC, helped me come up with a pumping schedule and it went off without a hitch. Most think that you have to have this huge stash before you return to work but really, you only need a days worth. You pump when baby eats/takes bottle and thats the bottle for the next day (at that feeding time). I pumped at 10-12-2 and those bottles went to the sitters with him for the next day when he would take his bottle at 10-12-2. Of course times varied but you want to make sure you pump when they eat so your body is still use to that timing otherwise it will think it doesn't need milk at those times so it will produce less... make sense?
I am very pro breastfeeding and am willing to help any and all. I am all about a fed baby is best and if one wants to go straight to FF, that is fine. You do whats best for you and your family however, I dont want someone to stop breastfeeding over something that can easily be fixed. Never quit on a bad day. There is always a way if you are determined enough. My first child was FF. I quit BF at 2 weeks because I had no idea what I was doing or how to pump. I mean, how could I pump and still make enough milk if he was hungry 30 min later? I was uneducated on the subject and had no support. I made sure with DS2 that I read up on all I could and had a great support system and we made it to almost 22 months! If you are determined enough, you can do it. Its what our bodies were made to do (though I know there are some legit problems) I could go on and on really but Ill stop rambling.
What I am wondering is does pumping and bottle feeding ever mess with babies ability to BF? I have heard that sometimes babies don't transition well back and forth and I am a little nervous that if we pump and bottle feed too soon baby will not want to latch on to me. Did anyone have this issue? When is a good time to start to do both?? Or is this not really an issue to worry about?
There are a lot of reasons why people FF or BF doesn't work out (don't want to, can't after returning to work, is causing undue stress, unfixable supply issues, etc), but I wish women didn't have to stop because they didn't have the help they needed/wanted.
Awesome thanks for the advice. Are the bottle tops that are supposed to be "nipple like" the slow release kind or will the packaging actually say slow release?
Also, if I pump so DH can feed I just stick the bottle in the fridge right? Then does he have to heat it up before he feeds the baby? We don't have microwave so he would need to heat it on the stove which might just discourage him from wanting to feed the baby at night anyway.
Sorry for the questions. I am not in the U.S and I have looked for a la Leche group here but there is not on in my area. Most women here FF so it's been impossible trying to find a lactation consultant. Are there any good books on the subject?
See if your insurance company covers your pump. If so, I'd just get it now. I ended up using mine from day one due to a baby that wouldn't latch (we finger/syringe fed for the first week) and trying to keep my supply up while she was using a shield for 3wks due to her inability to latch.
If you're pumping so that dad can bottle feed, you still need to pump during that time that baby is eating to keep your supply up, so I personally don't think it's something worth doing. (Rule of thumb is to pump every time baby is or would be eating). I think pumping so dad can take night feeds is the source of BF issues/failure for a lot of people (my SIL included) because milk is supply and demand. Giving a bottle without pumping tells your body baby doesn't need to eat as often anymore, so your supply goes down.
I had no issues with baby going between bottle and breast after I went back to work. There is a lot of talk about nipple confusion, but in reality, I think it's pretty infrequent. It was definitely something I was worried about. "Paced bottle feeding" is important for breastfed babies, so make sure anyone giving your baby a bottle knows how to do it. It will help prevent baby from developing a preference for the faster flow of a bottle. Also, you should never go above the newborn/smallest size of bottle nipple for a breastfed baby.
KellyMom is and awesome resource and everyone planning to BF should bookmark the site.
Yeah you can do fridge and we would always use the hot water from the faucet to heat the bottle up or fill up a bigger cup with hot water and set it in there for a few minutes. They say not to use the microwaves because it can cause hot pockets in the bottle and burn the baby. I haven't used the microwave for bottles in years so I am unsure how often this happens or could happen but using the hot water from the sink was sufficient enough for us. There is a time frame for room temp and refridgerated bottles but Im not clear on it anymore since its been a year since I have had to mess with them.
https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/milkstorage/
Check out Kellymom.com, the Le Leche League website, all breastfeeding forums (on here and what to expect when expecting app) and The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. That is how I learned all my knowledge before DS2 was born... I would read all the others questions and the answers given. I actually remember remembering most of it in the middle of the night after DS2 was born. Feel free to PM me if you want too!
Edit: grammer
My SO is pretty adamant that I BF, but I pretty much shut him up when I said "well, if I can't do it, or it becomes stressful for me and/or baby, then I'm not going to do it and you're not going to make me feel bad about it".
He's trying to be helpful with his information, but essentially, it's my boob. Sooooo... It's not really a decision he can "force" me to make.
@graceinchaos YGPM!
@Kris10Mac I sent you some mail too, check yo inbox! and Roll Tide!
A thought on the thawing breastmilk. I recommend putting the bags is a separate cup to thaw because we had several leak out while thawing and wasted milk is so depressing. Also o agree with others that waiting 2-4 weeks before pumping is much better for your supply. Obviously when there are medical concerns or baby has to take a syringe its different. But I found women who started pumping too soon lost their supply quicker.
We mostly used the Target brand bags and had very minimal leak issues (and if you spill milk, trust me, You. Will. Cry.)
We will start solids at 6 months, and I plan to make my own baby food again. I really thought it was much easier (and cheaper) than I expected, so I definitely want to do that again.