If you intend on breastfeeding, what needs buying before the birth?

[FoofFighter]

Just that really :) ^

[FoofFighter]

Does everyone buy emergency bottles/formula just in case?

[cheddarcheeselover]

I didn't, but I was probably a bit naive/bloody minded.
you don't really need anything, muslins for mopping up puke, but you'd need them anyway, one of those special cushions, but I just used a pillow...

[CheungFun]

I didn't get the hang of breastfeeding, but I did end up expressing for a couple of weeks, I'd say you might need the following:

• breast pads
  
• nipple cream
  
• steriliser
  
• bottles
  
• electric breast pump
  
• nursing bras
  
  My mw told me not to buy any formula just in case, but my mum told me to...so I bought some formula and I'm glad I did :o

[YellowAndGreenAndRedAndBlue]

I didn't buy formula, and wouldnt say you need to unless you live n the middle of nowhere. It sort of sends a message that you half expect to fail. If you need it, you probably live near enough to a 24hr shop or know someone with some when the time comes.

I would just stock up on tea bags, chocolate & borrow as many good DVDs as possible.

[KatherineKrupnik]

I didn't buy anything in advance, except breast pads, nursing bras & nipple cream. A few weeks into it I got given a breast pump & a bottle.

Don't forget the shops will still be open once you have given birth

[NaturalBlondeYeahRight]

Def Muslims however you feed. Lanisoh cream for cracked/sore nips. The curved pillows are good, especially after a c-section but know loads of people who didn't bother. Beauty of bf is you don't need a lot.

[missorinoco]

Lansinoh.

Muslins, but get those however you want to feed.

Worth getting breast pads, but it takes a few days for the milk to come in, so you could send out for them post partum.

I would leave a breast pump until afterwards, and I say that as someone who sent DH out as soon as I got home from the hospital.

Chocolate, Lots and lots of chocolate. When the milk comes in, so does the hunger.

[NaturalBlondeYeahRight]

Oh yes to - forgot about the stuff that you wear!

[lagoonhaze]

Lanisoh and breast pads.

Possibly womanly art of breastfeeding.

If I had formula in house I would have used it in moments of doubt. The next day/a few hours later my resolve had strengthened.

[kilmuir]

breast pads, lots of them.
plenty to drink, water, squash etc. BFeeding made me very thirsty.

[Indith]

Unless you live miles and miles away form civilisation then don't bother buying stuff. I bet there is a 24 hour supermarket you can send someone to in a panic if you need to! THough if bf is going that badly that you absolutely NEED formula RIGHT NOW then your child is probably dehydrated enough to need hospital anyway!

I'd say you need

2 nursing bras, fitted in late pregnancy
breast pads
try to score a couple of sachets of lansinoh for free. If you get sore nipples after then you can use that for a few days then get to the chemist, produce your maternity exemption card and get some for free using the minor ailments scheme. It costs £10 a tube otherwise!

[Purplemonster]

Laughing at 'Muslims'

[WildRumpus]

I have never bought emergency supplies 'in case' for any of mine. Maybe I was lucky. Or stubborn. Or a bit of both. But breastfeeding has always gone pretty smoothly. My top tip for the first few weeks is not to try to enforce a routine. In the very early days and weeks you, your baby and your boobs need to synchronise your supply and demand. All my babies have been biggish and have fed a lot at the outset while they get my milk supplies up to the level they need. And don't be surprised if it takes 3-5 days for any serious milk to come in after birth. In the meantime just feed away. Good luck!

[NaturalBlondeYeahRight]

Oh and Surestart sometimes loan out elec breast pumps- I bought one and could never get the hang of it so a bit of a waste of money.

[noblegiraffe]

Nursing nighties with buttons
Nursing tops - ones with buttons are easiest for the first weeks of bfing when you need to get your whole boob out

[Wishiwasanheiress]

Lansinoh cream and nipple guards

[Toast123]

Lanisoh- buy the smallest quantity you can because a little goes a long way and I've no idea how anyone could ever use a whole tube even with three children.

Some good books- I read loads when feeding.

A boomerang shaped cushion- loads of new ones on eBay and much cheaper than the ones specially marketed for feeding.

If you can afford to, a really comfortable rocker chair.

Don't buy bras until about 2 weeks of feeding or you'll need to buy another size.

[TheYamiOfYawn]

You don't need anything, but if there is an antenatal breastfeeding class you can go to, I'd suggest you go. Information and support are more useful than any gadgets. You will want a couple of nursing bras, and dome breastfed (but don't get a huge box because lots of people only need them for a few weeks). Lansinoh cream might be handy. The Food of Love is a nice breastfeeding book which is handy, and it's worth having the details of local breastfeeding counsellors and support groups in case you have problems.

[KatherineKrupnik]

I've never bought nursing tops, but I did buy some cheap vest/tank tops from Primark & cut boob holes in them. Much cheaper!

[LemonBreeland]

Lansinoh for sure.
Breastpads
A couple of nursing bras
A feeding cushion is very useful
muslins.

[lcdaff]

For the first few days of breast feeding at home I really wished I'd invested in a good sports bottle I could drink from easily and drop at a moments notice without making a mess.
When I first got out of the house choosing one that suited me.

[leedy]

Stretchy crop top style BF sleep bras from Mothercare are perfect as nursing bras for the first few weeks until your size settles down - antenatal estimates of what my nursing bra size would be with DS1 were totally wrong.

[Piemother]

This time around I love my towelling backed breast pads or thru are bamboo or something - washable anywAy. Otherwise boots ultra slim pass are good because thru are bigger.
If you fancy a nursing pillow Dunhelm sell v shaped pillows for about a tenner plus covers for )2.99 in lots pretty colours. I recommend them to my ladies I peer support and I bought one too they are fab

[NulliusInBlurba]

I treated myself to one of those U-shaped pillows, and it was invaluable for supporting my arms while feeding, and even providing support for the baby (to stop her rolling away). 14 years later and we still have the thing, but with a replacement cover - I use it for reading in bed now.

I also got in advance: three nursing bras and breast pads, Should have got Lansinoh from the start, made the mistake of waiting until my nipples were really sore before using it.

After about five weeks, once BF was really established, I got a pump, 6 small bottles, and a set of bags for freezing milk (they have a measurement scale on the side so you can know how much you've expressed, and you write the date on the side when it was pumped/frozen). DD1 tended to be asleep around 11pm, so i got into the habit of pumping then every evening and freezing it. When dd1 was 6 weeks I started very limited work - away from home for just 5 hours - and DH used the frozen milk with the bottles. We never bothered with sterilizers, but boiled the bottles for 10 mins each time.

To start with I rented a medical grade pump - huge brute it was - from a chemist. Once my body got more used to the process I bought a cheaper one.

One thing I never did was get formula in 'just in case'. Like Yellow said, it's setting yourself up to fail. If ever you feel there isn't enough milk, the first solution is to keep on and on feeding, which will increase the supply. If that doesn't work, it might be tongue tie or some other issue that needs investigating, but nothing that needs immediate formula feeding.

[KB02]

Definitely second going to a breast feeding session or support group. Ask mid wife or sure start for details, get lots of leaflets. Remember nose to nipple , tummy to mummy . I went to 2 sessions and it definitely got me prepared as to latch ing on correctly etc. Good luck and I hope you enjoy it as much as I am.