Breastfeeding & Bottles

I am confused and thought I would get your answers. I read the earlier post about which bottles people use which made me start thinking about something.

My question is this: If a baby is breastfeeding, do you have bottles on hand? How many? Are there better bottles/nipples to have if you are breastfeeding so that if you had to suppliment for some reason they are not confused. Also, did you give bottles to baby when you were breastfeeding, by pumping, to get them used to a bottle in case it was needed? 

I am not anywhere needing to know this. But, I guess it is something to think about when we go to register on April 3.

Thanks for any input!
Traci

I am hoping to breastfeed too, and im so glad that you asked this ?! I cant wait for some answers lol. And, its never too soon to start! :)

Most breastfeeding moms usually have at least a few bottles on hand, for those times when they can't be home (or need to get away for a little while). I think most lactation consultants encourage you to wait a few weeks before introducing the bottle to ensure that the baby doesn't get "nipple confusion." Though some lactation consultants I've spoken with don't buy into the nipple confusion concept. Honestly for my first two kids, they got the  breast and bottle from day one because my milk supply was so minimal they had to be supplemented to be content. It never 'confused' them and they did fine.

As to what kind of bottles to use, there are some marketed that say they are better for a breastfeeding baby because they are more like the breast. I don't know what I think about that. I used regular old Gerber bottles for my first 10 years ago and Avent for the second one 3 years ago. As it gets closer to your due date, you might get in contact with a lactation consultant at the hospital near you and get into a support group meeting for some additional info.

Thank you. I work at a hospital and we have a women's hospital as part of our complex. So, I have access to everyone there. I will be taking the breastfeeding class here at the hospital because the lactation consults run it and they provide information for before, during your stay, and post-discharge.

Traci
 

I strictly BF Bella and have two avent bottles, I heard they were the best I got the breastfeeding ones. I have pumped an Bella has had one bottle when she was 8 weeks my dad gave it to her when I went home and went to a movie. It almost killed me!! She took it really good my dad said. I have been lucky, I have not had to supplement b/c my milk has come in great. They say to wait 6 weeks to give a newborn a bottle b/c of nipple confusion. Good Luck. Oh and get some Medela nipple therapy cream. It was great. B/c the first two weeks your nipples are soooo raw. 
Jessica

Traci,
I had plenty of bottles already washed and in the cabinet just in case breastfeeding didn't work.  I also new I would be returning to work, so I needed some for the babysitter regardless.   Hannah had her first bottle at 3 weeks.  She had to have a milk study done (for reflux) and had to drink from a bottle.  I wanted to make sure she would drink from a bottle before we got to the hospital, so hubby fed her one a few days before the appointment.   I breastfeed for 11 months.  I went back to work at 13 weeks.  She done great switching from breast to bottle.  It never seemed to faze her at all.  

Noah had his first bottle when he was just a few days old.  We were still in the hospital and his blood sugar had dropped.  They had taken his feeding tube out because I had agreed that he could have a bottle if needed.  I wasn't thrilled with him having a bottle that early on.  I was afraid that once he experienced how easy it was for the milk to come out that he wouldn't  want to suckle strong enough on my breast.   It didn't seem to bother him at all.   He will be 7 weeks old Friday and breastfeeding is going great.   I do give him probably about 3 or 4 bottles (at least) at week.  I'm more afraid now that he will refuse to take the bottle than I am he will refuse the breast.  I believe they call these "reminder bottles" in the baby books. 
I used Dr. Brown bottles.
I would have enough bottles to get you through 24 hours without having to wash them. 

Amy

Thank you for all your information.

Ok, not to be stupid but how many bottles would you need in a 24 hour period? 

Traci

Hannah and Noah both ate about every two hours as new borns. As they get older they eat more at a time, but less often.  I would suggest having at least 8 bottles.

I b/f my 2nd baby exclusively and didn't introduce a bottle until she was like 3-4 weeks old, to avoid nipple confusion and to make sure my milk was in and regulated.  I pumped some milk to freeze and also fed her from a bottle maybe once a week or every 2 weeks to get her used to a bottle.  Hubby and my son liked that they could feed her and it was fun.  I had probably 2 feedings of milk frozen just in case we had a babysitter and I wanted to go out.

But honestly, after about 2-3 months of doing this, I hated pumping and it hurt.  I couldn't get as much milk out and it just got annoying to hook myself up to a machine, plus I felt like a cow doing that (LOL).  And by that time, she would go at least 3 hrs between nursings and I could go places after feeding her, then come home and feed her and be fine.   I loved the Playtex drop ins, just pour the milk in and when she was done, throw it away- you just have to wash the nipple and ring.  I had like 2-3 bottles and a pkg of drop ins.  

And for a 24 hr period, depending on how much your baby eats... if it's every 2 hrs, 12 bottles.  Usually at first, the baby eats like 2-3 oz at each feeding and it's every 2-3 hrs.

I too breastfed but gave Hayvann pumped milk too. My hubby and son wanted chances to feed her also. Started that at 3 weeks and she never had issue with it. She just likes to eat I have 4-4 ounce bottles, 6-6 ounce bottles and about 4or 5 8 ounces bottles here.