Bottles, Sterilisers, Breast Pumps?
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
Forum Description: Want help? Need support? Want tips? Men and women share advice and tips in this supportive community
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=35856
Printed Date: 26 August 2025 at 12:24pm
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Topic: Bottles, Sterilisers, Breast Pumps?
Posted By: BabyH
Subject: Bottles, Sterilisers, Breast Pumps?
Date Posted: 21 September 2010 at 10:24pm
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Hi there,
I'm a newbie - soon to be mummy in December. Hoping to be able to breastfeed and not sure if need to buy bottles / steriliser / breast pump etc before the baby arrives? Should we just wait and see? Guess we can always send out the daddy to purchase if necessary / if I'm not up to it... Any thoughts appreciated 
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Replies:
Posted By: WestiesGirl
Date Posted: 21 September 2010 at 11:16pm
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I bought an Avent Breast pump set which included a small 125ml bottle which I got when I was pg. I also bought a few extra bigger bottles to have on hand as well even though I knew I was going to exclusively BF.
The pump came in handy when my milk came in and I had to express some off. It also came in handy to help boost my supply and when Jackson started dropping feeds to ease the pressure a bit. As for the bottles, well for us they were a waste of time really cos Jackson refused to take a bottle until he was 9 months old. But it was still good to have on hand IYGWIM. As for a steriliser, I didnt bother with a bought one, not worth the money IMO when you only use it for 6 months once a week (if you BF of course). I just boiled them in a pot for 5 minutes, which does the same job  ------------- Our Angel July 08  Gone but not forgotten
And to complete our family, our princess has arrived 
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Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 22 September 2010 at 7:24am
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I would wait. You shouldnt need anything other than your breast sto bf! Plus plenty of good healthy protein filled food, water and rest!
I would get hold of a copy of the LLL book "The womanly art of Breast feeding" - most librarys will have it , and have a good read BEFORE you have baby, and if you have never watched someone bf, then find someone who you can watch - and /or attend a LLL mtg before baby is born- all things I wish I had done to prepare myself! |
Posted By: Lucky apple
Date Posted: 22 September 2010 at 8:40am
| I don't have a pump. The hospital loaned me one for first wee bit to help supply come in after dd had been in nicu. I personally would just wait and see. |
Posted By: ereynolds
Date Posted: 22 September 2010 at 8:53am
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I'm so glad I bought a pump. My milk took ages to properly come in and so having the pump meant I could easily help things along. The midwife recommended i hire one but i ended up buying a great Medela manual one which has been a lifesaver. The pump had a bottle and all I needed was a teat for it. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">  http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 22 September 2010 at 9:10am
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I would wait too...
If you stay longer in hosp, you can always borrow their equipment. I bought bottles and a steriliser just in case I couldn't BF (my mum and grandma never could) but never thought to get a breast pump! I went and got one about 3 days after she was born as hospital recommended it but tbh I didn't need it! It was handy for expressing though which I stopped doing after she was 1 month old because I didn't need too and I was comfortable breastfeeding out and about etc. All in all it was a waste for me but not the end of the world, going to hold onto it for #2 again - just in case! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Jaune
Date Posted: 22 September 2010 at 9:36am
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I wondered the same thing and decided against buying anything like that until I need it.
There are so many online retailers these days and delivery is pretty quick so if I decided I did need a pump and bottles it could be sorted pretty easily... And it's quite an expense if you don't use it. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: luvmylittlies
Date Posted: 22 September 2010 at 11:24am
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Yeah I wouldn't get carried away buying that stuff just yet. I was expressing from day 1 but only because our DD was prem and not feeding orally for 2 weeks. We started doing the bottle of EBM at around 8 weeks old. Before then I was just too busy/tired/unsure of everything I didn't want to add anything else to the mix. Although as Westiesgirl said it can be handy to help relieve the engorgement in those early days - but you can do it by hand as well.
I just used the steriliser tablets (since that's what they used in the NICU I thought they would be good enough for home). You can get them from the supermarket. Just remember all these things you can get really easily from most baby shops, so you can play it by ear a bit, unless you're really short of money and needing to plan ahead. ------------- Adoring Mum to Talisin 8/9/11 and Kiara 18/01/10 |
Posted By: MyLilSquishy
Date Posted: 22 September 2010 at 11:53am
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we hired our pump then bought the set which you need when you hire. which contains all the bits to needed to make the pump work. and you can also use it manually which was good.
we used Milton sterilising tablets which they used in the hospital. cheap and available from the supermarket. or boiled it. either works fine. also you can borrow the hospital stuff while you are there
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Posted By: Emmecat
Date Posted: 22 September 2010 at 12:08pm
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Totally utterly agree 100%. -------------   http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Kellz wrote:Posted By: Emmecat
Date Posted: 22 September 2010 at 12:10pm
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OMG I would also add to your reading list 'The politics of breastfeeding', also available from LLL. Very interesting and slightly depressing, but will open your eyes to the bottle/breast debate ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: maisey
Date Posted: 22 September 2010 at 2:37pm
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I borrowed a pump from a friend and used it a few times before I bought one. Has been really handy as then someone else can give a bottle of EBM when you need a rest. Also it is really handy now as I mix EBM with fruit and veges for her meals. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Vanillabean
Date Posted: 22 September 2010 at 5:52pm
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I agree with the waiting and seeing (unless you are planning to go back to work fairly early on). But I would do the research on what pump you want to buy now and where you would get it from so you are not making the decision while sleep deprived and dealing with a newborn. Also agree that a steriliser is not worth it unless you are planning to bottlefeed on a daily basis in the first three months. ------------- 5x mc, Jan 08, June 08, Nov 08, May 09, April 11 http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: HuntersMama
Date Posted: 22 September 2010 at 6:21pm
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I found my breast pump great but should have read the instructions and got it set up before I was so engorged at 3am one morning I had to express!!
I got the avent set too, with a little bottle which was enough for a month or 2 atleast. I never got a steriliser, just boiled on the stove or used a tablet. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: BabyH
Date Posted: 22 September 2010 at 7:54pm
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Thanks everyone for your thoughts!
I'll wait and see how it all goes Kellz and Emmecat - with regard to your readings you suggested - what does LLL stand for? So many other acronyms I don't get either but I'll learn I guess... I'm doing well thus far as I figured out that BF is breastfeeding!!!!
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Posted By: WestiesGirl
Date Posted: 22 September 2010 at 10:46pm
lol!!! That was me too, only I was pg and it was in the middle of the day 
LLL = La Leche League http://www.lalecheleague.org.nz/ - Here is the web site And http://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=22425&PN=1 - this will help with the acronyms ------------- Our Angel July 08 Gone but not forgotten
And to complete our family, our princess has arrived
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Posted By: JadeC
Date Posted: 25 September 2010 at 7:37pm
I guess I disagree, I got my pump while I was pregnant because I had money then  Or at least I planned too, my work was really generous and bought it for me!
And ITA with the others about sterilising tablets, I've only used those but they are SO simple! You just throw them in 2l of water and can use that to sterilise bottles etc for 24, then you change it. Bottles only need to be in there for 15mins to be sterilised, but when I was supplementing every feed I just left them in till the next feed. ------------- http://pregnancy.baby-gaga.com/" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: sportygirl
Date Posted: 30 September 2010 at 8:59pm
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When it comes to breast pumps the electric ones are very expensive.
Are the manual pumps any good? Are the electric pumps really the way to go? Anyone know of somewhere where they are a decent price? I would definatly go for a new one rather than a second hand one. Any tips or points when it comes to breast pumps will be great. |
Posted By: sugarbaby
Date Posted: 01 October 2010 at 9:09pm
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Um, i dont post often, but i hope this helps... I LOVE my breast pump. I pump each day, it was a great way to establish a really good milk supply, and it means that my hubby can feed DD in the evenings.
I brought mine while preggers (as with JadeC, i had money back then!) I never tried manual, but would imagine it would be a harder, at least with an electric i can do it one handed. Gives me 10mins a day to work on my cross word puzzle. Best bit of advise- you tube it. There are reviews and you can actually see (and hear) the pumps working. I wanted Glass bottles and on you tube i found a pump that would take a standard evenflo glass botle. Perfect. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: sportygirl
Date Posted: 01 October 2010 at 11:38pm
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Thanks for the tips sugarbaby. I will definatly look into it. I just want the flexibility and if my milk is going to be anything like my first baby i had way to much to begin with. I wasted a load and if i can express the extra and store it. I think that would be great.
Anyone know how long breast milk can can freeze for? Cheers all |
Posted By: Red
Date Posted: 02 October 2010 at 11:31am
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I would actually buy a bottle, newborn teat and pump. I didn't do this and when my milk came in my boobs were so big that bubs couldn't latch and ended up sending DH out to buy these and spending a fortune. So, if you see a good special I would after having a newborn screaming and wondering why she wouldn't feed. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: sugarbaby
Date Posted: 03 October 2010 at 8:34pm
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fresh milk can be stored for 3 months in the freezer section of the fridge, 6-12 months in a seperate deep freeze ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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