Preparing For Both Bottle & Breast

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I felt like I was going to be pretty pro at the whole mom game before I had Zoey. I was naive. Having your own child is nothing like  having seven younger siblings. I definitely had advantages from my experience. Diaper changing, rocking, comforting, entertaining and bathing were all second nature to me. I was totally familiar with carseats and bum rashes and burping and strollers. Nothing can prepare you for the 24/7 aspect of being a parent though. You aren’t the babysitter, you are IT.

There are a lot of things that took adjusting. The one thing that always stands out in my mind that I was most unprepared for was feeding. I was so convinced that breastfeeding would be such smooth sailing that it didn’t even cross my mind to prepare for other possibilities. Dealing with engorgement, low milk supply, learning how to pump and finding the right bottle were just a few skills I had no expectation of needing.

Today for all the moms-to-be and new moms I thought I would share some of the things I wish I had known about breast and bottle feeding before I had my daughter.

Breast Isn’t Always Best

I think the most important thing to remember when it comes to feeding your newborn is that there are a LOT of right options. Each mom and babe is a new and unique duo with different needs and circumstances. The feeding method you choose for your child shouldn’t be a source of guilt! Barring things outside of common sense – like feeding your newborn a bottle of Kool-Aid (yup, my dad did that to me) – there aren’t a lot of ways you can go wrong as a parent in this department.

I am a huge fan of breastfeeding and the benefits it provides. I also have spent days, weeks and months reading about formula options. I have been blown away by the sheer amount of time, money and research that has been devoted to creating amazing options for those who can’t breastfeed or choose not to. There should not be so much guilt and mom shaming around the topic of formula vs. breast.

Doing your best is the best you can do. The right method for one mom isn’t necessarily the right option for another mom! The most important thing you can do for your baby is make sure they are clean, fed and loved.

Prepare For All Scenarios

I never imagined that I would need to prepare for breastfeeding, bottle feeding, pumping and formula. Things don’t always work out the way you expect though! I was told that pumping would cause my supply to never regulate, because of that message I endured weeks of pain from engorgement. In the end my supply didn’t regulate, despite the fact that I refrained from pumping excess milk. In fact by four months my milk supply suddenly decreased significantly and I had to supplement. Looking back I wish I had pumped and frozen more of that excess milk, rather than living through so much pain. My decrease in supply led to endless hours of research and agonizing over choosing the ‘right’ formula and bottle, etc. I wish I had prepared better for those scenarios before I had Zoey. It would have saved me a significant amount of stress! Be prepared with a plan B and C in case things don’t work out the way you thought they would.

Choose The Right Bottle

Even if you exclusively breastfeed at some point you are going to need a bottle. It is pretty inevitable. Wether you need to go to the dentist, get mastitis or just simply need a break and want to give daddy a turn feeding, at some point you are going to be in a situation where you will need to give your baby a bottle. It is true that babies can attach to one nipple type and refuse another, so my best suggestion is to find a bottle that replicates the breast. I also suggest a bottle that has a slightly angled body and one with a collapsible pouch. Both of these features will help eliminate air bubbles in the milk which make for a happier baby.

I am really excited to give the Playtex Baby™ Nurser® with Drop-Ins® Liners from Target a try with this baby boy. The shape and feel of the nipple is designed to be as close to the breast as possible. In fact it’s design has been clinically proven to allow for a more natural feeding rhythm, which promotes easy switching between breast and bottle feeding. The refillable pouches make for very easy cleaning, and like I said above, they also help prevent air bubbles that lead to an upset tummy and colic. I grabbed the gift set of Playtex Baby Nursers because it comes with four bottles, two of each size and a TON of liners. It is the perfect starter set for the day you bring your newborn home from the hospital (and it is 10% off now at Target)! Speaking of Target, it really is the one-stop shop for baby and the #1 place for baby registries.

Don’t Stress

My last piece of advice is to try not to stress. In the long run your baby is not going to remember any of this! The thing that comforted me through all the unexpected mishaps in my feeding experience with Zoey was that she didn’t care. Despite things not going the way I planned, she was fed, happy and healthy and knew that I loved her. She didn’t seem to care if I nursed or bottle fed or gave her formula or breastmilk. Be proud of the fact that you are keeping a little human alive and giving them the love and attention they need. Don’t let anyone make you feel ‘less than’ because you have chosen one feeding method over another.

You can read more feeding tips from moms like me here,  but I want to know what your best feeding tips for new moms are? Has anyone else had things not go as planned and had to resort to a plan B? Who else is tired of all the mom-shaming surrounding this topic??? I am excited to hear your thoughts.