First up, look at this little bugger!

[url=https://flic.kr/p/HPcW39]DSCF5267.jpg[/url] by Scgwhite, on Flickr

Our first-born, he melts my heart like nothing I’ve ever experienced. He was born on D-Day (the anniversary thereof – not 72 years ago…) by C-Section, which was the single best hour of my life. Still can’t choose a name, but he doesn’t really need one for a few weeks.

Anyhoo, the little chap breast-feeds like nothing else which is great. We’d quite like to get him drinking from a bottle of pre-expressed milk so I can get involved in feeding him. We have a pump, but nowt else.

What stuff should we buy? At a guess, we’ll need some bottles, a steriliser thing, a warmer – anything else? Any recommendations from fellow fathers?

If the mother can express enough then maybe try some freezer bags for the breast milk so you can store a little bit. Hopefully you have an electric pump and not a manual one. It’s worth learning how to use them too.

Breast shells are also worth the money if the mother’s production is not great.

And congratulations! Enjoy all the time you get to hold him. They start squirming and trying to be independent all too soon.

We didn’t do that so not a clue but congratulations on the arrival of your gorgeous baby boy! That yawn is too cute for words!

You can try a hand pump as it’s cheaper. Didn’t work for our first two ( sore nips/lack of flow) currently works for number 3. If no joy go onto auto pump, the best you can get. Think we got ours on eBay.

Aim for 1 feed a day by you. Warm it by placing bottle in bowl of hot water.

Sterilise by shoving it all in microwave (manual pump, bottle, etc in the plastic container it all comes in) for 6 mins with a bit of water. Close vent hole in container and it’s all ready for expressing.

Look at toys r us for tommie tippee deals, we got a package for less than half price, a bunch of it is still in use 11 months on

Congratulations. We started ours on expressed milk as early as what was advised (can’t quite remember how many weeks that was). We were tempted by some of those fancier bottles. In the end, we went for a bunch of Avent bottles and an Avent microwave steriliser. The one thing about Avent and Tommee Tipee, you’ll find them in a Tesco express or similar when you’ve headed off for the weekend and forgotten stuff. The more exotic brands tend to be stocked only in larger Mothercares, Boots etc.

Don’t forget that there are different teat opening sizes as they grow. We didn’t realise this and were feeding him with the smallest teat size for too long. 🙂 I remember the first feed on the larger opening. He was delighted!!

Did nobody else have this image pop up in their head when they read the thread title?

Congratulations o.p

Congratulations

As above we used avent bottle and had a steam steriliser. I used to love washing those bottles. I took great pride in getting them all spotlessly clean. You really appreciate doing the bottle feeds as it’s just nice to sit down for a bit.

EDIT:

Did nobody else have this image pop up in their head when they read the thread title?

I did which is why there was exactly the same picture here just a few seconds ago.

Did nobody else have this image pop up in their head when they read the thread title?

Hahah, I was thinking more:

Awesome little dude! Congratulations!

Seeing your location, was he brought to the world in the Stoke? If so, that’s where Young Master CFH popped out, and they were excellent, truly excellent.

With that in mind – Location? Am in a similar part of the world, near to the source…. 😉 And, as a result, may be able to help with a few things.

We had one of these here, as we don’t have a microwave.

and then one of these at my parent’s place;

Both were very good, and both are in need of a good home. Mail inbound…!

I always knew CFH was a nice guy despite the evidence to the contrary.

And the horse you rode in on, Muggo! 🙂

Did nobody else have this image pop up in their head when they read the thread title?

Nope, more like this.
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXMapqiDsqs[/video]

And the horse you rode in on, Muggo!

😆

Don’t suppose you’ve got any shoes that need a good home do you flashy? My hips are giving me some trouble…I can stuff paper in the toes if they’re a bit big.

You wouldn’t even touch the sides, Dai! 😈

I understand they’ve probably flattened out a bit…yeah…

We were recommended Dr Brown’s bottles for anti-colic by the midwives & health visitors.

If you’ve got a microwave just get one of the plastic sterilising thingies.

If you are in a hard water area, I have heard of those auto sterilising machines clogging up in a matter of weeks; where we live it’s very hard water & most people said to not bother with them.

Freezer bags for breast milk are a good idea.

Electric breast pump is probably a good idea too.

If your Wife’s nips start to get sore, you can get nipple shields (having a baby opens up a whole new, weird world) to use while feeding & these cover things that go in the bra to stop the bra rubbing them red raw. My Wife swore by both of these items, but she struggled with breast feeding.

EDIT – oh, and congratulations!! We are only 7 months in with our little girl. Time sure whizzes by!

Congrats!
The pump and steriliser were a waste of money for us, little miss CD drank from a bottle twice in the first month and has refused it since. Poor Mrs CD doesn’t get a break in the nights.

Congrats Si

Our two both used Tommee Tippee bottles and breast (then formula for various reasons). The Tommee Tippee ones are supposedly the most breast like for babies that are mixing it up with breast and bottle.

As above microwave steriliser and freezer bags.