Breastfeeding, pumping and bottle feeding essentials
Breast, bottle, expressed milk or a mix of them all, a lot of the kit that helps is the same. A nursing pillow goes round your waist and lifts your baby to the right height, so your arms and back aren't holding them through a long feed, and it works as well for a bottle as for the breast. Our nursing pillows are the same pillow in different covers.
The Maternity Bra has a clip on each strap that drops the cup with one hand, and the Nursing Sleep Bra crosses over at the front, with nothing to unclip at night. If you're expressing, the Pumping Bra holds the flanges so your hands are free.
The Air™ Electric Breast Pump is a wearable pump that sits inside your bra, with no wires or tubes, and runs at under 35 dB. The reusable silicone milk bags stand up to fill and lie flat to freeze, and the large muslins deal with the spills.
Questions, answered.
Is there a right way to feed my baby?
No. Breast, bottle, expressed milk, formula or any mix of them all feed your baby, and plenty of people plan one way and end up on another. If you'd like help with latch, supply or weight gain, your midwife, health visitor or an infant feeding specialist can help.
Is a nursing pillow useful for bottle feeding?
Yes. It raises your baby into a more upright position for a bottle and takes the weight off your arms, whoever is doing the feed. After a C-section, it also keeps your baby's weight off your incision.
Do I need a pumping bra as well as a nursing bra?
Only if you pump often. Our nursing bras open for a pump, but you hold the flanges yourself, while the Pumping Bra's inner layer holds them for you so you can pump hands-free. If you mostly breastfeed and pump now and then, the Maternity Bra is the softer one to live in.
How long can I store expressed milk?
The NHS says expressed milk keeps for up to 8 days at the back of the fridge at 4°C or lower, or 3 days if you're not sure of the temperature. It keeps for 2 weeks in the ice compartment of a fridge and up to 6 months in a freezer at -18°C or lower, so write the date on every bag.
What makes night feeds easier?
Getting things ready before bed: water for you, a muslin, breast pads and a spare sleepsuit within reach. A sleep bra that holds a breast pad saves changing the sheets, and if you're bottle feeding, having everything ready means less time in a cold kitchen.
