Bottles - Monterey,CA

I also recommend the Avent system. I used the Avent bottles, starting with the newborn nipple and later moving one size up. Avent also makes an adapter that allows you to pump directly into the bottles. This is a nice timesaver, as it cuts down on the amount of things you have to wash in the evening. If you buy the sealing disks, the 9-oz bottles will fit into the little cooler bag that comes with Medela pumps (with the nipples on they are too tall). I also used the Lasinoh milk storage bags to freeze the milk I pumped on Fridays. Good luck!

Dr. Browns bottles are the best for keeping gas down. They are not the easiest to clean becasue they have many parts but well worth it. You should choose a slow flow nipple so that baby won't get the milk too fast. If they get the milk too fast sometimes they will not want to breastfeed because it comes out too slow. I think it is easier to but the milk in bags. The reason being that you will not always pump the amount you want in one sitting. The Lansinoh bags are the best for economic and functionality.

A.
Mom of a 9 month old. Pumping at work everyday for the past 5 months.

I agree with previous poster who suggested checking daycare policies on bringing in brestmilk-most require it to be in bottles already, so you may want to pump some straight into bottles and pump into bags to create a home supply. We used Avent bottles when we pumped, and were pumping into the 4oz bottles and using the sealing caps(basically a flat plastic disc instead of nipple). As another previous poster stated, Avent carries a large line of breastfeeding support items,even conversion kits to allow you to use a non-Avent pump to pump directly into your Avent bottles.

I loved my avent pump and also the avent bottles are shallow and more round....very easy to clean. Also Avent carries a large assortment of breast milk storage items. I am sure other things work, I was just an ALL AVENT person with my two babies

I used the BornFree bottles which worked great for us. One extra part to wash (an airflow cap), but it wasn't a big deal. I used Lansinoh bags for freezing which were great too. They have the double seal and is a better quality plastic so you're not as paranoid about it leaking or breaking! They freeze nice and flat to save space in your freezer also.

Storing breastmilk in the bottles is a great idea if like previous posters noted the daycare has certain rules. However note that bottles are going to take more space in your freezer and I'm not sure how many you'll need to buy (depending on your supply). I used ALOT of bags so I can't imagine how many bottles I would have needed to store all the extra milk. An option is to get both, and freeze milk in bottles, and extras in bags. You could always defrost the milk overnight in the fridge and then transfer it into the bottles the day you need to use them. I'm sure you'll have a better idea of how much milk you'll be producing by the time you have to return to work to see if you'll need more bags or bottles for storage.

I really like Avent bottles, too. I had a Medela pump but I used Avent bottles with it.

I wanted to use Avent bottles, but my daughter couldn't handle the huge nipples (made her gag). I ended up with Evenflo Glass bottles, they fit on the Medela Pump and are easy to clean, they also take a variety of nipples. We ended up with NUK/Gerber orthodontic latex nipples after trying about 5 different brands.
Moral of the story: before you go and buy a set of bottles, try out whether your baby will accept them - then use whatever works for you.

As for storage, I used bags at first, but my daycare had very specific rules for handling breastmilk (it has to be in a bottle, with a cap and labeled with the child's name and date) so I had to defrost it every morning before dropping her off. I soon switched to just freezing it in the bottle and drop of the frozen bottle with her (they would defrost/warm it). One less thing to do at 6 AM.

I pumped until she was 14 months and nursed for another 5 months afterwards - I hated pumping, but being able to nurse that long was a very rewarding experience.
Good luck.

I used a Medela Pump In Style for both kids, and I find the storage bottles that Medela makes are the most convenient for pumping into and storing the milk. You can also use them to feed the baby, but I found Avent bottles to be great for feeding. Medela also makes sterilization bags you can use in the microwave to sterilize breast pump parts and the bottles. Milk storage bags are OK, but I didn't find them as easy to deal with.

For me... and my son who did take a bottle, I used the 'MAM' brand bottles... which you can get on www.amazon.com These bottles are GREAT... and they are BPA free. You can read the reviews of it online. And the bottles are easy to clean, don't leak, don't accumulate air bubbles as the baby drinks, and they are cute!

I REALLY recommend this brand of bottles. They make other great products too.

Or, I hear Avent makes BPA free bottles now... and they have a pumping set as well, to go with their bottles.

Good luck,
Susan

I would second those who suggested the Avent system. I loved that not only did the pump work well but the bottles were easy to clean and never leaked. I also loved the sterilizer that could go into the microwave rather than having to wait for a full load of dishes in the dishwasher or having to sterilize on the stove.

i use the soothie bottles. the nipples are supposed to be very simular to your own. i got lucky with my little one who has no problem going back and forth between bottles and nursing. just remember yous might not be so easy. dont get frusterated, just keep trying different things until you find what works. one issue i had was i did not move up the nipple size in time. my little one started refusing the bottle and i couldnt figure out why. once i got a bigger nipple he was as happy as can be again. i only store frozen milk in bags. when i come home from work at night i put my pumped milk directly into his bottles he drinks from and wash out the "pumping" bottles so they are ready for my next day at work. good luck!!

Hi A.,

I guess I was lucky...I used Evenflo glass bottles and the basic nipples and my son never had a problem going back and forth.

As for storing breastmilk, I have had great luck with the Lansinoh breastmilk storage bags. The can be frozen fairly flat so they take up less room and they are really easy to defrost by placing in a pan of hot tap water. (Never microwave breastmilk as it breaks down all those great components that make it up!)

Good luck and happy breastfeeding!

M.

I did the same as Julie W. I pumped and stored in bags in the holder that flattens them and used the Dr Browns bottles. There is more to clean with the Dr Browns is my only complaint. They have never leaked for me. Aveda bottles leak sometimes for me. Good luck! I was just there!

Hi, I used the Playtex Drop Ins. My son did well with the nipple, back and forth to breast. Plus, not as much sterilizing is involved with the drop-ins. You can just throw the liners away and replace with new ones. However, it isnt the most cost effective or environmentally friendly way but it worked for me. I used the freezer bags. They were easiest to defrost and you can write on the outside the date and amount in each bag. You will want to squeeze all the air out of the bag before sealing and freezing to avoid freezer burn. I lost a lot of milk that way. Good luck with everything.

We loved the Dr. Brown bottles too! Yes, there are more parts to clean, but if you at least rinse them as soon as you finish with it, they aren't hard to clean. It was worth it to have a less fussy, less gassy baby!

I didn't make it but 6 weeks with breastfeeding. I did have a Medela pump (rented), and I used the storage bags in the freezer. The bags worked fine for me. My mom had a nice size/shape container to stand the bags up in the freezer, so it didn't take up a whole lot of space.

I use a Medela breast pump and the Avent bottles have worked nicely. Make sure you get the nipples for the 3 month and up though:)

The storage bags work best for me, and I'm a SAHM. They're easier to use, take up less space in the freezer, and defrost SO much quicker!!

I learned A LOT about bottle feeding at our continuing ed program the other night (I'm a peer counselor with Nursing Mothers Counsel)!! When it comes to bottles, you have to use trial and error. Some babies take to the bottle very easily and quickly, while others refuse the bottle for a long time. Start now to get baby familiar with and used to the bottle. This will also give you the time you'll need to find the bottle and nipple that works for you. You also should start now, so you have milk in the freezer ready and waiting.

Some suggestions are:
- Make sure the nipple is VERY soft & pliable and does not go from narrow nipple to wide base quickly. A more gradual slope will help baby adjust.
- Use the slowest-flow nipple you can find, usually a newborn or Stage 0. Double check the flow of all nipples. When inverted with milk in it, the nipple should freely drip at a rate of 1 drop per second. Depending on the age of your baby when you return, you may be able to use a larger opening. However, the slowest flow nipple will most closely mimic the flow of the breast.
- Position baby so he/she is sitting upright in your lap as if he/she were sitting at the dining room table (vertical angle) with the bottle at a horizontal angle. Keeping milk over just the tiny opening in the nipple is ideal. Even if there's air in the nipple, babies who feed in this position ingest less air because this position eliminates the baby's need to gulp and guzzle air during the feeding.
- You want baby to CREATE the flow, not ACCEPT it. When you feed baby a bottle laying down, the baby is accepting the flow, and depending on the rate and force of the flow, sometimes the baby has to decide which is more important: eating or breathing. Baby will choose to breathe every time.
- Use a straight, standard diameter bottle. This isn't as big a deal with older babies, like yours will be when you return to work, but something to consider. A bent bottle will create a stronger, faster flow via gravity from the milk in the higher angle of the bottle. Also, a wide diameter bottle requires tilting the bottle more vertically to get milk into the nipple.
- Use a bottle that doesn't exceed twice the intended feeding volume. ie: Don't use a 9oz bottle if baby is only eating 4oz at a time. This usually creates too much air in the bottle, which can lead to gas in the baby. It also requires more vertical tilting.
- Only store as much milk in a bag as baby will eat. ie: Don't put 8oz in a bag to freeze if baby only eats 4oz at a time. You cannot re-freeze breastmilk.

Keep in mind that there are other ways to feed a baby if they don't take to the bottle. You can use cup-feeding or spoon-feeding. If baby is old enough, you can go straight to a sippy cup. Trust your instincts and use what works for you and your baby. Also, it's helpful if someone other than you gives baby the bottle. Hope all this helps!!

For what it's worth....I pumped and used Dr. Brown's Bottles.....I LOVED THEM!! They were the best and I feel honestly help cut down on spitting up. I would store my milk in the storage bags and in the freezer. Then would use them as needed. Good luck! Being a new mom is tiring but SO rewarding!! Enjoy every moment and don't sweat the small stuff--it goes by WAY too fast!

You will definatly need to get bags for the breastmilk. I would recommend the Lansinoh brand, they works the best and I never had a leaking problem with them like I had with other bags. As for bottles, it's really up to you and your baby. My kids used the cheap evenflo bottles from Wal Mart without problems. I also like the little more expensive evenflo bottles that had a little bend to the neck and a colored "grip" on them. You might have to go through a couple of types of nipples to find one your baby likes, or you may not...simply depends on your baby. Just make sure you pay attention to the "flow stage" on the nipple. You want to make sure you are using a "stage 1" first (depending on how old your baby is when you start using bottles, you might be able to start with a stage 2).

Hope this helps.