New Mom Question!

[Lover_of_Disney]

I will be a first time mom and we are planning a Disney trip when our infant will be around 12 wks. I plan to breastfeed and was wondering if you could pump the morning of a flight and feed baby with a bottle? Do you have to be able to warm the milk?? Is there a way to keep it warm until you get on the plane. My dh is a pediatrician and says that switching from bottle to breast is not a big of a problem as many women think as far as causing nipple confusion. But what are your opinions?

Also, we plan to upgrade to First Class so I will have more room on the plane but was wondering how safe it really is with that small of an infant. What about using the Baby Bjorn sling?? Also, if the cabin isn't full would they actually let us take up another FC seat??

Sorry for my ignorance but you all have been very helpful to us so far!

 

[jel0511]

First off, if you plan on pumping, you can't keep the milk warm, you have to keep it cold, so it won't spoil. So, you'll need to re-heat it when you need it. Also, let me suggest you getting a seat for your infant. It's just so much easier and safer for them to travel in their own seat. You have extra room, and they do too. I traveled with my first child ONCE without and seat and then swore I'd never do it again. It was a complete nightmare!!! The airlines usually charge 1/2 price for an infant seat, so to me it's worth the extra money. I also wouldn't make this be your child's first try at a bottle, by 12 weeks, your child will be pretty accustomed to the breast and might not take a bottle. If you plan on pumping sometimes and offering a bottle then, start doing that around 5-6 weeks. It's usually easier that way. If you only want to try this for the flight, I think it would be a bad idea for only two times.

 

[TandyR]

I also second the idea of getting the baby it's own seat. It makes things easier.
If you are traveling with your baby and your baby is breastfed, why use a bottle? Just wondering if there is a reason. I have nursed my DD on many flights and that works well.
Most airlines won't let you use a sling while the plane is in motion.
La Leche League International's The Womany Art of Breastfeeding (Page 129 in my April 1999 copy): "Reasearch has shown that human milk can safely be kept up to 24 hours if it is stored at 60 degrees F, just below room temperature. At 66 to 72 degrees F, human milk can be stored for 10 hours/ At 79 degrees F, human milk is safe from harmful bacteria for 4-6 hours. Human milk has a remarkable ability to retard bacterial growth." So if you really want to use the bottle for the plane I would pump as close to leaving as possible and keep at at room temp and then if the baby hasn't used it in 6 hours dump it. That way you don't have to worry about heating and cooling.
I also second the idea of trying a bottle before going, but you will always have your breasts there with you if the bottle doesn't work out.

 

[campingcorgi]

Originally posted by Lover_of_Disney
My dh is a pediatrician and says that switching from bottle to breast is not a big of a problem as many women think as far as causing nipple confusion. But what are your opinions?

It's the baby's opinion that counts the most here--try the bottle out before the flight to see if that idea will 'fly'!

 

[Lover_of_Disney]

Solved the prob and got 50% First class for baby!!

Thanks for your help!!

 

[The Sybah Shelstah]

Well, that solved the seating problem... has nothing to do with the bottle feeding topic though. LOL

I also wouldn't make this be your child's first try at a bottle, by 12 weeks, your child will be pretty accustomed to the breast and might not take a bottle. If you plan on pumping sometimes and offering a bottle then, start doing that around 5-6 weeks. It's usually easier that way.

I totally disagree with this. If you want to feed a bottle on the trip- then YES, try it before you go instead of trying it for the first time on the trip. But I would not recommend to someone to start giving a bottle at 5-6wks giving them 6wks to get used to it before the trip. It's totally unneccessary to do that if you are only wanting to use a bottle during the flight.. and for some children that early CAN cause nipple confusion. It's not really nipple confusion- it's that it's EASIER to get the milk out of the bottle and once they realize that- some babies will not want to work harder to get milk out of the breast. So then you have trouble getting them to breastfeed instead of taking a bottle. It can cause a real pumping nightmare if you are planning on continuing to feed breastmilk even if this "nipple confusion" (I call it nipple laziness LOL Because it really is easier and it really is them enjoying it coming out easier/faster) happens.

If you only want to try this for the flight, I think it would be a bad idea for only two times.

Totally agree with this.

(ps. I have breastfed 3 children varying amounts of times with the 2yr old just self-weaning recently and I have many friends and sisters who have breastfed. So I'm not just speaking from anything I've read/etc- I'm speaking from my own experience as well as many I know personally. Just wanted to clarify that)

 

[crisi]

I'm guessing your husband should be able to guess as well as anyone.

My personal experience....

My daughter and I never got the hang of breastfeeding in public. It wasn't modesty on my part. It was a combination of difficulty latching (that she always had until she gave up the breast), her needing to be in the "right" position that we could really only get into in certain types of chairs, and her wanted to spend more time looking around than eating. So, I wouldn't have be able to feed on a plane. But most of my girlfriends wouldn't have any problems.

My daughter started on a bottle (because I had a delay in my milk coming in) and switched to the breast after a week. When it was time to get her into daycare, it was HELL getting her to take the bottle again (at about 3 1/2 months). She would never take a bottle from me or from my husband. She would take it from daycare (after a battle) or grandma if I wasn't in the house. So for me, bottlefeeding in a plane would have been out. But once again, I think this may be unusual. (My daughter is an unusually stubborn little girl - and was born that way. Once she decided to give up the breast - that was it - it was like she never had problems with a bottle).

I had a girlfriend whose baby always needed his bottle warmed to a certain temperture, within a few degrees, and would reject it otherwise. But my son was never picky at all about temperature. I believe you can ask the flight attendants to warm the bottle for you - but I believe they may do it in a microwave - which is risky (uneven heating can burn little mouths). You may be best off asking for a cup of hot water and putting the bottle in the water for five minutes - the old fashioned way.

You are probably going to have to wait and see what your baby is like and how breastfeeding goes for you.

Best wishes.

 

[Bird-Mom]

nak

nipple confusion is real! and some babies, like my dd, don't do bottles at all. you will be happier without lugging bottles on vacation; straight from the tap is much easier. remember that there is a growth spurt around 3 months, so you will be spending lots of time nursing. we took our dd at 6 1/2 months and nursed everywhere without any problems.

the baby bjorn is great! i wore her all over the world very comfortably-we didn't even bother with a stroller.

 

[DisneyPhD]

I am with the mother's wondering why you would want the bottle. If you baby isn't used to bottle, and you won't need it other times why bother? I went back to work 2 days a week when my baby was 4 months old. She would take bottles with no problem from other people, but I never tried. I always nursed her. I didn't want her to have a bottle from me, why bother? It was twice the work to pump and then feed her. Also I took the rare opprotunty to have a break!!


Breast feeding is much convenent while traveling, you always have everything you need with you. Nurse the baby when the plane is taking off and landing. at 3 months the baby should have enough expernce to do well, but young enough not to be distracted. My DD would bite me after 9 months when in puplic, she was too distracted.

My problem now is getting her to lose interest. My DD Is 23 months old and still holding strong to 2 times a day (morning and before bed.) Can't seem to get her to lose interest. The Sybah Shelstah I am going to PM you and see if you have any sugestions. Thanks!!!

 

[Gillian]

You'll be happy you have the extra seat. Now here's why you'll want the bottle You'll want baby strapped in during take off & landing, for safety reasons. And you'll want the baby to swallow during this time to relieve ear pressure. Nursing would be ideal, but with both of you buckled in, you'll need a bottle.

I do think it's a good idea to start with a bottle soon, if you think you EVER want to give one! We gave DS a bottle at 2-3 weeks. He didn't often get a bottle, but he got used to them, which made it easy to leave him with grandma or the adoring aunts, unles & cousins for a little while.

DH & I were able to take the occasional overnight trip (just us & the breast pump!) because DS would take a bottle. I have many friends whose tried a bottle at 6+ weeks and their kids never took it. It meant that they could never be away from their babies for more than a few hours. This may not sound like a big deal, but it is so nice to be able to have a movie or dinner out sometimes! And if you are invited to a wedding or something, you don't have to worry.

I have lots of friends who nursed or still do. Some of them are fanatical, most are moderate. It all took us a while to figure out what worked for us & our kids.

 

[sha_lyn]

Here my 2cents worth

DS certainly did have nipple confusion and refused the breast because he was given a bottle too early (in the hospital, long story, but is was 14 yrs ago and the hospital was not supportive of BF). After weeks of tryign to get him to nurse my milk dried up ( a pump does not simulate production like nursing would).

While PG with DD I talked long and hard with the Ped. She too suggested that between 5-6 weeks is the ideal time to start a bottle if you would ever need to give one. It gives them time to get use to nursing, milk production is strong etc. If you wait any longer you run the risk of them not wanting the bottle. Personally I think nursing while traveling is easier than pumping, storing etc. I wouldn't bother with it. WDW is so nursing friendly that it should be easy, and I don't see any predictable problems on the plane.

As for take off and landing. I would just offer a pacifier, finger tip etc and not a bottle.

Cooling and heating. If you do travel with expressed milk or formula there are a few hints.
If for osme reason you use formula use the powdered and buy small bottles of water to keep at room temp. With milk, they shouldbe able to heat it up, but there are portable ways to heat milk. One way is the chemical heat pack that you "mix up" to produce heat then boil to recharge them.

 

[jlieblaw]

As far as nursing goes, if will be a personal decision for you to make once you see how your baby is. Advice is fine from others, but just remember that you're the mom and you know best. I tried to nurse my dd after she was born and we had difficulties with latching on. She took formula in the hospital because she was jaundiced and needed the bottle to help break it up. However, I still nursed and once we got the hang of it, her taking a bottle did not interfere with nursing and she had both from day 1. I had to go back to work when she was 3 weeks old and my mom kept her. I was able to go over and nurse her but I also pumped or prepared formula. However, after 3 weeks of me being home with her and nursing her, my mom often had a hard time trying to give her a bottle. I had so many people tell me to not give her a bottle no matter what because of how it would affect nursing. It didn't affect nursing at all so my advice to you is to do what you are comfortable with. Listen to everyone's advice if you want, but ultimately go with what you think is best.

Also, whichever method you choose, there are plenty of places at WDW to feed the baby, especially the baby comfort stations. They are very nice even for toddlers, etc. to get out of the heat and relax for a few minutes. I am with the moms who say it's easier to travel while nursing because you don't have to carry bottles, pump, etc. with you but at the same time, it can be nice to hand over baby to your husband and let him take a turn.

 

[MrsPete]

Personally, I wouldn't have enjoyed a Disney trip when either of my girls was 12 weeks old. Consider . . .

My girls were both born late (and I'm from a family notorious for early births). My oldest was three and a half weeks late and finally had to be induced! Admittedly, this is extreme, but many of my friends have had late babies. Your baby could easily be only 10 weeks old when your trip arrives.

I had a moderately difficult birth with my first one, and my recovery was not pleasant. Walking (don't even mention sneezing or using the bathroom) was unpleasant for a very long time -- much longer than I'd expected -- and I definately didn't have my strength up for a strenuous vacation by the time she was 12 weeks old. My second daughter's birth was a breeze, but she wasn't a sleeper -- this led to a zombie-like state for months. Had I gone on a vacation at this time, it would have been largely spent in the hotel room.

As for nursing, I nursed both my girls successfully for more than a year, and it's a wonderful thing! Nothing to buy, nothing to run out of, nothing to mix up, wash up, transport, heat up . . . it's the easiest way to feed a baby. Throw in the health benefits, and it's a great choice all around.

I wouldn't mess with a bottle though. It and a pump are just something else to carry along with you. I never had any problem breastfeeding in public. Choose a booth in a restaurant for privacy. Pop into a dressing room in the mall. Sit down on the floor in the home decor section of a store (men don't frequent that area).

Do not "apologize" for your choice to breastfeed by hiding in a toilet stall -- you're doing what's best for your child, and that's nothing to hide. Strangers who spoke to me while I was nursing were all 100% supportive. Many of them mentioned how they'd nursed their own children and what a positive experience it'd been.

Have you looked into tops from MotherWear (I'm pretty sure they're available online)? They have slits that allow you to nurse without exposing yourself. These tops aren't much good for learning to nurse, but once you've mastered it (and you will have by 12 weeks) they're a great help.

 

[Kermit]

One other thing to keep in mind--you may very well be able to nurse the baby while baby is in the carseat. It will be rear facing, and you'll just have on a lap belt, so as long as you're comfortable with people seeing you sitting in an odd position, you can just lean over and nurse.

I agree that pumping and introducing a bottle for just a few bottlefeedings is not worth it. As long as you can stay home with baby and feel comfortable nursing in public, it's not worth the hassle. I had to pump when DS was first born because he was premature and wouldn't wake up to eat, but I gave that up as soon as he started nursing well. If you really just don't like the idea of nursing on the plane but are willing to nurse in public everywhere else, use a finger for takeoff and landing, and then feed pumped milk with a syringe during the flight. It's easy to feed with a syringe with no training since you can basically force it down the baby's mouth. But keep in mind that baby may cry because he wants the comfort of nursing. My baby has to nurse as soon as we get out of the car when we go anywhere because unfamiliar situations make him want his mommy.