Anytime a good friend is about to have a baby I share this info I’m about to share with you about nursing, the challenges and what worked for me. I have been meaning to write it here and what better day than the last day of Breastfeeding Week. Also check this out on what to wear while nursing! Let’s pretend you want to breastfeed someday and get past all the benefits and controversy about the why and get to the how!
I never cared much either way about nursing moms around me and didn’t give it a 2nd thought until I got pregnant for the first time and did research. Of course, I found lots of material about how beneficial it would be for me and my baby. That was all I needed to get to the HOW will I get this done. For some reason, I didn’t have a good feeling about being able to do it. I just couldn’t picture myself being successful, so I got a book. The BreastFeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk” and one more but I CANNOT remember the name!
I’ll update if I do. So you can read the book but want so summarize not the book, but more how its’ gone for me the 2 times I’ve nursed my kids for about 18 months!
Breastfeeding Resources and Tips
1. Confidence is key:
You’ll feel more confident if you do read a book, since you can’t sleep anyway during the last 2 months, might as well. You can download one for a few bucks on your kindle. Reading about different situations felt comforting as well.
2. It’s not going to go well the first 24 times:
Ok, maybe just the first 10 times, but it will feel like it’s not going to happen. Although it does get easier and if this is important to you, don’t give up!
3. Build the milk factory:
You have 6 weeks to establish your milk supply so act accordingly. As soon as baby is born, start using that hospital grade pump (or rent one if you’re birthing at home) every 4 hours for about 10 mins to signal to your body that baby is here and ready to eat. The baby will be eating about every 3-4 hours for the first month. So it’s key to send that message to your milk factory.
The first couple of days baby won’t be very hungry or just plain lazy about eating and your body can’t think that that’s the way it’s gonna go. The regular pumps are fine also but I rented the hospital pump for the first 6 months because it was so powerful and efficient and I couldn’t spend the extra time pumping that my regular pump required. For the first couple of days, your body will only produce the gold liquid that is colustrum (only a few drops is all baby needs to get by!) but at about day 3 you’ll get your new set of boobs and milk! Even though you’ll feel it’s futile, because not a lot is going on, keep the pumping schedule up especially if baby is out of the loop!
4. Don’t build the factory before they come:
My friend helpfully told me that she had read pumping induced labor. So she began pumping before the baby was born. Unfortunately, her body got confused and as soon as the baby (Day 1) was born she started just watering milk uncontrollably because her body thought it was go time. She cried laughing as she told the story and shared that yeah..don’t do that.
5. The Latch:
The latch is hard for most of us no matter what shape you are so don’t despair! When baby comes they too are confused about how they’re supposed to do this and the natural nipple shape (regardless of what type you have) tends to be softer and rounder than baby is ready to latch on to. I had this happen to me with both to an extent but mostly with #1. He couldn’t latch at all! He was sucking and trying but just clueless as to what he was looking for out there.
Thanks to a heavenly lactation consultant, on the very last day I was at the hospital and about to bust into tears, she came in and hesitantly handed me a nipple shield. I had glossed over it in “my studies” and had no idea this little round object was the only thing between me and nursing heaven. The nipple shield goes over your nipple (surprise!). And has holes in it so that the milk can come out.
What makes it awesome is that it is a lot more shaped and harder than your natural nipple and therefore poor 2 day old baby can easily suck. For some reason, these are kinda discouraged in the hardcore nursing community and the lactation consultant refused to give me one for my 2nd kid until I begged her and told her I couldn’t without it. What if I had gotten her for my 1st child?! I would’ve probably failed. I think they may discourage because they don’t want baby to get used to it or whatever, but after 2-3 weeks my 2 kids didn’t need it anymore. It really was like a tricycle. I’d love to hear other reasons why this is discouraged if you know!
Some accessories I loved:
Even all the reading and great advice from experts and besties, sometimes it’s not meant to be. Sometimes your body won’t make the milk or your work schedule is to demanding or emotionally it doesn’t feel right. And, that’s ok! No matter if you feed your baby with a bottle or your breast, the only thing that really matters is feeding him or her with love. The eye contact, the cuddles, the warmth your baby will feel will all be there. Rock on, mamas! For what to wear, make sure to check this post out! XO, Z
