So, in honor of breastfeeding awareness month and for all my
pregnant/breastfeeding friends out there I have decided to write a post on
breastfeeding. I wanted to share my experience and also to give encouragement
to moms out there who wish to, or are thinking about breastfeeding. Before
having conversations with some young moms I thought that breastfeeding was the
natural choice and therefore would be easy….but boy was I wrong! But with some
good advice, a breastfeeding class, lactation consultant’s assistance and lots
of determination I am pleased to tell you that my 7 month old is still
breastfeeding and we thoroughly enjoy our bonding time together when he is
nursing. So here are my tips and tricksJ
(Disclaimer- I am not a breastfeeding expert by any means- I have just benefitted from others advice and experiences so I want to share mine, I am sure all of my breastfeeding friends out there have a different experience and may have other things that worked for them)
Making the decision to breastfeed
I made the decision to breastfeed long before I was ever
pregnant. It just seemed like the natural thing to do and besides all the
research that says it is best for your baby, what could be better than what
your body makes to feed the baby that just grew inside of itJ It definitely is a
selfless decision because it takes time and energy on your part but it also
takes having daddy on board to help! In case you need more convincing that
breastfeeding is the right decision see all of the research and stats on the
American Academy of Pediatrics website! (http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/129/3/e827.full)
Before baby comes
During the last month of pregnancy I took a breastfeeding
class taught at the hospital where I was giving birth by a lactation
consultant. Brett wasn’t able to attend
with me- but I think it would have been a good thing- may be a little weird for
dads but it is a good idea to go together- since you are a team you need to be
on the same page and have the same information. I also read the American
Academy of Pediatrics “New Mother’s Guide to Breastfeeding” , which had helpful
information about breastfeeding and milk use guidelines for once you pump and
help with introducing a bottle and going back to work.
When baby comesJ
So the joyous moment has occurred and your sweet baby is in
your arms, finally! Nursing as soon as possible after baby is born is the best.
The nurses need to get their APGAR scores and assess the baby but if you let
them know your intent to breastfeed, before you give birth, they will help you
get started. After Mason was all checked out and we snapped a few pictures it
was time to breastfeed. The nurse encouraged me to try a couple different positions
and helped me get him to latch. He latched on just fine the first time but had
to be poked and prodded a little to keep suckling. The nurse did let me know
when they are so little sometimes they need breaks, but they are also pretty
sleepy the first couple days so they need reminding to keep sucking. It was so
crazy to believe he was finally there- and we were finally together!
The first 2 weeks
The first two weeks I definitely felt like all I did was
nurse Mason- he was so slow- it took him an hour to nurse and he was eating
every two hours so I only had an hour in between. (You count the time you started
to the start of the next feeding-which I did not know beforehand) But a friend
had told me the best thing to do was to nurse all the time and so I did- and it
was worth it! I pretty much stayed home- any visitor I had didn’t stay long and
if one of Brett’s friends was over I would just go to the bedroom to nurse
because I didn’t feel like I could use a cover yet, we were still figuring
things out!
Other good advice I had gotten for how to decrease the pain
and tenderness in your nipples is to express a drop of milk and let it dry
before covering yourself back up after nursing. ALWAYS let your nipples dry
fully before covering back up- I would always fan mine with my breast pad. Also
I was told- don’t wash with soap- only warm water- the soap will dry your
nipples out. Use lanolin as needed- and you don’t need to wipe it off before
baby nurses so make sure you get pure lanolin so you don’t have to put any
extra unnecessary stress on your already tender nipples. Don’t worry it will
get better- the first couple weeks are the worst- I remember saying “mommy isn’t
ready to feed you buddy” when he was crying because I was so tender.
Feeling natural
I honestly think it took me at least 6 weeks to feel like
breastfeeding was comfortable and
natural feeling. It definitely took me that long to feel comfortable
breastfeeding in public with my cover on. A good nursing cover is definitely a
must have, Balboa baby is the brand of the one I like the most (of the 2 I
have) it was from Babies R Us- but a friend told me that they have lots of
options on their website too! (fun fact: it also doubles as stroller cover to
keep the sun out of babies eyesJ)
It is crazy to think back on the first few weeks of
breastfeeding –but the struggle and pain of starting out was definitely worth
it. Both Mason and I mutually enjoy nursing and it is so easy to just walk out
of the house with no fussing with bottles! As long as Mason and I are going
together all I need is my cover and a burp rag (or two or four with the way he
spits up) and I can feed him for however
long we are gone for!
Breastfeeding in Public
I really haven’t had anyone look at me funny and actually
had one lady come and tell me “good for you, don’t let anyone look at you funny
or say anything to you about nursing in public”. I always wear my cover and don’t
feel any public scrutiny. I actually have found it works great to nurse Mason
in the front pack that I have- I just make sure I wear a tank top or shirt that
I can easily pull down in the front and put my cover over me, tuck it in at the
straps of the front pack and put a burp rag under his chin and I have both
hands to clean, shop, or eat. It has worked wonderfully and I wish I had thought
of it earlier- I would have felt much more liberated early on. Brett actually
had the idea when we were on a walk one night- it was just getting dark out and
I had Mason in the front pack and he started to get hungry (which he seemed to
do the first month whenever I tried to go anywhere or do anything). Brett said-
“do you think you could feed him in there”- it was dark enough and I had a
shirt to pull up and one to pull down so it was minimal exposure and sure
enough it worked great, and I have been doing it ever since.
Breastfeeding has been a very positive experience now that Mason and I have the hang of it- It definitely started out rocky- but it worked and I am so glad we were able to keep going. Mason's pediatrician has been very supportive from the start and tells me that he can tell the babies that are breastfed from those that are formula fed by how often he sees them in between routine visits. It really is best for your baby- and a lot cheaper too!
More to come on going back to work and pumping in a later post!
