Getting the hang of breastfeeding

[hillarywhitney]

DS is a month old, and so we are still figuring out breastfeeding. I feel like we make a mess almost every time. I use a nipple shield, so if it gets knocked off (which it often does) the milk in it spills on us. And when DS unlatches he tends to make a mess too. Will I figure out how to make less of a mess in the future? 

I'm hoping to get rid of the nipple shield at some point (I've gotten DS to latch without it a few times, but I still use it every time I feed him). 

Also, how long did it take you to figure out how to nurse in public? Any tips? 

eta: Do you use a cover of any kind? If so, which one?

[AlpineSlide]

I smelled like sour milk for over a month in the beginning. It got less messy for us around 2 months. He could handle the strong letdown better so I didn't spray everywhere.

No advice about the shield as I didn't use one. Just carry several burp rags with you. Tuck them in when you fold down your bra/tank to nurse, lay one on the baby. Have the baby wear a bib to catch dribbles. Or use a big receiving blanket between you and the baby to catch the milk and keep you both dry.

I've only NIP a few times and my baby doesn't like his head covered, so I drape an A&A blanket on my opposite shoulder than the side he's feeding on and I sort of hold it up to my chest without covering him. Mainly I've found that the baby's head covers the nipple as you expose it/he latches, so no one sees that. they may see the top of the breast but i don't care. practice in a mirror at home so you know what is visible.

[bowies]

I've attempted to NIP a few times and found that a cover greatly reduced my anxiety. I use a Bebe Au Lait.

[VillainV]

Newborns are messy eaters (at least mine was)! I tucked a burp cloth into my nursing bra. He got better pretty quickly.

As for NIP, we started out using a cover, but he didn't like it, so I stopped. I wear nursing tanks under t-shirts....shirt comes up, tank comes down, and almost no skin is visible once he's latched. It's awkward if he comes unmatched, but it he's pretty good about that now. Honestly, it takes some practice, and some amount of deciding you just don't give a fuck if people see a little nipple. I will say that I've NIP'ed in lots of different places, and never had anyone look at me weird.

[undecidedowl]

It gets less messy with time. Of course, DS spit up a lot so really the mess just switched from fresh to ingested. I always had a burp rag under my boob to help with the mess.

We used a nipple shield until 3-4 months and ditching that helped us be a lot less awkward, it just took time for DS to be ready. As far as NIP, just time and practice. Trying nursing in front of a mirror if you are concerned about what might be showing. You're usually showing less than you might expect. I used a bebe au lait cover.

[redheadk]

The mess will stop pretty soon. Once he stops popping off while milk is flowing and your supply regulates, it isn't messy at all.

Good job, the early days of BFing are very hard but it gets much, much better.

[Jalapeñomel]

The best trick for NIP is the Tami tank from ON. Best advice I got from some ladies here.

Everything gets easier with time, I promise. I held on to that nipple shield for like 6 months!

[simpsongal]

re: Nursing in public - covers suck and babies hate them. I just wear a nursing tank and either hold a burp cloth over my exposed side a bit (so I'm less exposed). Or I wear a light cardigan and keep it button and just pull it up and pull the nursing tank down (KWIM?).

Have you tried pumping a bit before nursing instead of using the shield? Sometimes that helps with the shape and brings the milk forward.

[sunshine608]

My MIL and GMIL made me nursing covers and I love them b/c the don't look like covers. I also ordered one from udder covers and have used that a few times. I use them more to pump at work than to NIP.

IN all honesty, DS hates being covered and will kick and fuss and unlatch and then I'm trying to re-latch through the top and its just a mess. At this point I tie and a+a around my neck, and then cover DS as if its a blanket and he seems to tolerate that better than a regular cover. Maybe because its familiar. IDK.

It took me not caring about NIP to become comfortable and get the hang of it ( if that makes sense). I'm feeding my baby if you got a problem I dare you to say something. LOL. I have all these great retorts but no-one has ever said anything.

[jene]

As far as the nipple shield, I used one for the first month with A, and then started offering the breast without it. We ended up using it for a couple of weeks after that and were fully off of it by 6 weeks (roughly).

[Stingyshark]

We had a lot of issues with BF. I wasn't comfortable NIP until 12-13wks. In someone else's home was fine, but actually out in public.. It took a while. I have a bebe au lait cover, it's fine. It's nice and wide so provides a lot of cover. But recently i've been going coverless. It's to damn hot to cover up.

[hillarywhitney]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I'm going to try nursing in front of a mirror.

undecidedowl Jalapeñomel and jene were you able to NIP with the shield? 

simpsongal I've tried pumping beforehand, but by the time I got DS latched my nipple had returned to it's previous flat state. I got a latch assist/nipple everter, and that helps sometimes. But my nipples just don't want to cooperate. But I keep trying. 

And, Jalapeñomel--About the tamis. I got one when I was pregnant. Do they have non maternity ones? Are did you just use the maternity ones? And, did they get all stretched out from pulling them down? 

[undecidedowl]

I did NIP with the shield. I would grab it first, then get DS situated on my lap, put the cover on and then awkwardly try to get my bra down, slip the shield on and latch DS. Once he latched it was fine, but the starting and switching sides were always a bit awkward.

[jene]

I did NIP with the shield, I just got to a point where I stopped caring if people saw a little bit of nipple.

[amaristella]

Will I figure out how to make less of a mess in the future?
I still carry a receiving blanket in the diaper bag everywhere we go. I tuck it into my bra/shirt to catch the mess. What really happened was that over time my overactive let down calmed the hell down and DS stopped unlatching just cause.

I'm hoping to get rid of the nipple shield at some point (I've gotten DS to latch without it a few times, but I still use it every time I feed him).
I also used a shield at first. I don't remember for how long but it was many weeks and I got so mad at the stupid thing I quit cold turkey.

Also, how long did it take you to figure out how to nurse in public? Any tips?
A few weeks. It got significantly easier after I gave up on nursing covers and weaned from the nipple shield. Then it got worse again when DS went through the "I cannot focus on eating when there is anything to be distracted my phase". That phase softened and right now I just do my best to feed him at home or in the car. If not I just find the most comfortable place to sit and get it done. Now that he's older he's very efficient and it may only take 5-10 minutes for a feed.

eta: Do you use a cover of any kind? If so, which one?
Originally I had those straps that turn any blanket into a cover. covermestrap.com/ It saved space in the diaper bag.

[MadamePresident]

I have a cover, but I rarely use it. It's just one more thing to have to fuss with. At 5.5 weeks in still leaking a ton. I have a million 6 inch square cloths that I keep around. I'll tuck one in my bra on the other side and sometimes will tuck one folder in half under the babies chin. I like to keep one in my hand to quickly user when the baby unlatched and I'm still spraying out to catch quick spit up.

I've found wearing a tank with a loose shirt overt the top is easiest when i'm trying to be discreet. When the baby unlatches the shirt will naturally fall down and cover me. I also like shirts that are loose sold the neck. When nursing in a carrier or using a cover it's easier to go overt the top. I also think nip can be easier or harder depending on you size.

[Jalapeñomel]

Aug 27, 2014 13:24:37 GMT -5 hillarywhitney said:

Thanks for the responses everyone. I'm going to try nursing in front of a mirror.

undecidedowl Jalapeñomel and jene were you able to NIP with the shield? 

simpsongal I've tried pumping beforehand, but by the time I got DS latched my nipple had returned to it's previous flat state. I got a latch assist/nipple everter, and that helps sometimes. But my nipples just don't want to cooperate. But I keep trying. 

And, Jalapeñomel--About the tamis. I got one when I was pregnant. Do they have non maternity ones? Are did you just use the maternity ones? And, did they get all stretched out from pulling them down? 

Yes, I NIP with the shield.  I didn't realize they made maternity tami tanks!  They stretch great for NIP, but they always go back to their shape.  They are great!