Breast milk doesn't heal everything. If you have a bad crack or just really damaged nipples, call your doctor for a APNO rx. It was the only thing that worked for me, and it greatly improved the whole experience for me.
Also, breastfeeding is so time consuming in the beginning. Your baby needs to nurse every couple of hours, and they can nurse for up to an hour at a time. It's completely overwhelming, especially in combination with adjusting to your new, post-partum world. I promise that it'll get better soon. You both get better at nursing, and eventually the baby will go longer in between feedings.
Don't read the whole breastfeeding book before you start. You may have some challenges, but it's not likely you'll have ALL OF THEM and it can be scary to look at everything that could go wrong.
If it hurts for a few seconds, then stops, you're fine. If it hurts and hurts and hurts some more, the latch is effed up and your baby might have a tongue tie.
Post by sporklemotion on Jul 6, 2015 10:14:02 GMT -5
If possible, have your partner (if she has one) become educated about the challenges and ways to support you. Many well-intentioned relatives who had FF were quick to encourage me to give up earlier than I wanted or needed to.
One-handed snacks are helpful, as is keeping water nearby.
It can be hard to tell if your baby is getting enough, especially in the beginning and during growth spurts, when even well-fed babies scream a lot. Use the number of wet/dirty diapers as a gauge, or do a weighted feeding if you're concerned.
If your boobs need a break, don't freak out about giving a pacifier. I was so exhausted from constant nursing one night that I said to DH I just can't nurse him right now, let's try a pacifier. And it calmed him down, gave me a much needed break, and didn't damage our breastfeeding relationship.
Find a bfing support group in your area. Even if bfing is going great for you, having a set place to go to every week with lots of just general baby support is awesome. Plus if you're having troubles there is so much information available there ,and usually a LC to talk to for free.
Post by awkwardpenguin on Jul 6, 2015 10:19:43 GMT -5
A nipple shield is a pain in the ass, so don't introduce it unless you need it, but it is a huge help for flat nipples and a baby who won't latch.
APNO wasn't covered by our insurance so our pedi gave us a recipe. Mix equal parts Polysporin ointment, hydrocortisone 1% ointment, and miconazole 2% cream. Apply a thin layer as needed.
If possible, have your partner (if she has one) become educated about the challenges and ways to support you. Many well-intentioned relatives who had FF were quick to encourage me to give up earlier than I wanted or needed to.
This is great advice. Both sides of our family were so quick to suggest formula, time and time again. Your newborn's not sleeping through the night? Formula! Your newborn is cranky? Formula! Your a new mom & tired? Formula!
My husband was quick with the rebuttals, plus he understood how hard breastfeeding was (initially) and he was (and continues to be) very supportive. Taking a breasfeeding class together was worth the money.
The first 2 weeks are the most important for establishing supply and also the most difficult. Keep the baby with you and on the boob as often as possible during this time. Use lanolin after every feeding.
Find a local support group and go. It was so helpful to me to be able to get out of the house those first few months somewhere where it was fine if my baby just hung on my boob or screamed or whatever.
The early weeks of breastfeeding is a complete mindfuck. Be kind to yourself.
Sometimes you just have to settle in for the long haul. Have lots of snacks and entertainment (Netflix, etc) available for those early growth spurts and don't expect to get anything productive done.
Post by sporklemotion on Jul 6, 2015 10:31:11 GMT -5
One more, less serious piece-- if you are OK to drive, you are OK to nurse, so it's OK to have a glass of wine as needed. Dark beer is said to increase supply, so it's a win-win!
Set reasonable goals. If I had told myself I MUST breastfeed for a year, I may very well have quit in the beginning, because it would have seemed like an insurmountable task. I set a goal of three months at first, then when we passed that, six months, then nine, then 12. Since then I've just stopped counting.
My SIL described the pain in the first few weeks as "toe curling." That was true for me and I'm so glad I knew ahead of time that it could be painful even if baby was latching right.
Get an LC or experienced nurse to help you from the very first time. I had a nurse each time with me and I put my hands in the air and let her latch the baby. Definitely helped me figure latching out.
Use a pacifier to give yourself and your nipples a break. True "nipple confusion" is very rare.
Kellymom.com is a great resource online for all things BFing. I second the support group suggestion. It is something I look forward to each week to get out of the house. There are other moms with babies close in age as well.
Find a TV series on Netflix to watch while nursing
I highly recommend the Lansinoh BF starter kit as a gift. It was awesome to have the breast pads, thermal packs and cream at home when I needed them.
Other advice: if you are having trouble, try different positions. I had a hard time with the ones they taught at my hospital, but met a different LC who taught me the baby led latch. If I hadn't seen her I would have quit. The others were too painful.
Also make sure she knows it will be awful pain for 2 weeks. The nurses kept telling me it shouldn't hurt, but it does!!! I'm only really getting comfortable now at 7 weeks. Realistic expectations really help.
Also APNO!!! I needed it and it was a lifesaver.
Don't be afraid to reach out to friends and family for help. I got so much support from my sister and s friend who is a nurse. I needed it and I've never been good at asking for help.
Breastfeeding has been a very emotional experience for me and I'm a bit bitter, but here's what I think might help:
I do wish I had read a book that included challenges. I took 2 classes in the hospital and they left me woefully unprepared. They didn't even mention that pumping immediately is frequently medically indicated.
Make sure she request to see the LC at the hospital every day she is there. There will at least be questions even if things seem to be going pretty well. They didn't send one to me the first day for some reason and that was not helpful.
For supplies, a my breast friend would be helpful. Also lots of snacks and a Netflix gift card if she doesn't already have a subscription.
Some nice burp rags to help with clean up
Nice pads. I never had much leaking, so I can't speak to if someone needs a lot of protection, but I like these because they are soft and lay nicely: www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005EYRJ8I/ref=ya_aw_oh_pii
Make her lots of lactation bars to put in her freezer. I like the chocolate chip oatmeal ones made into bars (easier to make and eat than actual cookies)
The Honest Company brand nipple cream is my favorite I've tried.
Is she likely to have a c-section or have signs of hypertension? If so those will likely require pumping from day 1. If so, I can provide lots of support for pumping.
If she is getting a pump have her try to get a Spectra. So much better than Medelas.
Post by badtzmaru22 on Jul 6, 2015 12:37:13 GMT -5
All you have to do is eat so the baby can eat. Don't worry about the dishes or cleaning or entertaining visitors. Just feed yourself and the baby. This was really helpful for me, since I thought I would do all these other things on ML. Nope!
Post by hbomdiggity on Jul 6, 2015 12:53:35 GMT -5
I'm pretty sure it was my first night home that i ordered my own "care package" of: Lansinoh TheraPearl 3-in-1 Breast Therapy Lansinoh Soothies Gel Pads Lansinoh Disposable Nursing Pads different nipple creams granola bars
I was so worried BFing wouldn't work out and put a lot of pressure on myself. My mom told me to set two month goals and each time I would make it, to reassess whether continuing was a mutually beneficial decision.
It helped me put less stress on myself, and also gave me attainable goals to meet without automatically shooting for the stars (aka a year).
It helped my sanity tremendously when I had to wean my DD at 10 months since my body could not handle pregnancy, nursing and surviving all at once.
All you have to do is eat so the baby can eat. Don't worry about the dishes or cleaning or entertaining visitors. Just feed yourself and the baby. This was really helpful for me, since I thought I would do all these other things on ML. Nope!
That's a good one.
Stay on task with what you and your baby need and feel free to disappear or kick people out if it helps.
If your hospital has a lactation consultant, see him/her as frequently as possible while you are in the hospital. I didn't do that and I regret it immensely. It's important to leave the hospital knowing if you baby can latch and knowing what you might need to do to make that happen. Don't be afraid to ask for help - it's their job and they want to help you make it work.
Before you give birth, research 1 or 2 LCs in your area and have their numbers handy...you may need it.
Air out your boobies after every feeding (really, be boobs out all the time if possible) and limit sugar intake in the early days...thrush is a bitch. If you can manage it, just wear a loose t-shirt to avoid trapping moisture on the nipples.
Everyone has great advice! I think the key to breastfeeding for me was having a husband who was as invested as I was. He was my #1 cheerleader and was really helpful. You can drink alcohol while breastfeeding. Ice cream, burgers, and fries always helped me make more milk. Drink lots of water. I think learning to advocate for yourself and your baby is super important too. Everyone has their idea of what you should be doing, but that doesn't mean you have to listen. People used to hold her and she would be rooting around looking to feed and they wouldn't give her back to me. Then she'd be crying and I'd be leaking. It only took that happening once for me to learn to speak up. People used to always ask why I fed her so much.
Post by humpforfree on Jul 6, 2015 15:36:52 GMT -5
This applies to more than just BFing, but my friend told me to expect the first 8-10 weeks to just be like a boot camp- don't go in expecting all sunshine and rainbows. It will be HARD. When you get through it, things will keep getting better. It really helped me with my expectations and being more laid back (I guess?) about newborns and typical newborn behavior that would have otherwise driven me nuts.
Post by AlpineSlide on Jul 6, 2015 15:50:16 GMT -5
set small goals. wet and dirty diaper count will indicate if baby is getting enough. check for tongue tie. boobs will leak a lot in the beginning, so have a lot of pads on hand. i like the disposable lansinoh or up & up. eat all the food. you need the calories.