Best BFing advice

[underwaterrhymes]

No matter what your mom or grandmother tells you, there is no need to "rough up your nipples" ahead of time.

[sparkythelawyer]

Take it one day at a time. Set super small goals for yourself at first.

The first 30 days suuuuuuuuuuuck. Then it does get better.

Don't freak out if it takes a few days to get the hang of it.

The hospital LCs were my best friends, even after she was born and I needed help.

Oatmeal, orange juice and coffee is the best breakfast ever for my supply.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO FEED THE BABY. If breastfeeding ultimately ends up not working because of whatever reason, ITS OK.

[jln]

Go to a La Leche League meeting. They're free and really helpful.

[sparkythelawyer]

Jul 6, 2015 16:04:12 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

No matter what your mom or grandmother tells you, there is no need to "rough up your nipples" ahead of time.

OMG lol :-)

[sewpinkgal]

A one on one consult with an LC can be immensely helpful, especially during that first week when both parties are still trying to figure out what the hell to do.

In conjunction with that, a BFing support group can be a nice weekly touchstone during those first few months with the baby - gets mom out of the house, it's an easy/safe place to feed, there are other moms that are going through the same things, helps you feel not so alone, LCs there to answer questions that may arise. My local support group absolutely saved my sanity with DS1. I attended with DS2, too, but more for nostalgia and missing the LCs that were so hugely helpful with my first son.

[cricketwife]

Jul 6, 2015 10:05:40 GMT -5 undecidedowl said:

One piece of advice I really liked: Don't quit on a bad day.

This advice is a two edged sword . Also tell her that if she never has a good day , it is ok to think about quitting. If she is never happy/not in pain, etc and has sought professional help still without success, it is ok to quit. I think this advice is extra important for someone for whom BF is really important , as we are the ones who are more likely to drive ourselves to depression or be in misery way too long. The best advice is to be open to feeding your baby however works for the two of you. I wish I had believed that as a new mom.

[Deleted]

Find a support group and then while there see if anyone wants to go on walks. I had a small group of girls I saw weekly for my group and it was nice to have others in the same boat. It all happened because one girl asked if anyone wanted to get together.

[moonpie]

Nipple shields aren't the end of the world.

My lactation consultant tried to convince me otherwise and it nearly ended breastfeeding for us. We are 9 months in and 6 months of that was with a nipple shield. We made it this far because we used the tools that were available to us!

[heygrey]

Skin to skin! Get a moby wrap and wear it like a shirt in the beginning.