Hope this post isn't too TMI for some of you! You've been warned :)
So, I've been breastfeeding for a little over 4 months now. Recently, I have had a lot of friends ask me about it, especially those expecting little ones. I thought I would do a post for my expecting friends, or soon-to-be-expecting friends ;) with a few things that helped me when it came to breastfeeding.
First of all, let me start out by saying that breastfeeding (BFing) is one of the hardest things I have ever done. It is a huge sacrifice, it hurts, and it is not the "madonna and child" experience books and TV will have you believe it is. It took 8 days for my milk to come in... every book says it usually takes 3-5, so we had to supplement with formula from the beginning. Then, he wanted to nurse around the clock. My body couldn't handle it, so I pretty much pumped around the clock. Because I did this, it seriously affected my supply. In looking back, I should have pushed through the pain and nursed rather than pumped. To this day I still have supply issues. I have never exclusively breastfed and that is okay. Most important piece of advice - IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. Not every baby is either formula fed or breastfed. For Preston, we do both and it works for him. Formula is not poison. Crazy how some moms think that it is! And he still gets majority breastmilk, so he is still getting all the benefits.
I have to say that through all the trials of BFing, it is one of the things I am most proud of in my life. Brian is really proud of me too. Preston loves it, and those are the things that keep me going.
So, here are a few of the things you will need if you want to BF:
1)
A good pump. I have
this one and I love it. Couple tips about pumping in general... you will have a better result with it plugged into the wall, rather than on battery mode. Also, you have to change out the batteries A LOT, which can get pricey since it takes 8 double A batteries, so another reason to plug in. Also, I have never been a good pumper. Preston can always get more than the pump can. I mean, my pump is top of the line, but according to my pediatrician and my lactation consultant, some people just aren't good pumpers. How long do I pump at each sitting? Usually about 10-15 minutes.
2)
BFing accessories. They are expensive, but unfortunately in the beginning, I found many of them necessary. The boppy pillow was a must. I still use it to nurse him when I'm at home, although I have mastered nursing him without it. Also, a nursing cover is a must. For actual feedings, I needed a
nipple shield (yes, I laughed when I first heard this term too). These are great because every time Preston latched onto me, I screamed and cried in pain. Don't want to scare you... just being real. This helped take some of the pain away. I used them for about 3 weeks, because I was tough enough to let him nurse without any assistance. Also, forget the topical gels
like this - I needed something stronger. There is this stuff called Dr. Brown's Nipple Ointment and your doctor can write a prescription for it. It has to be made at a compound pharmacy which takes a few days, but it is lanolin mixed with ibuprofen. It helps when there is bruising and it soothes too. It works great! If you want to store and freeze your milk, I recommend NUK storage bags. They are cheaper than others and do the job. I get mine from Target. Also, the first month I leaked a lot. I found that
these pads were by far the best, but I was going through like 6 a day. It was getting to be expensive. My mom can sew, so I had her cut up the centers of some
cloth diapers into round pads that I could throw in the washing machine. These were much more economical and so much more absorbent. I didn't have to change them nearly as much.
3) Last thing...
nursing clothes.
These tops from Target. I bought like 8 of them in different colors and still wear them almost daily. When you BF, your whole wardrobe has to accommodate it and these paired with cardigans made it easy! If I could go back in time, I would have prepared my wardrobe for nursing while I was "nesting" for Preston. Now, I try to wear things that button down or loose fitting, or
these shirts also from Target.
4)
Be prepared when you're in the hospital. When you pack your hospital bag for delivery, don't forget: boppy pillow, your pump, and a couple nursing tanks.
5)
A support system. This was key for me. My mom was this person for me. She was by my side in the beginning when I would just cry and cry over nursing. But when a nursing session would go well, she would be the first person I would celebrate with. Having someone who has done it before and who you are very comfortable with, makes it so much better. Additionally, Brian was really there for me through it all. When you're BFing, it is 100% on you. So, Brian would change all the diapers, get up in the middle of the night and be with me while I nursed him, etc. He was amazing through the tough times, and it still so supportive of me in my quest to nurse.
Now, a few other pointers. My pediatrician's office has a lactation consultant on staff. This was a big plus for me, as I have visited her once, and called her a few times. This is definitely something to look into when you are looking for your pediatrician.
As for boosting your milk supply, I have talked to two different lactation consultants and learned so much, so I am excited to pass this on. If you have supply issues like me, there are ways to try to boost your supply. A few of these really worked for me!
1)
Fenugreek. Buy it at GNC and take 3 pills, 3 times a day. Worked like a charm! I will warn you, fenugreek is a natural decongestant, so I have had a runny nose for like 2 months now!
2)
Mother's Milk Tea or Milkmaid Tea. You can buy these at Whole Foods. I prefer Mother's Milk, because it is cheaper and has all the same ingredients. I also think the taste is a little better, although both are pretty bitter.
3) My OBGYN gave me this tip: After the last feeding of the night, and the baby is put to bed,
pump. For the first week or so, you won't get anything, but after a while, you will slowly start getting more. I did this, and went from getting about an ounce every night to four to five ounces. Also, pumping in general is supposed to help boost your supply, but I never really saw the benefits from that.
4)
Oatmeal and almonds. One of the lactation consultants at the children's hospital where I worked told me about
these. I eat two of them a day, in between the fenugreek pills. They have everything breastfeeding moms need for a supply boost - almonds, oats, flax seed. When I was on maternity leave, I would eat a big bowl of oatmeal every morning. My friend also made me oatmeal cookies. I would also just eat raw almonds all the time. All of these helped.
BFing is hard, but it does get easier and you learn to live your life while nursing. It takes a while, but you really do. Hope this list helps some of those preparing to BF! I am also glad I got all this down, so that I will remember for next time :)
