Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

Hi Preggies!!!!!!!!!!

As you can tell, I really can't stay away from this board.....you girls are the best!

As I was up EBF'ing Mason in the middle of the night, I had a thought- I figured I'd share some things that really worked for me, that has allowed breastfeeding to be successful so far...

OK here are my tips:

1) Try and read up on breastfeeding before you go into the hospital-I read the breastfeeding chapter in "What to expect the first year", and I also read a bunch of breasteeding articles on babycenter. I did all of this research the week I was going to deliver....It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with it. I guarantee you it will be overwhelming trying to get your baby to latch, so having a little "know-how" ahead of time will really help.

2) When you are IN LABOR, constantly keep reminding all the nurses (especially the L&D nurse who will be taking your baby to the nursery) that you want to breast feed and DO NOT want a bottle or paci being given to your LO. Any BF'ing article will tell you this advice as well. You don't want to start off with nipple confusion. DH and I were adamant about this, and we did a last reminder to the nurse right as she was bringing DS to the nursery for testing. When they brought Mason back to us when I was in recovery, there was a giant note taped in his bassinet that said "NO BOTTLES OR PACIFIERS-ONLY BREASTFEEDING"

3) If you end up having a long recovery (I was in there for 5 hours waiting for the epidural to wear off after the C-section), when they bring your DC to you (after all the testing is done), ask the nurse to help you try to get the baby to latch. It's a great way to start, and it's not like you're going to be up and around anyway.. we were able to get Mason to latch right away (and doing my homework ahead of time proved very valuable at this point).

4) When you get admitted to your room, AGAIN, remind your nurse of your plans to EBF. I can't stress this enough.

5) It's best to have your LO room in with you..so you can learn the signals of when he/she is ready for a diaper change or feeding. The first 2 nights I had Mason sleep in the nursery, and they brought him to me for feedings. I found that I hated waiting for the nurse to bring him to me, so the last 2 nights in the hospital he stayed with me, and it was WAY better...it also made it alot less overwhelming when we took him home.

6) Take advantage of the lactation consultants!! At NSUH they made the rounds every morning-they were SO helpful...I made sure they watched Mason latch and feed twice every day-so when they did the morning rounds they'd watch-and then a few hours later I'd call for one of them to check on me a second time. Also, because I had done my research ahead of time, I was prepared with questions for them.

7) Bring your Boppy/My Brest Friend pillow to the hospital! All the lactation nurses said they wish more people remembered to bring that..Also, you may want to bring a nursing cover (I brought an Aden & Anais swaddle blanket).. just warning you, I think EVERY doctor or nurse making the rounds during my hospital stay saw my boob whipped out

8) You're going to get lots of conflicting advice regarding how long to feed, switch boobs, etc. The lactation nurses will tell you 1 thing, the pediatrician will tell you another. It's up to you on who's advice will work best for you. Personally I went by what the lactation nurses told me since that's their specialty (I also would tell them the conflicting advice I was getting from other doctors and they would clarify for me).

9) If you're going to be EBFing in your bed through the night- HAVE A NIGHT LIGHT! I have a portable OXO Tooli Candela nightlight....it gives me enough light to see that Mason has latched, and you don't have to turn the lights on. I never would have thought a nightlight would be a lifesaver but it really is!

10) Stock up on Lansinoh nipple cream...it's PURE lanolin, and that's what the nurses said you need to use (I had bought some Medela cream, but they said not to use it since it wasn't pure lanolin. Have it in your hospital bag, and keep it by your side at all times

11) Last but not least...this is the craziest.............stock up on Lipton tea bags My OB said to put cold lipton tea bags on your nipples to "toughen them up" and also kills backteria (which is in babies mouth). Seriously I look ridiculous putting cold wet tea bags on my nipples at night, but I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH how much this helped. Best advice I got. Your boobs and nipples are going to be SO sore the first week..the tea bags and the lansinoh are your only hope.

OK I hope my tips are helpful for you.......Mason is almost 3 weeks old and I want to make sure I share with you what's been working for me so far.

Happy Healthy Pregnancies!

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

awesome Jen!

thank you for this. i will notebook it.

and i will BBM you like crazy come july!!

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

this is awesome!! Just notebooked this.. thank you, and it was so thoughtful and kind of you. and Mason is just a cutie pie

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

You miss us so much!!! Send some of us February moms some labor vibes!!!

I'm definitely notebooking this one! Thank you.

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

Thank you so much for sharing your tips!

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

Annnd this is notebooked!

Jen, this is going to be such a random question, but what do you do to get the tea bags cold? just stick them in ice water, and keep them in there while you are BFing? Do you just put them under a nursing pad for when you go back to sleep? I just want to make sure I understand this tip!

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

I'm so glad I can help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When it comes to breastfeeding, it's important to remember that not only are YOU learning, but your LO is too! They don't come out of your belly knowing what to do or how to latch.....which is terrifying!!
The first official day of EBFing, I was SO overwhelmed, one feeding he'd latch immediately, then the next he wouldn't...it's so easy to get flustered and want to give up-but DON'T!!!!!!!

Use the resources available to you

And don't be afraid to be a pain in the butt about it..........I didn't wait for the help to come to me, I would call the nurses (that's what they're there for!) Seriously I was a pro by midday on Day 2.

LOTS OF LABOR VIBES TO MY FEBRUARY MOMMIES TO BE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

Thanks for posting this!

Did they offer any advice on when to start pumping? I've heard conflicts if I should bring a pump the hospital.

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

Jen, you are the BEST! Thank you for your tips!

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

Posted by miamimerger

Annnd this is notebooked!

Jen, this is going to be such a random question, but what do you do to get the tea bags cold? just stick them in ice water, and keep them in there while you are BFing? Do you just put them under a nursing pad for when you go back to sleep? I just want to make sure I understand this tip!

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

thanks! very helpful!

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

Thanks for the tips...its in my notebook. What is EBF?

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

thank you!!! It's so nice getting advice like this first hand!!! So helpful!!

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

Thank you soo much for this- I will def save this and refer back to it!

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

Great advice Jen!! I so agree about the lanolin...omg it saved my life!!!
I do use a binky and bottle feed her my milk sometimes because in 3 weeks she wll be with the sitter and need to drink from the bottle.
I also use the binky sometimes otherwise she'll use me as one and i cant have her attached to my boob all day lol But i have to say I love breastfeeding!! It was hard in the beginning but im so glad I didnt give up!!! xoxo to you and Mason

Oh and I wanted to add just because everyone will have a different experiance I pumped my first week because I got so full and I couldnt get her to latch on and I didnt want to lose my milk. It was fine and i had no problems....and it relieved me thank God!! Now i have a good supply in the freezer for when I go back to work. Im only writing this cause like you said you will get so much conflicting advice. You just have to remain calm and do what works for you! Good luck to all you future mommies

Message edited 2/15/2011 11:12:16 AM.

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

Thanks for the great advice!!

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

Thank you!

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

thanks for this!! im notebook'ing it!!

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

thanks for all of this advice!!! its been notebooked

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

Thank you so much for this advice!!! I love these posts from you SO helpful!!!

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

These are wonderful tips and advice.

I just want to say one thing I wish someone had said to me beforehand or even during the first two weeks of DD's life:

If something is wrong, it's NOT your fault.

Every single person you talk to, including lactation consultants, will give you different advice. If your milk isn't coming in, they will all tell you different things about what to do to get it to come in. Things like nurse more often, nurse then pump, take 100 various supplemental pills, take iron, etc, etc, etc.

If it's not working, you will feel like a failure and you will cry and cry and cry over the fact that you're a terrible mother. You will not understand why everyone keeps saying this is your fault for doing things wrong.

And they will tell you the baby is getting enough food, especially at the beginning, and just to keep waiting. When you say it's day 5 and you have no milk, they'll say to wait a week. When you say it's day 8, they will tell you to wait until day 10.

And when you get to day 11, someone will finally tell you "oh, you might actually have a problem."

After 2 weeks of staying up almost 24 hours a day with DD attached to the breast or the breast attached to a pump, someone finally told me that sometimes women just don't get milk and it's not their fault, and it happens. Apparently about 1-5% of the time.

No one EVER told me this before. I never in a thousand years thought I just wouldn't get milk or enough milk. If I had tried to EBF, DD would've starved.

They say it could be related to a hormonal imbalance - same as what caused me never to have regular cycles. Cysts could be to blame. I had a lot of blood loss at delivery, and that can delay milk, but it doesn't usually prevent a full supply from coming. Sometimes, it just happens.

I tried the SNS (supplemental nutrition system) where you have your child latch but they get formula through a tube on your breast for two weeks just to avoid her having nipple confusion, but that wasn't the issue. Sometimes, you can do everything right, and it just won't happen.

Craziest thing is that DD latches like a champ. My best friend is an anatomical mis-match with her daughter (born last week) and can't BF either, but when she pumps she gets a few ounces -- enough to feed her with it. When I pumped, I never got more than 1/2 an ounce from each side... even after weeks of her nursing and then pumping 8 times a day. I can still switch DD between a bottle and the boob no problem (btw: playtex ventaire wide neck slow flow are the best if you are BF -- they really do mimic the breast fabulously). But she just can't get food.

She'll be 6 weeks this week and she gets about an ounce a day of breast milk that I pump and mix with her formula a bottle here and there every day. It's all I can do, and her pediatrician gives me props for trying as hard as I did (I'm still pumping, but I'm finally used to the fact that almost nothing comes out).

I just want everyone to know that the best intentions don't always make you a BF success. Even if you follow all the rules and do everything you're supposed to, and most importantly DO NOT BEAT YOURSELF UP AND THINK YOU'RE A FAILURE AS A MOTHER IF YOU CANNOT BREAST FEED.

Yes, I honestly get looks from people and it kills me because I wanted to BF so badly. I still want to cry a little over how it all went down. But the most important thing when you have a newborn is to ENJOY YOUR BABY and be in love and not stressed.

My very, very long point is... remain cautiously optimistic about BFing. If it doesn't happen because you can't, try not to cry every time you see the label on the formula that says "experts agree breast feeding is best" because it IS NOT YOUR FAULT.

You will still have a beautiful, smart, healthy child who loves you with every ounce of their being, just as you love them.

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

thanks! Great info to know!

Re: Hi Girls! Some tips for if you plan on breastfeeding...

this was awesome...thank you!