Advice for first timer?

[bumblebeexo]

Hi, my 2nd baby is due to arrive in 6 weeks by c-section. My DD was formula fed from birth, so I have no experience with breast feeding at all. What advice would you give to somebody who is thinking to try it? I'm really determined to feed myself this time!

Thanks!

 

[ellahopesky]

sorry can't offer any help, following in hope that i might find out the answers too xx

 

[ButterCup17]

My ds had to go to the nicu for 5 days and they fed him formula without checking with me. I was so worried I'd have difficulty getting him to bf, but luckily I didn't! However it took my supply longer to come in and I had super engorged boobs most of the time bc I didn't know how often to be pumping. So, god forbid, if your LO has to go to the nicu, make sure they know u want to bf and make sure they don't give formula if u don't want them to
Other than that, find someone supportive that will encourage u to keep going when things r tough in the beginning and u feel like u want to quit. The ladies in here r great for that too
Good luck! And remember it does get easier. I had raw, bleeding nipples at one point but somewhere around 3 months all the issues stopped and it became the easiest thing ever!

 

[LittleNugget]

My advice is to read as much as you can about it beforehand. Breastfeeding was the single thing I was most unprepared for. I thought you just stuck baby on boob and that was it. KellyMom has some good advice.

Know that it will be super painful for a few weeks, but grit your teeth, power through, and once the pain stops, it will be your favorite thing about having a baby!

 

[TexAnn]

LittleNugget is right!!!!

 

[staralfur]

Read about all of the common problems that you can run into while breastfeeding (bad latch, mastitis, thrush, etc.) so that you can recognize them and know how to fix them.

Also read about clusterfeeding. I was SO unprepared for clusteefeeding and it stressed me out badly. It's also the most common thing I see posted here as far as "is this normal?" threads go. Babies feed A LOT in the early days and through growth spurts, and yes it is normal for them to feed hours on end or want feeding every 20 minutes.

Know that it DOES get it easier! We ran into every problem in the book and to this day breastfeeding is the hardest thing I've ever done, but we suffered through three months of issues for three YEARS of happy feeding. It has also been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done.

All of that was kind of doom and gloomy so it's probably worth adding that not everyone has a tough time with breastfeeding. It's good to be aware of the potential struggles but you also have no idea how it's going to go for you until you're actually doing it, so try not to stress or put too much pressure on yourself before your baby is even here.

This forum is a great resource and clearly you've already found it, so yay! As a PP already mentioned, kellymom is excellent as well.

 

[SarahBear]

Hi, my 2nd baby is due to arrive in 6 weeks by c-section. My DD was formula fed from birth, so I have no experience with breast feeding at all. What advice would you give to somebody who is thinking to try it? I'm really determined to feed myself this time!

Thanks!

Make sure your hospital is breast feeding friendly and will place the baby on your chest once born and will also provide you with in-hospital support. If breastfeeding is established within the first half hour to hour of birth and you receive support and direction BEFORE leaving the hospital, your chances of being successful with it are much higher.

My other recommendation is to trust your body and to trust your baby. They both know much more than our brains do when it comes to how much and how frequently to feed.

 

[SarahBear]

Know that it will be super painful for a few weeks, but grit your teeth, power through, and once the pain stops, it will be your favorite thing about having a baby!

OK, DO NOT expect it to hurt and for the pain to just go away! If it hurts, have the hospital staff help you get a better latch so that you can make sure you're doing it right. Pain is generally an indication that something isn't working right.

 

[SarahBear]

Also know that problems may not arise early on. It does come naturally to some. My biggest struggle with it came when trying to nurse while pregnant.... so 2 years. My other bump-in-the-road was around 8 months when she was so incredibly distractable and picky about positioning. I think many would have quit at that point. After lots of issues, I finally figured out that she wanted to be upright while nursing and the mei tai carrier solved that problem until the phase passed.

 

[JenX]

Try to find a breastfeeding support group you can attend. These are so incredibly valuable in the early days when you are uncertain or have questions.

 

[TexAnn]

Ive only been at this for a bit over 5 weeks, but I have a bit of input!!

I had an unscheduled c-section early December. I didn't get to hold baby until nearly an hour and a half after birth, other than the quick 'first family pic' moment. Luckily, after two lip tickles with the nipple, he latched on right away and continued for a half hour each side! Don't let the pressure of the 'one hour window' scare you... I didn't even know about the theory until weeks later. You and baby can do it, even with a delay. Believe!

Pain...After we went home and I didn't need pain relief for the incision, my nipples hurt so badly! I already have very sensitive nipples as it is, and I was afraid it would affect breastfeeding, and it did. I tried to 'prep' them prior to birth like some sources recommend, but it hurt so bad! Plus I was paranoid Id trigger labor...

Consider your nipple pain threshold...like I said, I am sensitive. Sources say that breastfeeding should NEVER hurt, and if it does, something is wrong, but I disagree as far as for the first weeks after birth. I know pain indicates something is wrong in many cases, but in my case everything was ideal aside from my pain threshold. I felt so weak for whining about the pain, when so many sources said it shouldn't hurt!

If it wasn't for the support of my friends whom also breastfed and bit of personal guilt, I would have quit because of the super sore nipples. They told me my nipples just had to break in. After a couple weeks, it truly got soooo much better. If you feel discouraged, talk to someone!

The best advice I got was Relax... Your baby can feel your emotions.

Btw I found a warming pad eased pain while cold compresses were murder because they made the nipples harden. The lanolin helped at that time, too. I haven't needed it in 3 weeks now!

Maybe it is just my baby's style to be really rough. In that case, I hope yours isnt. If he/she is, I hope my testimonial helps!! It still hurts for the first second, when he CLAMPS on like an excited mini shark, but I just accept it as his personality. And I assume my milk must just be that incredible?? Hehe.

I agreed before, kellymom is a great source of info! I wish I had read it before I needed it

Oh and protect your tender tummy from the kicky and excited nursing baby!! Ouch!

 

[AK89]

Gonna have to keep this short 'cause I'm in bed and NEED some sleep! But basically breastfeeding is the best thing ever. It can be a bit tricky at the start (and for me this really only lasted a few days..) but it is SO worth it, and saves so much faffing in the long run! Not to mention the health benefits for both you and your LO. And you just have this amazing bond with your baby.. not that you wouldn't if you bottle fed, but there's just nothing quite like it. I love it so much; it's one of the best decisions I've ever made.

I think a few of the posts here have made it sound a bit daunting! For me the only problems I had were sore nipples in the first week or so (which Lansinoh nipple cream worked wonders for) and cluster feeding was a bit of a chore at first 'cause I was exhausted and just wasn't prepared for it.. I actually had never heard of it and thought there must have been something wrong like she wasn't getting enough! But once I read about it I learnt to just put my feet up, get comfy and let her feed! The pain for me was really only when she first latched (so long as she was on properly) so after that you've just got a free pass to sit on your arse doing nothing, and no baby to entertain 'cause he/she's feeding! If you get a nursing pillow you can even do it no handed. I get all sorts done when I'm breastfeeding, I've even mastered the art of knitting while feeding! Means you're not faffing with formula and holding a bottle. I couldn't endorse it enough.

 

[AK89]

Oh yeah, tips...

As much skin to skin as possible, right from birth
Whenever LO wants to feed, just go with it.. They have to work hard to get the supply up at first. It might seem like you're constantly feeding but it won't be forever!
GET LANSINOH NIPPLE CREAM!
Get a nursing pillow
Get a decent pump so eventually you can express milk and other people can feed your LO

That's all I can think of for now!

 

[Cangaroo]

How exciting! Not long now.

I've had 2 emergency c-sections and 2 great breastfeeding experiences. It is entirely possible to have skin to skin in theatre. I would push for this. This time around DD2 was rooting on my chest in theatre so we let her latch on there and then and she fed until the end! It was great. Early feeding does help (though is not vital) so it's worth a try in theatre if baby seems keen.

After theatre, the most important thing is frequent feeds. I know so many people who let their baby go hours and hours between feeds on day 1 as baby was sleeping, and they all ran into difficulties with the babies being too drowsy to feed and losing loads of weight. Feeding on demand is absolutely the ideal way to feed a baby; however at the very beginning, babies are often a little drowsy and need to be woken to feed. I never let either of mine go more than 3 hours between feeds and would wake them if they got to 3 hours. They almost always asked sooner than that, anyway. Once you know they're gaining weight and feeding well, you can let them feed completely on demand.

Tongue tie should also be mentioned. It is very common and often missed by midwives and doctors. If you do encounter any problems, see a proper lactation consultant (an IBCLC- international board certified lactation consultant https://www.lcgb.org/consultants_local.html). They will assess properly for tongue tie or any other problems. Well worth the money if you have any doubts! Both my girls had obvious tongue ties, though both have latched, fed and gained weight fine. I didn't get DD1's cut as she was feeding so well, but she then ended up with reflux and on medication. I am sure the reflux was caused by her inefficient suck due to the tongue tie. I therefore got DD2's cut at 10 days of age when it was already clear the tongue tie was causing issues (lots of gas, uncomfortable at times, green poos, vomiting). It's made a huge difference and I'm pretty sure she won't end up woth the reflux her sister had.

I don't find BF painful. It's perhaps slightly sore on first latching but I've never had sore nipples or needed nipple cream. So you never know! I find the let down reflex intense and bordering on painful, but that's it.

It can be very difficult to know how good your supply is. Lots of people worry their supply is poor if they're not engorged/baby isn't feeding for long/ baby is cluster feeding/ they're not leaking etc etc. I haven't been engorged at all really this tone around and I know there's plenty of milk there. I also don't have to use breast pads as O don't leak! DD2 takes very short feeds and clearly gets enough. We're all different! As long as the baby is having plenty of wet and dirty nappies and is gaining weight, all is well.

Co-sleeping is wonderful when safety guidelines are followed (firm mattress, duvets and pillows well away, baby at side of bed not in between parents, no alcohol, no smokers in house). Many (probably most) breastfeeding mothers co-sleep at some point so it's worth being set up to do it safely if the need arises. We planned to co-sleep from birth and I had no idea it was possible to be so well rested with a newborn. I feed in my sleep and absolutely love it!

Sorry, that was super long! The most important thing is to trust your instincts and listen to your baby. They will yell you what they need!

 

[CharlotteDec5]

I spent a lot of time while pregnant reading the le leche league "womanly art of breastfeeding" that book made breastfeeding successful- still no bottles or dummies. My advice is to allow your baby to take the lead- and go with the flow of on demand nursing, when the baby wants, how much they want and I'm learning at 6 weeks that it's different every day! Also I just read about how the milk is actually made- by what's in our blood not specifically what's in our stomachs. Kellymom website helped with that too so every time my baby has gas or a fussy spell it not my fault just a baby being a baby and figuring it all out!