Determined to breastfeed. Any info, suggestions, tips, tricks please!

[MrsMac5]

I have successfully breastfed two children and I would agree that you need to be determined. People around me would always give me their well meaning but uneducated breastfeeding opinions which does make you doubt yourself. The most common one was I was feeding too often and should be lasting for 4 hours between feeds. Neither of my two ever lasted that long, 2 hours was more normal once they were older, more often when they were younger. My other lifesaver was to always wear a vest style top under my normal top. Then when feeding pull the vest top down and your normal top up. No one can see anything once the baby is latched on and just looks like you're having a cuddle. I'm self conscious about these things but doing it this way I'd comfortably feed just about anywhere.

 

[MamaBunny2]

My good friend, who is actually 2 weeks further along than I, breastfed her son. It didn't happen easy for her at first but she stuck with it and nursed for over a year. She recently stopped bc of her current pregnancy due to weight and dietary issues. I told her she is going to be my lactation consultant... well this was before I knew SHE was expecting as well, but we have plans for "nursing night" get togethers She is inspiration for me to stick with it.

I actually am wearing a nursing top from Motherhood Maternity today. It has a built in tank underneath and snap buttons in the front so I can easily nurse baby discreetly. Another top I have has a gathered elastic v-neck so I can just pull it down (maybe not as discreetly) but I'm hoping these shirts will serve some purpose after baby arrives.

 

[itsnowmyturn]

I use a poncho for feeding in public, I'm very conscious about public feeding and always have to be completely covered so it's a life saver for the awkward fumbling moments and I can peer down the front if we're having any latch issues. Most of the time no one even knows I have a baby there until I pull her out but means I don't have to try n fumble covering myself bk up because I can stay covered with the poncho.

I'm so glad it got easier, the first 8 weeks were challenging but my baby had a tongue tie that wasn't picked up and didn't get it released until 8 weeks, we still have latching issues but probably always will unfortunately now as she doesn't seem to want to relearn her tongue movements.

 

[MamaBunny2]

I plan on using some sort of cover up as well. I just can't expose myself like that in public or in front of other family Even though nursing is a natural thing, to me boobs are still boobs and there's weirdo people out there lol Sorry guys, my milk jugs are for baby and OH only!

 

[itsnowmyturn]

I don't even use the poncho around family, I express and bottle feed when family r around however we don't live close by so don't see them all that much

 

[MamaBunny2]

I wouldn't feel the need to cover up around my OH or kids or even my mom or sister and niece... but if we are over at either of his grandparents' house to visit or around family for holidays I'd want to have some privacy

 

[itsnowmyturn]

The only person I don't cover up for is oh, he's always telling me to put them away lol.
How are u feeling about breastfeeding now? I just keep thinking of how much money iv saved, LG is 12 weeks now so it's easily over 10.

 

[MamaBunny2]

I'm still wanting to nurse. We actually completed our registries and put a few brands/styles of bottles on that have high ratings for nursing babies. I want to order a Comotomo bottle as well. My OH had suggested just buying one or two bottles of each kind to start and once we figure out what baby does best with, we can get more. I'm hoping I won't have to introduce a bottle for a few weeks. I won't change my mind on breastfeeding while pregnant... just hoping I don't get super discouraged after the baby is here and give up. I know it will be best for baby but also best for mommy and daddy because I know how much formula costs... yikes. That should hopefully keep me motivated!

 

[Mrsgoodhart]

I was a big fat breastfeeding failure when I had my son- I want very much for things to be different this time. It's helpful that I will have support from my husband as opposed to my ex who suggested to quit as soon as it got hard. I had plenty of milk, so I did pump and bottle feed him, but eventually I did dry up as I wasn't eating or drinking much. So it wasn't long until that emergency backup can of formula was opened and soon enough he was completely formula fed. I beat myself up over it for, literally, several years.

Fast forward and this baby is due on my son's 7th birthday. I know so much now that I didn't then- I had a huge supply and overactive let down- I didn't realize I could pump off a bit of excess, or that I could even ask for help for that matter! I will have no problem this time going to classes, groups, seeing an LC, etc. I think a huge part of the difference is going to be that my husband believes in breastfeeding whereas my son's dad just didn't care, wanted the baby fed somehow and was tired of hearing us (both!) cry every feed.
I will say I did respond really well to the pump and am planning on having one on hand as not only will I need to go back to work at some point but if I have the same issue as before and baby can't latch well when I'm very engorged, I'll want to pump off a little excess milk.

 

[MamaBunny2]

I am fearful I won't have a good supply. I am sure my OH will be super supportive and help me however he can. I think I was so busy when my DD was born I didn't get enough to eat or drink and also wasn't as educated as I am now. I am considering looking into classes and will accept any help I can get and try to stick with it

 

[noon_child]

I am fearful I won't have a good supply. :

The great thing about milk supply is that it isn't a fixed reality. With help and support you can change your supply (unless you have a specific medical condition). It is easier for some women than others but start from a place of trust. Trust your body to do what it is designed to, trust that breastfeeding has evolved to work and work well.

 

[itsnowmyturn]

I found that because I was expressing as well as feeding I very often got engorged n had an over supply n as a result my baby got lactose overload, since iv stopped expressing I don't get sore Or over full but I now struggle to express more than 30ml so I have to plan when I might need to give her a bottle, it's hard to get a good balance

 

[MamaBunny2]

I remember my chest being so engorged a couple days after birth. It was AWFUL! I ran to the produce section of the grocery store and stuffed my bra full of cabbage What's the best way to deal with engorgement? Hand express? Pump? Allow baby to nurse?

 

[bumpin2012]

Early on, I pumped a bit to relieve the pressure. I figured since the growth spurts happened so often, baby would catch up to my oversupply fast enough. I'm not sure where you are located, but Jack Newman has a book on breastfeeding, that was super helpful to learn what's normal during breastfeeding. "The womanly art of breastfeeding" is also a good read. There are do many behaviors that are normal in breastfed babies that lead mothers (and those around them) to believe breastfeeding is not working. Most of us jump to hunger being the only reason for these behaviors and it makes us doubt ourselves.

My DD is TINY. Like 5th percentile tiny. Has been since birth. Between 4 and 6 months her weight gain stopped and she dropped to the 2nd percentile. If I hadn't read so much, and had a very pro breastfeeding Dr I probably would have stopped. This is something VERY common with breastfed babies. But not with formula fed babies who gain at a steady rate.

 

[itsnowmyturn]

Il agree it's common, my daughter has just dropped centiles down to the 0.4 one, health visitors get all weird when they drop centiles but my baby looks healthy n looks good for her body so I don't get concerned, plus those charts are more for formula babies who gain quicker than bf.

It's very normal to get engorged few days after birth because your milk has come in. What you do depends on your future plans, it takes about 8 weeks for ur baby to get the supply sorted, I often woke up sore and leaking before that. However I wish I had saved that milk, i keep Saying I'm going to get a supply in the freezer but it always gets used, I'm going back to work in October and I work 13 hour shifts so I no my supply is going to slowly dry up because I wont be able to express the same amount I feed, there's no way I cud get away for 15 minutes every 3 hours on shift, I want a supply built up ti supplement what I can express till she's one then I don't mind it drying (although I won't make it) because she can have cows milk then, I'm trying to avoid ever giving her any formula.
So u can either express and freeze it, express and let ur partner or other children feed them, express a little just enough to relieve the pressure and pain until baby wants to nurse or offer baby a feed, my lo has reflux so the latter would result in vomiting so I never did, I always waited for her to want a feed first. Or just wait it out until the next feed so your body doesn't think that that milk is needed

 

[MamaBunny2]

My workplace is pretty lax and I should be able to get away to pump as needed... just finding a place to do so will be tricky... I work at a manufacturing plant with mostly males and the only place in the office I could have privacy is the restroom or my car. Will likely go to my car.