Breastfeeding Tips for Success
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Let me be the first one to say it, breastfeeding can be HARD. It takes patience while you and baby are learning this new skill, plus it can be physically painful too. There are things I learned for my second baby that would have saved a lot of pain for my first. That's why I want to share them with you, so you may be able to avoid what I had to go through!
In this post, I'll be discussing all of the following:
• The general difficulty associated with breastfeeding
• How you can work through difficulty
• Ways to prevent painful situations
• Why breastfeeding is worth it
• When to ask for help
Of course, the best for baby and mom is for the baby to be fed! If breastfeeding is not working or is not an option for whatever reason, just make sure baby gets fed. It is a lot to handle feeding a whole new person when you are not accustomed to taking care of anyone else but yourself, so give yourself some grace. If you're doing your best to take care of your little one, then you are doing great! So let's get into some info on breastfeeding.
The general difficulty associated with breastfeeding
My sister was the only one to tell me that breastfeeding is painful in the beginning and that it gets better and easier every day. Thank goodness for her words of encouragement! If it weren't for hearing that, I would have given up within the first couple of days. Not only was it difficult and painful, but I had a pediatrician insisting I give formula to my baby. My sister told me to just feed, feed, feed because that is how to get your supply up. So I did it. I did what I had to in order to keep breastfeeding. I ignored the pediatrician and fed my baby even when it hurt. I learned how to hand-express to give my nipples a break. I even tried pumping. I made it, it got easier, and I continued breastfeeding for 18 months.
For those wondering about the latch, his latch was fine and he had no tongue-ties that I was told about. I had his latch checked by 3 different lactation specialists, and they all said it was great. I did not have any cracking in my nipples, but I did endure a couple of milk blebs and blocked milk ducts, but I believe those happened for other reasons that I'll get into.
Some other things that can happen that I did not have to go through are mastitis and thrush. I won't be discussing things I've never experienced. If you feel like you are having problems that go beyond regular difficulties discussed here, definitely contact your doctor! This post is not medical advice, but rather encouragement from a personal experience.
How you can work through difficulty
Throughout both of my breastfeeding journeys, I loved using a boppy pillow to help support baby in proper positioning and not tire your arms. It's so helpful to have, especially the first couple months while establishing breastfeeding and while baby is so little. I don't take mine with me when we go places, so that's when I get my arm workout ha!
But really, it's much harder feeding my baby when we are away from the house. I use a cover because I believe in modesty and it's more comfortable for me, but baby does not always like it! My favorite nursing cover is this one here because it offers full coverage from all angles, and is pull-proof when baby starts realizing he doesn't like it.
One of the BEST tricks I learned and used during my second baby is using cabbage leaves for the pain! Seriously, just peel off one leaf of the cabbage per breast, and place them in your nursing bra in between feeding. They just happen to be breast-shaped almost as if that was God's intentions for it.
I also use Lansinoh's nipple cream from day 1 in the hospital after every feeding until my nipples are accustomed to all the sucking. Trust me, it really helps. In addition, when you are not using cabbage leaves, these nipple pads are also really great and help protect the nipple while guarding your clothes from leakage stains.
Another really great trick I used to not only up my supply quicker, but also relieve my nipples during some feeding is using a Haakaa. It's not technically a pump, but it does some extra “sucking” on your breast, and more demand means more supply. I used it occasionally on the opposite breast from my little one and it really helped bring more supply. We also got to feed the extra amount pumped to the baby with a syringe, which made him more full and content. My warning for this one is don't do it too much because you may end up having an over-supply due to too much demand, so use with discretion!
Night feeding can be hard because you're just so tired. We tried a couple things that worked well for us, but ultimately, we really learned to love co-sleeping. For our family, it lets everyone get the best amount of sleep.
Ways to prevent painful situations
If your goal is to breastfeed exclusively, it is best to go into it prepared. Mentally prepare for it to have difficulties, and if it ends up being easy for you that's great, but at least you won't be bombarded with feeling like a failure if you already know it might be hard. Also, if you have the items you might need already on hand before baby comes, then you might feel like you are better prepared as well.
Physically prepare by feeding your body well before you even have your baby. If your body is receiving proper nutrition, it can function much better! There are specific milk-producing foods labeled galactagogues, so make sure these are included in your postpartum prep. Some of these galactagogues are oats, brewer’s yeast, yams, beets, carrots, green papaya, and dark leafy greens.
One tip that was a GAME CHANGER for me the second time was eating a few Brazil nuts every day. Apparently, the selenium helps support breastfeeding somehow. I had ZERO blocked milk ducts with my second. Don't eat too many though! Too much selenium can be detrimental. I also started drinking Milkmaid tea as soon as I got home from the hospital. Along with the tea, make sure to stay hydrated by drinking lots of fluids. I had juice, tea, coffee, milk, shakeology, fortune delight, body armor, coconut water, and of course, water.
Why breastfeeding is worth it
Breastfeeding is absolutely amazing for your baby. The nutrition is simply the best choice you can offer. Yes, the best choice for some moms is to just have the baby fed, but if you have the ability to breastfeed I encourage you to do it! Something really cool I've learned about breastmilk is that it changes depending on what your child needs. If you or your baby is sick, your body automatically starts making antibodies for your baby and transfers it through the milk. I just find it super cool how God has created us to support our babies with our bodies.
When to ask for help
There are definitive signs to know that your baby is getting enough milk. These include your baby gaining weight, being able to hear and see him swallowing while you're breastfeeding, and how many wet diapers he has in a day. As long as these signs are there, baby should be fine. However, if baby cries without reaching contentment after eating, it may be because he is not getting enough milk. If this is happening you can reach out to your doctor/midwife or a lactation specialist, and/or start supplementing with formula.
However way you end up feeding your baby, I hope it is filled with love as you attach to your little one! I'm praying for you and your little one to have a wonderful, joy-filled postpartum! Feel free to reach out to let me know if any of this helped you or if you have any questions. You can contact me here.
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