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It’s World Breastfeeding Week and my friend, Amy is using her blog to post tips, tricks and encouragement for breastfeeding (or soon-to-be) moms this week. I looked through my blog to see if I had posted anything about breastfeeding. I nursed both my kids for about 14 months and it was one of the most significant and empowering things I’ve ever done. But I have zero posts about our experience!
I was a reluctant breast-feeder. I knew it was best for my daughter but ugh! I did not want to do it! It seemed…I don’t know, freaky. I remember telling my husband, “Well, I’ll just do it for however long ‘they’ recommend.” When I found out the recommendation was a whole year I felt sick. A whole year?!
Finally, I decided to go to a Breastfeeding 101 class at my hospital. And that class changed my life. I say that without exaggeration. With almost every new thing I learned I wanted to shout, “GOD! You are awesome!!” Our bodies are so amazingly designed (yes. DESIGNED.) I just could not believe it. Did you know…
…that breastmilk grows with your child? If you deliver your child early, your milk is exactly designed to take care of a baby that age. A mom who delivers at 30 weeks has different milk than if she delivers at 38 weeks.
…that breastmilk is naturally anti-bacterial? When babies spit up breastmilk around their mouths or even into their ears, it keeps bacteria away from those areas protecting them from colds and even ear infections!
…colostrum (the gold-ish milk produced by moms in the first days after delivery) is super-concentrated?
So sleepy newborn babies don’t need to eat huge amounts of milk to get the nutrition they need. The first week of life, your baby’s tummy is smaller than a ping-pong ball, there is no need for huge amounts of milk!
So, in honor of Breastfeeding Week, Amy’s Finer Things and my two little former nurslings (is that a weird word?) here are my TOP TEN BREASTFEEDING TIPS, TRICKS AND ENCOURAGEMENTS:
1. Go to a breastfeeding class. Yes, you can read books. But there is nothing like listening to a professional who has seen hundreds and thousands of woman nursing. You will be encouraged and have some great instruction to lead you in the early feedings. Breastfeeding may be natural, but it doesn’t always come naturally. You need clear instructions.
2. Find a Lactation Consultant. When Lydia was born there was a great group of lactation consultants at my hospital. I could call them or visit them at any time. They were a big encouragement to me. When Asa was born, I had some lactation consultants available to me via my insurance. I know it sounds weird but they will sit with you and watch you nurse, show you better ways to hold the baby and help you till you get it right. I have called many a lactation consultant in tears…and hung up feeling much more confident!
Here is a list of lactation consultants from the International Lactation Consultant Association or call 1-877-4-LALECHE to speak to someone from the La Leche League.
3. Read Up. When I first began breastfeeding Lydia I found a Breastfeeding Messageboard on iVillage that is hosted by a Lactation Consultant. You can post any question and she will respond. Of course, lots of other seasoned breastfeeding moms will respond, too. It was an absolute life-saver for me. Not only could I ask a question, but I also had a trove of information for me to look through and glean from.
Another great online resource is kellymom.com which covers every imaginable problem or question you might have concerning breastfeeding. I’ve read Breastfeeding: A Parent’s Guide by Amy Spangler several times and also recommend it as an easy resource.
4. Tools of the Trade. Breastfeeding is the simplest way to feed but in those early days it is nice to have a few extra tools to help you out. One is a Boppy (or something like it). These pillows help you position correctly and give your arm a break from holding the baby so long. The second must-have is Lanolin. Yes, breastfeeding is painful at first. (But really what’s NOT painful those first few weeks?) And lanolin will save your life. My fave is Medela Tender Care Lanolin.
5. Sleeping & Schedules. It’s OK to breastfeed and be on a sleeping/feeding schedule. Yes. It is. I did it. And my kids are healthy. The first 3 or 4 weeks are just do-whatever-you-have-to-do but even within that you can follow an eat-wake-sleep routine that will be invaluable as your child begins to take regular naps and sleep through the night. To help me remember previous feedings I used a Milk Band. It’s a cute bracelet that you can record the time of the last feeding (and which side you started on!).
6. Nursing With Other Kids Around. Having a second child rocked my world. The hardest part of all was not having a quiet time in which to nurse. Lydia wanted to be entertained the entire time. Although I’m pretty super, it’s hard playing Candy Land while nursing a newborn. I finally got into the groove of preparing activities for my toddler while I nursed. And she finally got a clue about quiet and the necessity of this time. Here’s a vlog I did called Entertaining a Toddler While Nursing a Newborn.
7. Nursing Your Second Born. I loved nursing Lydia. So, when Asa got here, I was sure it would be a cinch to breastfeed. And it was NOT. The last thing I remembered was nursing a 14 month old who was an expert at it. Now I had a 7 pound infant who didn’t know what was going on. It was much harder and I had to re-learn how to do it. And even moreso, learn how to do it with a completely different baby. (This was actually the story of my life with Asa. Remembering he is NOT Lydia.)
8. Don’t Give Up. Nursing does hurt at first. It just does. When I was ten days into nursing Lydia, I was crying. Somehow I had the clarity to realize, “I’m only ten days in. No one is an expert at anything in ten days.” It encouraged me and after about 3 weeks, I felt like we were pros. With Asa it was much harder because I had undiagnosed yeast and thrush for about 3 months. *shudder* But I knew how great breastfeeding could be so I kept at it. And even though I spent many many 3am feedings crying in the living room while the rest of the family was asleep and visited many lactation consultants, we figured it out and had a successful nursing relationship.
After being involved on the the iVillage messageboard I began to realize that many people (myself included) had a lot of preconceived ideas about breastfeeding. Maybe something their mama told them, or their best friend experienced or just a feeling they got that are honestly, NOT TRUE. So many women just give up with no information, no support and no help. If you think you want to breastfeed, you can do it. Don’t give up. Find some help and you’ll succeed!
9. Don’t use a pacifier. This was just my experience. Using a pacifier with Lydia messed her up. (Hence the crying at 10 days.) Let your baby get used to breastfeeding, then if you want to introduce a pacifier or other bottle do that about 3-4 weeks.
10. Nursing in Public.
Me nursing Lydia on the ferry to Magic Kingdom in Disney World!
Don’t let the idea of nursing in public keep you from breastfeeding. With Lydia I learned to nurse in public by using a shawl. It was easy (and mine was super cute, too). With Asa, I got super good at being quick and discreet. I figured most people would turn their head anyway, so I just went without the shawl. And I’m a very modest person. Once you get good at nursing, you’ll be able to nurse in public without a problem.
Breastfeeding is empowering. And I say that as someone who discovered it on her own. I wasn’t an attachment parenting wannabe. I didn’t have any friends or family that breastfed. I feel like I discovered so much of it on my own. I provided every bit of nutrition for my kids from my own body! I didn’t even want to start solid foods because I was so proud of the fat rolls my little babies had! It probably sounds weird if you’ve never done it, but I promise it was a life-changing experience. If you’re still unsure, read up on some of the benefits of breastfeeding. It’s awesome for you and your baby. And, even though it does take time to figure it out, it’s worth the effort!
If you have any questions or tips on breastfeeding, please share in the comments! And don’t forget to check out Amy’s posts about World Breastfeeding Week!
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Now it’s your turn! After my super-long top ten, do you have any energy to read or write more? I hope so! Go ahead, write a Top Ten about anything you’d like. Then LINK back to me in the post (so everyone can join in the fun!). Next, PASTE your url in the linky below. And if you still have time I’d love for you to read, comment, stumble, tweet or generally love on the rest of the participants. It’s a great way to make friends and be a part of this thing called the blogosphere!
Happy Top Ten {Tuesday}!!
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