5 things I wish I'd known before I started breastfeeding

[twinklegreen]

just reflecting really.

What things do you wish you'd known before you had your baby?

Mine are;

1. the tingling sensation when you get a let down, as it describes in the books, can actually be quite toe-curling, and is completely normal.

2. It can take up to 7 days for your milk to come in.

3. the REAL experts in breastfeeding hold IBCLC or Breastfeeding counsellor training. Midwives and HV's often have very little training (Even sometimes if they are an infant feeding co-ordinator) and often give out incorrect or out of date information and advice. :(

4. You should try to feed your baby as soon as possible after birth, not wait until someone gives you permission. :)

5. The smell of EBF baby's poo is actually quite addictive

Anyone else?

agreeing with alot of these :)

I also wish I'd known that expressing is just a big faff, unless you have major organisational skills (which I unfortunately don't)

I wish I'd known what silent reflux was.

And the nipple flip technique for latching on a baby with mild tongue tie.

That all the health care professionals I would deal with would not have thought to suggest either silent reflux or mild tongue tie as possible problems.

1. I wish I'd have known that natural does not mean easy, it has been hard work getting dd to feed.
2. That there are so very many things that can go wrong and that support and perseverance are the best solutions.
3. That it would be so wonderful to co sleep and feed
4. That newborn bf poo smelt lovely
5. That antihistamines interfere with milk production.
6. That MN can save your life on a bad day. ( well save your breastfeeding anyway )

I wish I had known that I would find it really easy as I stressed about it a lot before hand.
I wish I had known that my baby would go to neo natal and I should have asked about breastfeeding immediately.

THANK YOU all for contributing to this thread (coming from the mother of a 2 week old, who knows nothing about what's "normal" when breastfeeding)

1. That EVERYONE would ask how I was feeding (postman, DP's boss, neighbours I'd never spoken to before, woman in the queue at the post office) and then follow up with some 'advice'.
2. That no-one can 'promise' you it will get easier or stop hurting just because it did for them. Some mothers find it hard the whole way through and there are more of us than you'd think. Yes thank you we have had our latch checked and tongue tie looked for. No it's not thrush I asked the doctor. Yes I've had mastitis thank you, this isn't the same. Yes we've tried the rugby ball hold. Yes and that magic cream that your sister's friend's colleague said I should try, what's it called again...?
3. That Lansinoh doesn't immediately heal open wounds on contact ('just pop some Lansinoh on, the pain stops immediately and it heals right up'. No it doesn't). Ever notice them liberally applying sheep grease to a gun shot woulnd in ER? Thought not.
4. That her mouth getting bigger would make a huge difference, especially when she used it to grin gummily at me from my poor boob.
5. That a bottle or two a day is not the work of the devil and you have not failed.
6. That one day you really can go back to ignoring your norks again and think about something else.

That's 6 sorry

Yes to the mouth size being a factor! My DD had a small mouth, even the HVs commented on it, and I think that's why it hurt for the first 2 weeks even though latch was fine.

1. In the early days, a baby can be latched on for HOURS. And it's ok.
2. A baby doesn't just feed at the breast. They may want to lick/ nuzzle/ play/ take comfort. And it's ok.
3. Demand feed means that. It'll soon settle into a pattern (yours and your baby's not anyone elses)
4. It can hurt in teh beginning. The pain goes (if it's done correctly).
5. Feeding lying down IS THE BEST THING EVER AND GREATLY INCREASES HOW MUCH REST YOU GET.

I agree completely moonstorm :)

Not sure I'll make it to 5 but I'll have a go

1. You don't need to wear non wired bras. Underwires are fine and much better than the one massive boob look I achieve in a non wired.

1. Your baby is unique and will feed in it's own way. Don't waste time comparing how long, how much sleep, how often etc.

1. Just because you've done it before doesn't mean it will always be straight forward. I had a surprise when it took so long for my milk to come in after DC4 as I has been drowning the others from the first day.

1. Nothing feels as lovely as the middle of the night feeds, all cwtched up together, when it seems there is just you and your baby in the whole world. These make up for the nights when you think that baby cannot possibly want feeding again.

1. Kindles and iPhone/smartphone are breastfeeders best friend. No trying to hold unwieldy books or faff with a mouse and keyboard.

that someone would try and force me into formula feeding from day 1 saying that my milk obviously wasn't satisfying DD because she was feeding all the time.
And that having them tell me my milk wasn't good enough would make me feel so awful.
That someone would talk about me behind my back and then try to tell me that so and so says breastfed babies don't get wind or milk spots.
So glad I stuck to my guns. :)

1. BF makes me crave (and eat) custard and cake and loose weight at the same time, brilliant! I dropped a dress size from my eat-cake-and-BF-diet

1. That when you go back to work, you don't actually need to express. It is actually possible to feed in the mornings, evening and night and not have to faff about expressing at work at all.

1. That BFing changes as your DC gets older. First of all I was leaking milk everywhere and it really hurt! But now it doesn't hurt at all and you can't really even tell there's milk there most of the time.

1. Feeding lying down IS THE BEST THING EVER AND GREATLY INCREASES HOW MUCH REST YOU GET. (copied form moonstorm but so important is deserves to be said many times!)

1. That if you drink alcohol while BF, the amount in your milk is about the same as the amount in your blood. Your baby is unlikely to be affected by you having a glass of wine or two AFAIK.

Only 1 from me - that if your child makes a clicking sound when feeding along with horrific pain (or even not so horrific) then its probably a tongue tie and it needs sorting ASAP - not next week, or in a few weeks, but within 24 hrs. speaking from bitter experience X2.

that it could be so painful! I was expecting some discomfort, perhaps even mild pain, for a week or so while my boobs got used to it all, but I was totally unprepared for the constant agony at every feed for the first 4 weeks of DS's life!

That no-one will care when you say you think your baby may have a tongue tie, as they can sort it out when he's older if it affects his speech- never mind that it affects his feeding now, as a little baby. I've asked doctors, midwives, HVs, lactation consultants and a nurse about it, and none of them would even so much as have a look to check, because he's gaining weight and looks healthy, so there obviously isn't a problem .

that it would be so rewarding seeing the little rolls of fat on your baby's arms and legs, and knowing that it's all down to you!

That just because everyone you know has leaky boobs and needs breast pads, it doesn't mean that you will

That just because you have cracked the first six months, it doesn't mean issues wont arise later on, once your baby starts wanting to look around and roll over while latched on

That you aren't a bad person if you spend the first six weeks screaming "This is awful, I hate this"

That even someone who spent the first six weeks screaming "This is awful, I hate this" feels a big pang when starting to cut down on feed nine months later

1- cluster feeding- I thought baby was starving in the evenings, must have been just topping up for night time
2- that very young babies sometimes take AGES to feed and fall asleep during
3- growth spurts- general nightmare but they only last a few days and it WILL get better
4- that the happy contented noises baby makes while feeding are the best thing ever and only you can elicit them :-)
5- that you may have to constantly wear a bra and breast pads- found this out the hard way after waking up one night in a puddle of milk

1, that you may be one of those women who has gallons of the stuff and needs to sleep on a towel for a few weeks whilst you block feed to sort it out.

2, that MN knows all.

3, that you need the baby to take a bottle, it can be a battle.

4, if you are expressing, make sure the flanges fit your boobs otherwise it can hurt a bit.

5, that if the family make a point of pointing out the fact that you're still breastfeeding, you may make it a point to become an extended breastfeeder and feed with gay abandon in front of them.

That if you find yourself beside yourself with anxiety because your baby is screaming for a feed and you've run out and it's 10pm, hang on in there - it's a growth spurt, so no need to try the formula just yet. My baby often sounded as if he was dying of starvation but always weighed great for dates!

That extreme nipple pain is not always a bad latch. Mine was the worst it had ever been when I was hooked up to an expressing machine at the hospital. For two seconds if that, cos I screamed out in pain and had to stop immediately. So for some new mums, it's just the strength of the suction. But it went, ever so slowly, and it was worth going through (just like childbirth, really).

Also, I so totally agree with herecomesthesciencebit about the curling fingers and sleepy crosseyed gaze. The first time you bf your baby and you feel their little hand close around your arm is just the beginning...

That reading threads like this will make you broody

That my milk doesn't freeze, and this is normal (for some people). Unfortunately found out it goes sour after hours of expressing, and had accumulated a draw full in the freezer :(

That I would be hungry all the time

That it is very convenient.

That it is a great comforter, especially after immunization, or when your baby isn't well

That I would be jealous of 'fat' babies or just any babies that had chubby bits. DD was another 2-3oz gainer and is still skinny at 16 months

That expressing is the devils work but I appreciate it allowed me to BF when returning to work at 4 months

That things like nursing strikes and general 'fussiness' existed and it would feel like hell

That I would be sad when it stopped

That I am more scared of doing it the second time around, due in less than 3 months

mellisa for future reference i believe that problem can be solved by scalding the milk. If you search there is more info on other threads.