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have very little training (Even sometimes if they are an infant feeding co-ordinator) and often give out incorrect or out of date information and advice.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?

1. I know some people find it challenging at first but it can be really easy and just "happen". It did for us (no credit to me - I didnt do anything!)

1. Hold baby all the time when newborn. DD wouldnt be put down -would wake as soon as she reached the horizontal plane and scream - and although at the time this wasnt easy, I sometimes wonder if that contributed to our happy experience at 1 above.

Organize yourself before you start the feed in early days,

1. Pint of water and snack
2. Buy good breast feeding pillow , ( I rated the widgey cushion!)
3. Comfy cushions for back and elbow rests
4. Tv remote
5. Relax.

Have all within arms reach.

1. That it is possible to leak so much that even at 6 months, you get through more than a box of pads a week.

2. That even if you found expressing a doddle with dc1, 2 AND 3, and were getting 8oz in 30 mins with a hand pump, that with dc4, you would manage a paltry ounce in an hour. I have given up trying to express for dc4 (ds3), as even with an electric pump, I'm getting bugger all. Means I never get a break, but never mind.

3. That if you get mastitis, DON'T be fobbed off by a HV that's not personally bf telling you "Just feed through the pain, you'll be fine" (Memories of passing out through the pain in the GP surgery waiting room when bf DD). TAKE ANTIBIOTICS - THEY MAKE IT BETTER.

4. That feeding lying down is the best thing ever.

5. That if you are bf dc4, and it is toe-curlingly painful, MAKE the HCP's listen when you believe your dc has a tongue-tie. BF a dc with posterior tongue-tie for 10 WEEKS before it was snipped was f*ing agony, but because my nipples weren't cracked or bleeding, no-one would listen to me. If it hurts after 14 days, and you have been told by a bf counsellor that your latch is fine - GET YOUR BABY CHECKED FOR TONGUE-TIE.

1. Use lanolin gel on nipples from day one
2. Use a breast-feeding cushion if you have one
3. Stick with it even though it is sore for a while
4. Buy good disposable breast pads, don't waste your money on the cloth ones
5. Likewise buy decent breast-feeding bras

1. On to the boob ASAP, regardless of midwife faffing. Whoah, back up there lady, 'tis my baby, and she's having her first meal now. OK?
2. People who tell you they need a bottle to sleep better should fuck the fuck off and then.....fuck off some more. She's only three weeks old, if she wants to feed at night, I'm absolutely fine with that, OK?
3. Cluster feeding does not mean you're running out of milk, or that they're too hungry, just that they want to feed a lot. Watch a film and get someone else to do the cleaning. All too soon it'll be over.
4. Baby will stop as and when they see fit. If your child wants to feed until they're three, do it. If they stop, gradually, after nine months when you wanted to feed them for much longer, don't beat yourself up about it.

1. (sorry, pressed post too soon!) Enjoy that bond. I miss it soo much

1. That I would leak so much needed two breast pads on each side, towel on bed and waterproof mat under me at night!
2. That HV's know nothing 'ten minutes each side dear' WTF?!!
3. That breastfeeding tops are a waste of time, how do you discretely get a nipple out between all those flaps/wrap over bits??!
4. That if you don't consistently give a bottle of EBM DC might decide not to take one when you need him/her to
5. That I would not be able to choose when to stop (see 4 above!)

Great thread some things really resonated with me on here

1.Use lanolin - do not under any circumstances let your cracked breasts dry out (result for me was 3 months, yes 3 months of agony).

1. Get proper BF cafe style help, move on and away from unsupportive health professionals.

3.If you have the baby who feeds ever 2 hours then don't feel you have to rush to get your baby weighed every week, by less than enthusiastic hvs. Instead, spend that precious time between feeds having a coffee catch up with someone or lying down or stocking up on your cake supplies.

1. Some women never leak milk.

1. Know what the signs are mastitis and get antibiotics quick as a flash if it develops.

Don't feel you have to breastfeed. It is not for everyone. If it is really not working for you or the baby don't put yourself under stress to continue.

Mixed feeding is great, and a very good option that no one seems to recommend. The baby gets all the good stuff from your milk but gets full on the formular if you are having problems producing enough, are in pain etc. I think more people would breastfeed if we introduced to the idea of mixed feeding before they gave up completley. Having stuggled for 2 months with my first before I started mixed feeding for a further 6 months, it was the obvious option for the second.

1. When your baby is ill it is literally a lifesaver. Both of mine have needed hospital care in the early weeks for different reasons and in the face of overwhelming fear and helplessness it was so good to know that I could do this one marvellous thing for them.
2. All advice re: bf in popular babycare manuals is deeply flawed and undermining. If your newborn is crying they're probably hungry and even if they're not it can't hurt to feed them and will probably help. You are not making a rod for your own back, encouraging snacking or in any other way causing a problem. Lets face it after they've rejected the dummy and endless rocking you will eventually give in and feed them anyway so save yourself the aggro!
3. If it hurts your latch probably isn't as good as it could be even if the midwife says so. This time I thought mine was fine and various midwives agreed then one better informed one came along and suggested a small adjustment and hey presto completely pain free. Also if the nipple looks mishaped when they come off latch needs adjusting.
4. Get organised before you sit down to feed: drinks, food, book/TV/phone/laptop, go to the loo first even if it means baby is crying for a bit longer. This will stop you resenting them if it takes ages. If you didn't do this it is not illegal to put them down for a minute to get that drink- no need to be a martyr.
5. It is not compulsory to give a bottle at any point. After a few months when things are more predictable you can leave them for a few hrs in between feeds and get some time to yourself. By 5 or 6 months they can have milk from a cup and when they're weaned some water or food instead. I wish I never bothered trying to get DD to have a bottle as it completely failed and just upset us both and I shan't be bothering with DS. (I still managed to go back to work at 9 months).

1. It's not compulsory, some can but some can't

Good point about when that are ill mamadoc DS has been admitted 3 times with his condition and each time he has refused all food/drink bar BM. He fed, and fed, and fed, and fed, and fed, and it helped him remain nourished and hydrated. If it weren't for BM he would have had to have a drip at least once. On one admission there was a mum and baby of a similar age that refused EVERYTHING and never had I been so glad to be a 'Breastfeeding mum'

1. Ante natal breastfeeding class was very helpful.
2. Not knowing how much ff babies get fed was invaluable; I never worried as I knew no different. Go on nappies & weight gain and don't worry how many ounces other babies are being fed.
3. Persevere. I struggled for the first 6 weeks but managed to EBF for 6 months and continue until ds gave it up at 14 1/2 months.
4. It's great to know that you can be out and about and not worry about your baby going hungry. The lack of faff is ideal for the lazy.
5. Kamilosan is good on the hard skin of your feet, don't chuck it out because you've finished breastfeeding.

Bonus point: cuddly, snuffly closeness that cures all ills.

Some really amazing points here that refreshingly arent preachy. The best ones need printing out and publishing as an nhs document!

i used to think i had faulty nipples because one sprung a leak every time the other one let down!

love the post, some can, some can't

having done both i found bf alot easier in the long run, it took me along time time but i made it work and for me; it was cheap and very very very easy
in the long run

but look after yourself because usually what makes mums best usually makes baby best

good luck

1. That it can really hurt/tingle when your let down starts. I had to clench my teeth sometimes.
2. That you will CRAVE carbs!!!! I lived on Muller Rice for months :)
3. That a bf is the cure for anything :)
4. That you feel so proud knowing you have nourished your baby yousefl till you start weaning :) (and beyond)
5. That it's so convenient and you can do it anywhere.
6. You should feed your bagby asap after birth then offer the boob regularly to encourage your milk supply.

Put hot drinks in a Thermos flask so there is a chance you can enjoy it

Get a foam support cushion as they are very comfy even if you don't actually physically need it

Don't go out immediately a feed is finished - give it about 10mins as babe might well do a poo from the gut stimulation

Try expressing so other people can take over a feed now & then, & it's handy to have some EBM in the freezer in case you get sick & your supply nobs up or for some other unexpected reason you can't feed properly for a bit

It is fine to do it for as long as possible if you want to, there is no magic age to stop, there will be no disadvantages for the child

If your supply is low and you've been told to express, do the following:

Massage breasts for a couple min before you begin.

HAND EXPRESS a little bit into a cup/pot to get things going.

Then begin expressing with machinery, for 5 min per boob. No more than 20 min total.

MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE. Dear god the stress I went thru when expressing. it was hideous.

1. that BF a baby with reflux would be so difficult in the beginning- he would tug and pull and unlatch-and relatch so many times during a feed. My nipples were sore for at least 12 weeks, and I think I have now lost sensation in them!

1. yes to introducing a bottle early. Definitely something I would do different next time around as my DS won't take one now

1. dummies aren't evil! And if your baby has reflux, it may be essential and the one thing that allows you to continue to EBF as it gives you a break when he just wants to suck and is getting annoyed that there is milk coming out of a boob.

1. If you have nipple trauma, it is ok to just express off that boob for 24-48 hours to give it a chance to heal. Just be sure to feed evenly later on, so the milk production catches up

1. I presonally like nursing tops, but only the ones that are v-necks with a fake 'vest' on the inside. Much more discreet than having to yank a top up to feed. Also easier when you have a sling on and can't yank up the t-shirt through the sling.

1. Consider using a BF apron. I didn't for months, and have just started to use one as am currently on holiday in Malaysia (much more conservative than UK, and public BF is not the done thing). And it's so much less stressful having it and i'm not worrying about how much boob is showing or trying to cover up when baby chooses to un-latch and re-latch during a feed.

1. Enjoy it! Doesn't last forever- My MIL keeps saying I should hand him over to others so he doesn't get dependant on me or become a mummy's boy, and insists on trying to get him to take a bottle whenever she's around... I just ignore all comments that don't go with what feels right to me.

Very little carrot- I liked your post. I'm often quite critical of myself as a mother but if there is one thing im proud of myself for is breastfeeding both my ds's, ds1 until he was 18 months and currently ds2 who is 9 months. I still feel the wonder of it every day (and night). Like you, it is also the thing i am most proud of in my life.