What helped you breastfeed successfully?

[twinklegreen]

Just out of interest, if you have breastfed a baby successfully...

Is there anything that you maybe didn't realise at the time, but on reflection really helped you to breastfeed. Can be something that you did or didn't do that helped in any way.

:)

Staying in hospital for 4 days, I lost a lot of blood so I had to but it also meant by the time I left my milk was in and I was confident. It also meant I had someone to ask about whether the changes to my boobs were normal.

I have no ff friends and my friend helped me feed when I was in special care because the medical staff were more bothered with stabilising me.

Stubborness and not being a prude!

Really wanting to do it and then making time to do it - not being in a hurry to get on and do something else in the first few weeks and so establishing a good supply. I didn't find it particularly difficult, but it does take up a lot of your time - especially at the start. So glad I wasn't put off by well-meaning MIL telling me the problem with breastfeeding is that noone else can do it for you - I just retreated to my room and put the radio on so I didn't care how long it took. In a funny sort of way it made me take things easy and I can't help wondering if that is not a function of breast feeding - you have to stop what you are doing and take the weight off your feet.

Another one for bloody mindedness/laziness here!

A super-supportive DH who never once suggested formula even when I was exhausted.

A total inability to be embarrassed, so I would ask anyone for any type of help and bf anywhere.

Going to a bf cafe from day 10 so that most of my friends are bf ers too, making it totally normal and giving me lots of people to talk to about any issues.

A refusal to entertain any other type of feeding.

Feeding both dds the second they squawked for the first few weeks.

1.I agree with the determination-dd had a slight tongue tie and feeding her was eye wateringly painful for the first six weeks or so.I cried every feed it was so bad,but I was determined to keep going,which leads to
2. I had a breastfeeding counsellor visit me at home and in hospital (when i was re-admitted). She was just wonderful and reassuring and it was the best money I've spent on my dds.She helped with the latch,advised on the tongue tie and gave me loads of support.Lovely Mary O'Shea, she was just pragmatic and clear and not phased by anything.I'd had pre-eclampsia and a traumatic c-section and I felt weak and anxious,the docs were worrying about dd's lack of weight gain, and she made me feel that it would all be fine.Which it was,I'm still breastfeeding 7 years later (not dd1!).

definately cake, the food of love (book), lying down feeding/sleeping...and lactogenic snacks when nackered...cashews, porridge, finding a website (MOBI) that talks about problems you may be having ie too fast flow or angle etc

Another vote for determination- After an EMCS, DS did not latch on for 4 weeks, during which we did cup feeds (total nightmare), finger feeding, the odd bottle, nipple shields and then finally got there.

What helped? Being referred back to the lactation consultants at the hospital; they were lovely as well as having good advice. I honestly think that the nipple shields were what got us there in the end and it did not take long to wean off them.

What did NOT help? Being told my nipples were immature, the wrong shape/size and that I needed to just put DS on and make him do it!?

DH was also pretty good :) and supportive of whatever I ended up doing, which actually was a major factor.

Honestly? Being totally ego led and stubborn and a baby that refused to feed by other means! Add that with growing to love it, a good breastfeeding group and constant online support!