Best simple bf advice to get you started and get you through!

[Softlysoftly]

Two bits of advice got me past the hard first stages, they were from other forum members (not mn oops).

Anyway I wanted to start a bit of a feel good thread where all those snippets of advice can be gathered for the tough times!!

So mine were:

"forget routine, if it cries stick a boob in it"

"it's all about the angle of the dangle" for latching on.

Do nite let people tell you they are trying to give you a break by feeding the baby whilst you do housework.

Don't panic if you think baby doesn't get enough in the first couple of days. All they need at this point is a tsp full of colostrum a day!

If it's painful, only think about one feed at a time and before you know it you've made it to the magic 6 weeks and it will all seem easy!

Find out where your nearest breast feeding support group is and go along. I only went once but they were extremely helpful and friendly and I picked up lots of tips.

• Go to breastfeeding support group, even go a couple of times before the birth so you can ask questions.

• educate yourself aboutwhat is normal for those early days so you won't panic and think you can't possibly have enough milk and your baby must obviously be starving because you have fed 12 times that day already and he still wants more. Read the womanly art of breastfeeding which is very informative. If you are offered a BF class as part of antenatal classes, attend it and make your partner come along. Make sure your partner is fully educated about normal infant breastfeeding behaviour.

• do not keep any emergency formula in your house in the first month. There is not going to be some sudden emergency. If you have it, then you will be tempted into using it one night and may sabotage your efforts so far. Once feeding is established though, giving yourself the odd break for a few hours once or twice a week is not going to do any harm to your supply, but definitely leave it for at least a month before using any cartons of formula.

• Your baby has not learnt to tell the time and read the clock yet. So when he last fed is irrelevant. if he is hungry now it doesn't matter if he last fed 2 hours ago or 20 minutes ago. Stick a boob in it anyway. If in doubt, get one out - this is a good motto.

• it really can be the hardest thing you ever do - it is normal to find it hard.

• nose to nipple. No one mentioned this till I went to a BF support group and it changed everything. Line baby up with their nose to your nipple so when they tilt their head back with their mouth open your latch is right.

• Oh, and lastly get some Lansinoh - a dear do but worth every penny.

Sit down and feed the baby, let everyone else worry about housework, cooking etc. If someone comes to visit, tell them to make their own damn tea.

Have a 'babymoon', spend as much time just lying down cuddling and breastfeeding as you can. If you have older children then a lot of mums find a sling really helpful.

Learn to feed laying down so you can rest.

Get a 'feeding station' with water, food, book or remote, pillows, big scarf/wrap in case you get cold, footstool etc - in the early days when when feeding a lot make a conscious attempt to be comfy/relaxed so it is not too much of a chore.

Remember back rods are made up and try to feed your baby BEFORE he cries - learn his early feeding cues.

Feed often often often.

Any probs - phone la leche league or similar, or post on here but be careful who you take advice from.

Keep visitors to a minimum.
(It's not an easy skill to learn in front of your FIL).

Of course they're all going to want to come and see the baby, but short visits are best and enlist your DP to politely turn people away if need be.

It's called breast feeding, not nipple feeding - make sure the baby gets a bug mouthful of breast when latching on.

I followed these rules - nose to nipple, wait for the big gape, then bring the baby to the breast not the breast to the baby.

You can miss many times, as the big gape may not last long but I just kept going back to the beginning. I do this parallel parking too, my mother taught me that if you muck it up the best thing to do is pull out and start again, not wiggle around in the space.

Get a flask or one of those thermal mugs, and if you've got an other half get them to make it for you and a sandwich before they go to work.

This thread should be made a sticky!

Cluster feeding in the evenings from day 3 or 4 is normal and this pattern will repeat itself every 4 weeks or so. It doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong.

Keep an eye on the nappies - if you're getting plenty of wet and dirty nappies, that means plenty is going in.

Yes, "what goes in must come out" should be a motto to remember. Also to trust your body - it is very rare for a woman not to be physically able to produce the milk her baby needs. Most reasons for giving up are a lack of support and suitable help/information/education. So remember that it is possible for you to do it and insist on getting the support you need. I was saddened today at baby massage at sure start centre at tales from other women who gave birth at the same hospital as me about the lack of support from staff who knew next to nothing about BF and who pushed formula at them at the slightest problem meaning that many gave up BF in the first month.

Use a few pillows to get your baby higher up on your chest if you're sitting than you would think. Saves your shoulders and can improve latch no end.

If its uncomfortable try gong the opposite to the conventional hold of opposite arm to boob and rest the baby along the same arm side as boob with your forearm under the baby's body. Resting on the above mentioned pillows.

Oh, and if your baby takes ages to feed, let her/him and don't listen to anyone who says they should not be feeding beyond 20 mins as that's just comfort sucking. Do what's right for you and your baby and time spent sat nursing is also time spent resting.

Don't decide to give up bf in the middle of the night.

If in doubt get one out Love it! and love let them feed for as long as they like - comfort sucking builds your supply, and why wouldn't you want to comfort your baby?

Have confidence in your body, it has sustained the baby so far and will do so again.

Get a headlamp to put on in bed so you can feed without turning on lots of lights and waking everyone up too much.

Stock up on snacks, tasty drinks and boxsets/books/nice music for the cluster feeding.

It's hard work and can feel like one thing after another for weeks, but once you get the swing of it it's a wonderful experience - nothing beats the feeling of looking down to see your LO in a state of bliss, drinking his/her milk and enjoying a big cuddle. And that dopey, milk drunk look afterwards...melts my heart every time :)

If it's painful don't put off feeding - they will just get hungry and clamp on more forcefully.

Make sure you get the latch right in the early days - it can be dull taking them on and off and on and off, but worth it in the end.

Gosh that was alot, sorry.

Loving all these!

Don't decide to give up bf in the middle of the night.

An repeating this ^^ to myself!