If you had to give one piece of advice to people considering bfing...?

[suis]

I have been asked to attend a bfing workshop as sort of a "demonstration Mum" tomorrow. I don't have any training or anything, but the HV thinks it might help the workshop to have someone there who is currently bfing.

So I was thinking about what sort of things it would have been helpful to know about bfing when I was pregnant and what I would give as my one key piece of advice.... and so I thought I would ask what all of you think... ?

From day one I have bf Ds at night lying down, I don't smoke, drink, overheat him etc and I feel that for me it is perfectly safe. I often doze off and even on nights when he feeds four or five times I feel refreshed in the morning and I almost always feel like I am having enough sleep. With dd I felt quite tired for the first few months as I did not do this. He is 3 months and slept for 11.5 hours in a row the other night so anyone who says that babies need formula to sleep through the night is not necessarily correct. (ok so he only did it for two nights, but at least I know he can do it and hopefully will do it again soon!!)

Get a really really comfy chair!

Get someone to show you how to bf lying down

Get properly measured for a nursing bra

I did none of the above but wish I had!

Thank you so much to everyone for all these comments ! We had a very successful night as the "display team" at the bf workshop, and got lots of positive feedback. I dropped in as many of your suggestions as I could and it was all very well received.

Thank you all again.

Sx

What I would say would have been usful to know is that not all babies are 'naturals' - I just assumed that as babies were designed to breastfeed they would all be able to just open their mouth and latch on. DD took 12 weeks of faffing hell before she got the hang of it, it sometimes took up to 20 mins to get her latched on properly. But she did get there and now feeds like a pro - just because they are a bit pants in the begining does not mean they won't be able to breastfeed successfully.

That if you have very large breasts you need some good advice about positioning as the stuff you are shown doesn't always work - traditional cradle hold very difficult when your nipple is by your belly button! A good solid cushion is a godsend for big boobs.

Be bloody minded and persevere because although it seems hell at first there will be a point a few months in when you look down at that little jaw moving and that little arm flapping and those little eyes fluttering and you will think you have reached perfection.

sorry, 3 bits of advice there!

glad it went well suis, these suggestions are all great and hopefully this thread will be useful to others in the future.

Maveta can I ask how that "monkey" position helps with fast let down? I have very fast let down with milk generally spraying everywhere. DS1 had probs with this and it gave him wind and tummy ache, DS2 also find it bit much and yells and splutters away when feeding. Not too sure how the position helps with this, can you explain for me? Thanks

Pannacotta I had this too - basically gravity gives you a helping hand! Also you can try do normal cradle hold but leaning back, for the same reason - but I found the sitting position better. Check out this link for some really good tips!www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-letdown.html

Thanks for the link sweetjane, good article, will follow the advice as at the mo poor DS2 is in need of constant winding!

Have the guts to tell vistors to steer clear or keep a low profile whilst you are getting feeding established, limit guests. hope it goes well tomorrow suis.

It WILL hurt to hell at first even if you are doing it exactly right, but it will get better!

Agree with other point about being glued to sofa and bf non-stop is fine.

Just remember if you're struggling that one day soon you'll be waving them off to school. They're only little for such a short time, and all the effort and time you put into Bfeeding in the early days you get back later on as you'll feel a big
sense of achievment, your child will probably be less ill, you will loose weight and generally feel good.
Definitely surround yourself with other breastfeeders

LOL this one won't go down well with your HV and I don't suppose that you can really say it, but I think all new mums should know that lots of HVs and GPs know diddly squat about breastfeeding and they should contact one of the breastfeeding organisations if they encounter problems..

Agree with points 1 and 3 made by Majorca and all the others saying how it is all comsuming in the first few weeks/months and that this is totally normal...

Plus details of kelyymom and LLL.

Agree with majorca no 1
I find I have to start like that and then can swap arms when he's latched, otherwise have major problems
I was shown this either in NHS AN class or in the hospital - I think I was one of the lucky ones

pannacotta - because they´re sitting, not lying down so they don´t ´drown´ like they can in other positions, they can also pull away easier i think i.e they can control the flow a bit better. It can feel a bit awkward at first but persevere and it really will help, a girl in my pn class saw me do it and tried and straight away her wee one started belching/ farting while she ate

maveta, fancy popping over and showing me? I tried it but he just felt so unbalanced, how do you hold him still? Does he kick and wave his arms?

hmmm..no he doesn´t katy...well yeah he tries to leap off me by pushing off with his legs but i just have to settle him once or twice, long enough to get my nipple in his mouth -lol - and then he´s fine. i hold him at the back of the neck (that sounds really cruel? it isn´t, i promise!). you could try it with someone else the first few times til he gets used to it maybe? that way they can help support him while you get him latched on..

skin to skin immediately after birth and try and let baby root for breast as soon as it wants to

Trust in nature - have the confidence that it will all work out and get as much help as you need.

I think unlatching them using your finger in their mouth to break the seal, until they are on properly helped me. I worried if I did it too often she would lose interest and give up but she never did. So my advice is do it as many times as you need till it feels right. Don't rush save your nipple!

Also as soon as you see any redness on your boob, I got it in a triangular segment looking shape to one side of my nipple, then have a hot bath massage your boob and also express a little off. It all helps to try to unblog your ducks and stop it become full blown mastitus (sorry can't spell)

Panacotta, bfing in a reclined position might help with fast let-down, I've only been feeding for a week but we went to a bf group on tues and that's what they recommend. The can control the flow, although can't pull away so easily so you have to keep an eye on them.

At 34 weeks pregnant we saw our consultant. Midwife was in the room as well. He said "Are you going to breastfeed?" I was very good, knew the right answer, and said "Yes, absolutely", and he said "Well, if it doesn't work out, don't worry about it". Midwife's eyes were popping! But actually, it was fab advice - breastfeeding went really well for us - still is at 8.5 months, but it just gave me licence for it not to be ok, if that makes sense. Having said that, consultant (lovely, loevly man) is an obstetrician, and "doesn't do babies" once they're born...