Please help on breast feeding stupid question post lol

[SweetPea86]

Hi I really want to give breast feeding a go even though every one I tell is against it and tells me it won't last long.
Positive thinking eh?

What do I need to know, how often can I express so hubby can beyond/help.

What is people's reaction bf outsite ei shops etc.

How long do you breast feed for.

I need to know so much more but not sure what to ask lol

You're right - the subject of how to feed your baby makes people very emotional. I have a three month old who started off being ff/expressed milk fed in NICU, and we started bf'ing a little later. At the time, the most important thing was that he was fed!

I'm really happy that we breastfeed now. It's convenient, and I can express a bottle for times when I'm not immediately available (I work a half day per week). We have fed everywhere; on buses, trains, cafes, museums - no one cares, very few people appear to even notice. Although at the weekend, one woman who did notice brought me tea and cake

We didn't have an easy start, and I'd second everyone who suggests breastfeeding cafes. I've met women who have older babies, and learned lots from them, as well as having advice from bf counsellors. I do also sympathise with the worry that you don't know if they're getting enough. I was terrified after bottle feeding, worried that my baby would be wasting away - his nappies, and his weight gain showed me that he was doing fine. It's easy to feel like that in the early days though, because tiny new babies feed a lot, this is fine - they're just getting your supply right to suit their need.

Don't worry about your 'lack of experience' - 24 hours with your own baby makes you expert pretty quickly! Good luck with it all, and do post on the 'feed the world' board - I got some great help there.

Please don't worry about not being natural with other people's babies. I was so worried when I was pregnant with ds1 about this as I'm not natural with other peoples babies and have this irrational fear I'm going to drop their baby! Even now after 2 of my own and a 3rd on the way I am still so awkward with other peoples babies. I recently held a 10 week old and was embarrassed about how awkward I felt! When it comes to my own it couldn't come more naturally, it will click I promise.

There's been some fantastic advice on this thread so I doubt there's much I can add on the bf'ing front. I guess just remember to take it one day at a time and seek out the support you need when it gets tough. I could have given up with ds1 in the early days but some brilliant advice on forums and some help from the community midwife really helped get me through. In the end I bf ds1 and ds2 for around 11 months each.

You get used to bf'ing in public and finding ways of being discreet. As others have said trying to cover up usually meant I was less discreet so I gave up the muslin or scarf fairly quickly and just learnt how to be discreet. I've had people walk up to me to admire the baby and not even realise I was feeding until they got close to us.

Just stay open minded about it all, if it doesn't work out then you can say you gave it a go. Oh one last thing learn how to latch them on while lying down, that was the best bit night feeds lying down barely having to wake up to feed!