Breast feeding tips

[SweetPea86]

I really really want to be able to breast feed are there any tips or advice to help me have a better experince.

Sore cracked nips is what every one keeps reminding me. Is there a cream to help with that. If so do I apply it before and after feeding.

I'm totally clueless this is my first want to be totally prepared :)

That's Lansinoh you're thinking of for cracked nipples. However I don't think it does anything for sore nipples that aren't cracked. That's when it's important to get baby latched on correctly.

Lansinoh is the cream. Only bother with it if you are sore though.
Best tip is to just accept for the first couple of months you will be spending a lot of time breastfeeding. Ignore anyone who tells you your baby is feeding too much and needs to be on a three hour routine. It just doesn't work for the majority of breastfed newborns. Get comfy, get Netflix, get cake. Enjoy as it doesn't last forever.
Find out how to get support when you need it. Look up la leche league. Find out where your nearest meetings are. Write down the number for their helpline. Find out if your local children's centre has a bf group. They are great for moral support from other mums.
Read up on what is normal for newborns. The kellymom website is very informative. Baby led breastfeeding is a good book. So is the womanly art of breastfeeding. Get your husband educated too. Do not buy any book which tells you what time to feed your baby, babies can't read the clock.

Best tip is get help quickly if you need it.

Lansinoh is the cream. Only bother with it if you are sore though.
Best tip is to just accept for the first couple of months you will be spending a lot of time breastfeeding. Ignore anyone who tells you your baby is feeding too much and needs to be on a three hour routine. It just doesn't work for the majority of breastfed newborns. Get comfy, get Netflix, get cake. Enjoy as it doesn't last forever.
Find out how to get support when you need it. Look up la leche league. Find out where your nearest meetings are. Write down the number for their helpline. Find out if your local children's centre has a bf group. They are great for moral support from other mums.
Read up on what is normal for newborns. The kellymom website is very informative. Baby led breastfeeding is a good book. So is the womanly art of breastfeeding. Get your husband educated too. Do not buy any book which tells you what time to feed your baby, babies can't read the clock.

Best tip is get help quickly if you need it.

Just take as much advice as you can at the hospital. Can you ask your midwife if there is a breastfeeding support locally? They're wonderful! You could even visit before having the baby and talk to other moms.

Lansinoh is the stuff you buy for nipples and its great! I only used it when they got sore but I think some people use it after each feed!

Proper nursing bras are great but you can get by without them too.

Be prepared for cluster feeding! Baby might literally feed for hours at some feeds as newborn but it does not necessarily mean there's a problem. Things magically fall into place about 6 week's or so... In the meantime, prepare to let housework go to he'll

Thanks ladies really helpful. Will get some of the cream pronto! And will look in to the breastfeeding classes :)

Oh and be prepared for it to be tough but also amazing! Also don't beat yourself up if it doesn't work for whatever reason! Do you think you'll be confident in public? If not, the groups will definitely help with that!

If you think "she can't possibly want feeding again". The answer is she probably does yes.

I'm still feeding at 18 mo. I'm not entirely sure how to stop and I'm pregnant again so could end up feeding a toddler and a newborn at the rate

Be prepared to just sit and feed for hours and hours. My son would feed, throw up and still want more when he was little. It's how they build up your supply. It gets better after about 6 weeks though. Just make sure you have plenty of snacks and drinks and the tv remote, maybe some boxsets to watch!

I agree, give yourself six weeks to adjust and for your supply to settle a bit. I found this stage really really hard work, it's such a huge lifestyle change and it can be painful, draining and exhausting! (Sorry but I wish someone had said this to me ) but I persevered and BF successfully and it gets SO much easier!

(If you get cracker bleeding or infected nips -oh joy!!!, I found savlon really good as it was easy to wipe off before a feed but gave a bit of tlc!)

Try and read up and see pics of a correct latch so you really understand it. It will really minimise pain. Be prepared for it to be painful for a few weeks but remember that it won't take long for it to nut be painful anymore, and then bfing will be so so easy. No stressing in the middle of the night to prepare a bottle and cool it down while baby is screaming cos it wants milk now!! Also be prepared to get help with the latch which will mean showing your breast to mws, and hvs. It may feel odd at first but if you can do that they can really support you to learn how to get a good latch

It is a new skill to learn but nipples should not be really painful during a feed or cracked. They may feel a tiny bit "rubbed" for the first week as you get used to it but if any pain at all take baby off and relatch, and if still sore seek help as soon as you can. Some babies have tongue tie which can make feeding difficult and painful but is easily resolved, the earlier it is spotted the better. If you have difficulties ask them if they have checked for this, and ask again as it seems often to be missed. NHS quality of support can vary so if you have difficulties, look up a local lactation consultant, many work with the NCT and they may have drop ins or you may be able to pay for a private consultation if you can't bear the wait till next drop in.

I echo the above re frequent feeding but it is worth knowing that sometimes when they are fighting and squirming at the breast they actually want to sleep rather than the milk, so worth pausing and rocking or patting to see if that helps. Equally very long "feeds" sometimes are comfort sucking rather than to get milk. The latch slips and becomes a bit less comfortable. So if they are not swallowing when normally they can feed perfectly well and happily don't panic re insufficient supply (and see if you can unlatch them without waking so you can do something else!). Obviously if they are still actively sucking then they are probably after milk and building up your supply.

As posters above gave said, feeding to demand to baby's cues is best. It is a good opportunity to sit down and read mn! Once you have got used to it, it is great, really easy as you never have to think in advance re preparing feeds. Good luck!

Aww thanks again for the rest of the posters will follow all your advice. :)

Lots of excellent advice here - I wish I'd known all of these tips before we started our bf journey. I asked the midwives over and over, and over again if DS was properly latched on, I didn't leave hospital until I was confident. That said, I really struggled at home - I became so engorged that DS couldn't feed and just kept snapping his head back, with my nipple in his mouth - sheer agony! We spent a whole night struggling, both of us in floods of tears. The breast pump just wouldn't draw anything out. I could have given up at that point. However, I phoned the midwives and sobbed down the phone. They were fantastic! One angelic lady came straight over and showed me how (gently) hand express. Believe in yourself, you can do it, you and your new baby are both learning a new skill. Take all the help you can get, enjoy! We only gave up when DS reached 2.5! It was a wonderful experience for us both. I'm so glad I didn't listen to people who tried to discourage me, despite knowing in advance that it might be very hard work to begin with. Best of luck to you, enjoy!

Thanks goofy bear sorry to hear you had such a hard time to start with, glad it all worked out for you in the end :)

Great advice ladies! I agree with getting as much advice from the midwives as possible. For me, I struggled with wrist pain and at first getting comfortable was rather difficult. Luckily my DH was helpful and determined that I get comfortable and success with breastfeeding (mainly he loves that it is free and he won't have to wash as many bottles lol...) so he got me this great pillow called 'Cuddle and Feed' from Amazon and that has been so helpful in taking the strain off my back and arms. It has been a great support and helped with latching as well, making my nipples a lot happier! Very recommended. Also, I would use the Lansinoh cream as you do not need to rinse it off (safe for baby), and I would start using it before you give birth if you can, to make sure the nipple is as moisturised and ready for all that action coming up! Good luck :)

I have a current thread http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/breast_and_bottle_feeding/2012641-Breastfeeding-what-I-wish-I-had-known here

That didn't work!
here
It has lots of tips.