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Look up La Leche League online. It is a great, extremely reputable source of info, & you can also reach out to lactation consultants through them.
Tips for breast feeding.
I’m due in 14 days and want to breastfeed but it’s so easy to get overwhelmed when trying to research about breastfeeding. None of my family has tried to breastfeed and I don’t even have a lactation consultant in my county ( I live in a really small town. ) so I don’t have anyone to go to for advice besides the internet and y’all know that’s usually mixed research but I wanted to ask experienced moms for their advice and tips. Like how often you breast feed, when you started pumping and using a bottle, how you store and clean your breast pump parts, how many ounces you bottle feed, how long it usually takes you to nurse, etc. Any advice or tips are appreciated 😁
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Dont stress! Always feed on demand (every few hours as a newborn) look for feeding cues (moving around, bringing hands to face, stretching arms clenching fists) and make sure baby is latching properly. Your entire aroela needs to be in their mouth, not just nipple (this will cause much pain) use lanolin nipple cream and warm compress when nipples are sore. Also nursing bras are a must! They say to wait until about 6 weeks to introduce a bottle or pacifier, that way you can avoid nipple confusion and your supply is well established. You can then pump between sessions and freeze your milk. I usually boil to sterilize my pump equipment the first time and then hand wash after that or dishwasher. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water too and eating healthy! It may seam overwhelming at first but it will come naturally and it’s a great bonding experience. I my opinion it’s so much easier nursing than formula. When baby is hungry you feed. No need to make a bottle etc. Good luck to you momma!!
Di
I got one of those combo car seat/nursing covers (looks like an infinity scarf). Anyone ever tried one and liked that? Honestly, I may not even care to cover depending on how my baby is, but I’m sure especially in the beginning I’ll try to use some kind of cover just for my own comfort....
Ti
Yes! definitely feed on demand. newborns nurse so often, sometimes every hour.
Al
I had my baby in the summer so I used nursing camis and once it got cooler I just threw a cardigan over it. I was nervous about nursing in public as well but once you do it a few times you get more comfortable. Your feeding your baby and it’s normal! You can always throw a thin muslin blanket over you while nursing to feel more comfortable and less exposed.
Well, I’m not due for a few more weeks, so I may not be the best to give advice, but in my breastfeeding class, they recommended feeding on demand and not looking at the clock. So try to get him or her to breastfeed as soon as they want after birth (tell the nurses you don’t want them to give formula). Let them nurse on one breast as long as the baby wants, then sit them up and pat on the back lightly to wake them, then offer the second breast. Whatever breast you end with, you start with on the next feed. Whenever the baby gives hunger cues, feed them-again, don’t watch the clock. She recommended not adding pumping (unless medically necessary) until your breastfeeding is well established-for a few weeks at least. That’s a lot, sorry. Hopefully that’s helpful!
CR
Thank you it does help, I’ve been going back and forth on nursing every 3 hours or just waiting till he shows signs that he’s hungry. I’ll probably drive my self crazy trying to stick to a schedule but I’m sure he’ll let me know, I’m probably just over thinking everything and it’ll hopefully just come natural. I know it’s kind of crazy to think their stomachs are only the size of a marble at first but they get a huge bottle of formula given to them if they’re not breast feeding. I’m going to try to hold off on pumping as long as I can but I really want to get a stash saved and I know everyone will be wanting to help feed him and I want to try to bottle feed when we’re out in public,
Di
Ok last thing lol babies have super small stomachs, so they don’t need to eat a lot in one session. If you’re getting enough wet diapers, baby is getting enough. Unfortunately, a lot of hospital staff try to push formula because “your baby is still hungry” or they’re “feeding too much” etc. keep offering your breast! Your milk won’t come in for several days, but they only need colostrum in the beginning!
Di
Also, latching—you want them on your areola, not your nipple. You can tickle their nose with your nipple, wait until they open WIIIIIDE then move baby to breast. If they’re just on the nipple, that’s too shallow.
Following... baby number 4 and I really want to bf my other 3 wouldn’t latch and I was young and lost all hope really quick. So I want to go all in this time.
Ni
It is very intimidating. My first went the first 4days with no feeding because he just wouldn’t latch, we tried everything. The nurse kept checking his sugar everyday to make sure he could go that day without feeding again, by day 4 I gave up and bottle fed. With my second I just bottle fed from the start. And with my last I tried bf again and he latched on but spent hrs straight on my boob and I broke after a few days and bottle fed again.
CR
I really want to bf it just seems so intimidating, I’m hoping it all just comes natural but it wouldn’t be the end of the world if I had to switch to formula, I’d just really prefer to bf him. Hopefully we’ll be lucky and they’ll be easy to feed.
You can do not t! Your body was made for it!!! 💙💙💙For me, it was extremely painful until my son’s mouth grew bigger and he could more easily get a deep latch (8 weeks! 😖). He would nurse about every 1.5-2 hours for about 20 minutes on average. Sometimes it would be MUCH longer! It was exhausting but so worth it!In those early painful weeks I had to wear these cup things over my nipples in my bra because it hurt whenever anything touched them. And I kept the smothered in lanolin!I started pumping more when he started sleeping through the night (around two months). I feed him I. One side and pump it he other. I have a container on my counter that parts get placed in after each use (they get rinsed before going in). Once every 4 days (that’s how many parts I have) I fill the container with hot soapy water and let things soak for a couple minutes then wash by hand with designated sponges and brushes that don’t get used for anything else. Then everything gets boiled for 7 minutes and set out to air dry. Babies are a lot of work but so worth it!!! You’ve got this!!! You’ll find what works for you. -oh! And my baby gets a bottle maybe once every three weeks! 😂
Ki
Also, I only ever nursed one side at a time! No switching boobs during the same feeding except on maybe two occasions!
Ki
And my baby got a pacifier at 9 days old and we have never had any nipple confusion. Sometimes he wants his paci instead of me, but he knows where his food comes from!
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