Best advice for making sure breastfeeding goes smoothly?

Question

I tried with my first and it didn’t go as planned. She lost so much weight and when I pumped I didn’t get much. I want to try again with baby number 2 so give me your best advice. I didn’t feed my first as soon as she was born and I’m wondering if that may have set us up for failure 🤷‍♀️

Answer

Give baby unlimited access to the breast! It's totally normal for them to want to nurse 22 hours a day at first. It's exhausting, but that's what brings your milk in and ups your supply to where it needs to be. 😊 Also, a bit of weight loss at first is common and normal, especially if you've had IV fluids during labour. Dont let it scare you, just relax and trust your body to do what it needs to. Breastfeeding didnt work out for me with my first, but it did with my second! Good luck, mama!

Answer

Allow baby to nurse very very often, basically everytime he cries 😬 the more baby is nursing, the more milk it will signal your body to produce. This could end up being VERY frequent, which is a good thing. Don’t skip feedings, yes you will get tired, but if u skip feedings (even one or two especially at the beginning) your supply can start to decrease. I wouldn’t even worry about pumping for the first month or so if u don’t have to. This will allow your body to regulate milk production properly on its own. Stay hydrated. Don’t give up! Just accept it’s going to be hard, and time consuming, and maybe stressful. But once you get your supply established and you and your baby get into a routine of things it will all be worth it and it will be easy peasy! You won’t regret it if u stick to it😁

Answer

Nurse on demand. Always they will cluster feed a lot its normal not because they don't get enough but because its how they stimulate your body to increase production. If your baby has good pee and poop output they are getting enough and do not need to have any supplements

Answer

I would 100% recommend taking a breastfeeding class if there is one offered through your hospital. Many hospitals are putting their videos online right now so you could probably find one even if it’s not from your specific dr. I took a few different classes and breastfeeding was definitely my most used.

Answer

The pump is not a true representation of what u are producing 
Do not supplement with formula unless drs say to for some reason or other 
Keep at it it’s hard it’s exhausting it hurts but after about a month your milk will regulate your nipples won’t hurt and it will be 100 percent worth all the time u spent getting to that point .

Answer

I felt like with my first I barely produced anything in the beginning. Stick with it. See if your maternity ward offers a lactation consultant. Most do.

Best advice for making sure breastfeeding goes smoothly?

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