Breastfeeding Advice.... - Deep Gap,NC

I am on third child and first BF, going great. First month is very hard but now it is so convenient, I wish I hung in there w first 2, especially if not going back to work.

Hi T.,

You can do it! Honestly, the most important piece of advice I can give you is to go into it expecting to succeed. Biologically, evolutionarily, this is what breasts are FOR.

Here are just a couple of pointers to get you started.

Right when the baby's born, he may not know how to latch. This is fine -- he's never done it before. As long as you're in the hospital, reach out to the nurses for help. Every nurse in an L&D unit should be trained in this. If you're still having trouble afterwards, look for a lactation consultant and/or La Leche League. The website Kellymom is also an amazing resource; they have articles on every breastfeeding problem any woman has ever had.

In the very beginning, you won't produce much milk. This is fine. What you'll be making instead is colostum (sp?), and it's "liquid gold" in terms of its health benefits. Your milk will "let down" right when the baby needs the calories.

Expect it to be uncomfortable for the first few weeks. Not excruciatingly painful, but not quite pain-free either. Your nipples just won't be used to the sensation. Within a few weeks, they'll toughen up like you won't believe. Lanolin is good for this, and it does no harm to the baby at all.

Drink plenty of water, and get plenty to eat. There is no better calorie burner in this world.

You can do it. 99.9% of women can do it. Just understand that there are a few normal, inevitable bumps along the road.

Get a nursing pillow, lanolin to soothe your sore nipples, breast pads to wear in your bra to soak up leaking milk (I had the best luck with thick disposable ones), and at least three nursing bras with easy to loosen and fasten clasps on the front. You will also want to get a couple of sleep nursing bras that are more like an athletic bra. You won't be able to sleep without a bra until you are done nursing. You might also want to have cool packs that can go inside your bra. Drink lots of water. Have a basket near your nursing chair that has anything you might need--burp cloths, receiving blankets, the phone, lanolin, remotes for the TV or stereo, magazines, books, an e-reader, a bottle of water, easy to eat snacks. A good breast pump is also a necessity. Don't be afraid to use a bottle now and then. My daughter started taking a bottle at two weeks in preparation for me to start a new job when she was three weeks. I worried so much about nipple confusion but it didn't happen. She didn't always take much from a bottle, but she sure made up for it when she got me!

I agree that taking a nursing class was the best thing I did. Give yourself time to adjust. There will be times when your nipples hurt, you feel like all you do is sit and nurse, your shirt has soaked through twice and the day isn't even half over, and you just want to quit. There were plenty of times when I just wanted to give up. But, I kept telling myself I just needed to give it one more day. It wasn't long before I loved it and with both kids I was reluctant to have it end. There are times when I still miss that closeness.

The nurses at the hospital will be a good resource for you. Good luck!

Here is my best advice:
1. Don't give up too soon. It is VERY hard, exhausting and even painful in the beginning, but it does get better. Early feedings take a really long time and can be very frequent, but they get much better over time. Think of it this way: if you can make it one week, you can make it two. If you can make it two, you can make it a month. One month becomes two and then, when you hit the three month mark it is SO easy.

2. If you're having trouble but want to keep trying, see a lactation consultant as early as possible. They can help make sure your baby is latching well, help you adjust how you're holding him (especially after a c-section, you may need to hold him differently in the first couple of weeks) and give you ideas on how to boost your milk production if needed.

3. Try to find a breastfeeding support group in your area. It can be a great way to talk to others going through the same challenges (or maybe it'll be a breeze and you can discuss why it's so successful for you) and to help you feel less alone. They are often run by lactation consultants and can be a free or inexpensive way to get professional help.

4. If you feel that you've truly given it your best shot and done everything you can to make it work, but it still isn't working, don't feel guilty about stopping. While breastfeeding is great, it isn't worth it if it's making you miserable, anxious, or if your baby is struggling to gain weight. It's also ok to supplement and do some formula, some breastfeeding. You can also pump and bottle feed if that's easier than actually nursing.

I think it's great that you are determined to try this time around and I really hope it works out for you! I nursed both of my kids (one for 14 and one for 16 months) and, once I got through those first few weeks, it got a lot better. Congrats on your new baby boy!

ETA: Motherlove nipple cream is the best! It's really soothing and it's totally made from edible materials, so you can put it on your nipples BEFORE the baby nurses. It really helps keep your nipples from getting too sore. Apply it again after and then try to air dry for a few minutes before putting your bra back on. Getting good nursing bras/tanks/tops is really important too.

From the beginning at the hospital , make sure you're clear about your preference to breastfeed. Use the lactation consultants, they will be your BFF.
ETA: take it one day at a time. I've BF 2 babies ( 9mos. & 15 mos.). Currently BFing my 5 mos. old. Everyday of BFing , I've thought about quitting but then I say I will tomorrow.

I echo anyone who says get a lactation consultant right away if you need one! Take them help from the nurses there at the hospital as well.

Also from my own experience, that of most of many friends, and the prevailing research... Babies who are put to the breast soon after birth tend to be more successful with nursing... anecdotally, it seems like they stick with nursing a lot longer than babies who don't nurse right away.

Since you are having a C-section, you probably won't be able to put your baby straight to your breast when he is born (that's actually standard practice at the Kaiser where my son was born seven years ago... pretty cool I thought... like even before they are weighed/measured/bathed etc.) but try to nurse him as soon as you can! If nothing else, it'll give you more opportunities to get help and support from the nursing staff.

You'll be tired, and sore, and the WORK of breastfeeding may seem like more than you want to do, but if it's important to you just make yourself do it ALL THE TIME for the first few weeks. If you decide to supplement with formula, don't beat yourself up, but remember that the early routine you set is the one you'll stick with, so if you don't WANT to formula feed then don't do it "just for the beginning."

Finally, remember that it is SUPPOSED to take a few days for your milk to come in. A lot of mom's give up on breastfeeding (or decide to "supplement") because they think that their baby NEEDS milk and there's isn't coming in. Your body knows what to do. Keep nursing. The colostrum your baby is getting in those first few days is exactly what he needs. It is normal and healthy for babies to lose a bit of weight in the first few days.

Hope this helps,
T.

I guess my best advice is just to not be hard on yourself! It can be tough at first. I have breastfed all three of mine, and them getting a bottle at the hospital so I could get a little rest didn't cause any harm, so if that does happen I think it won't mess anything up. And seriously, nursing is hard at first. For me all three times I was never really prepared for the intensity and pain of let down. Your breasts get HUGE, pretty hard and lumpy and that's normal. Sometimes you just have to power thru a little pain for your little one to latch onto a sore breast, it gets better, letdown is just a hard few days. Also lanolin is like your absolute best friend. I used it after every nursing session so my nipples would be soft for the next feed, otherwise they can get chafed, dry and really painful. I liked the Lansolin brand really well. Oh and it is super important to alternate breasts. You probably know this, but just in case, if you do a feeding with right breast first then left, at the next feeding you start with the left. That way the baby gets the fattier hind milk which they need to turn into little chunkers :). What I didn't know was how incredibly much more tired I would be with my third and I would ALWAYS forget which breast I finished on, so you may want to figure out a system to keep track. I logged it on my phone right after I would finish a feed, then I would just check my phone, life saver! So I hope I am not overwhelming you!! Just remember if for any reason breast feeding does not work out, even if the reason is you just can't deal, you are still a GREAT mom :). Congratulations!

Definitely see a lactation consultant at your hospital. I wouldn't buy a pump yet. I would wait and see if this is going to work for you. Most hospitals have pumps you can use during your stay and even rent.

Also, you may already know this but with c-sections your milk may come in later than with a normal delivery so don't get frustrated if your supply isn't where you want it. My lactation consultant had my pumping in between feedings at the hospital to try to encourage my milk supply.

There are also supplements you can take, your consultant should know what they are, I forget, it's been awhile.

After my c-sections I needed to supplement with formula for awhile, so don't get discourage if in the beginning you need to use formula too.

If you have never done this before, just know that when that baby latches on for the first time, it's gonna feel like someone just pulled and twisted your boob off your body. BUT, it does get better and your toes won't curl every time baby latches on. After a while as you get used to it, it becomes relaxing. Your boobs will also get lumpy from the milk sacs (sometimes they can get clogged). If that happens, massage them (best place to do it is in a warm shower). With my first child, I so wanted to just give up and bottle feed because breast feeding is very demanding. I pumped a bit with the first one but he never liked the bottle and I ended up with leftover milk that he wouldn't take. With my daughter, the second, I didn't even bother with a pump. I took her with me everywhere. I got comfortable with nursing outside of the home. I had to get used to nursing without my coveted Boppy pillow. Breastfed babies eat more often than formula fed babies. It's gonna be like every two, two and a half hours in the beginning then they will go longer as their little bellies get bigger. Best thing about nursing is it's free and you can do it anywhere and not worry about not having enough food. And you really feel that bond too. I feel that my children have not been sick much or had ear infections because of breast milk. Good luck with it and know that your baby is going to have the best stuff in the world.

Great advice from everyone! Be sure to find your local La Leche group and go! My group is awesome. So supportive and are not at all crazy breastfeeding ladies. Make sure you have support at home. Meaning that your family (husband, mother, father, kids, doctor etc) also are supporting you breastfeeding and not sabotaging your effort. You are going to probably have some rough days and you don't need someone pushing formula when you want to succeed with breastfeeding. Also BF babies are fed on demand. If your child just ate 30min ago and are showing signs that they are hungry then feed them again. Never feed on a schedule unless the child makes the schedule. You are always making milk 24/7 you don't need to wait to fill back up. There is always milk in your breasts. GL! It's an awesome experience.

All I know is, I had 2 c-sections. One which was an emergency.
I breastfed both my kids from birth.
The Nurses in the hospital helped me from the get go.
Both my kids latched on well and right away.
And it was fine.
I nursed both of my kids until they self-weaned.
I had tons of milk and they had ginormous appetites.

The best I can say is don't be discouraged and reach out to the lactation consultants while you are in the hospital if available. They can help you find the best position to nurse and find the best way to latch on. There is some pain while nursing but it does go away.

If there is a class at your hoispital.. Take it!

Contact the lactation consultant (most hospitals have them). Right after birth.. they will come in and help you get the latch going.

If you are going to be working, get a electric double pump (medela is the best that I know). Bring it to the hospital.

Bring a boppy pillow if you have one. Get nursing tops, I like the speghetti strap ones .. very comfy, I wore them in the hospital.

Would be helpful if we knew what didn't work out for you about bf before. Here is a cut and paste when I wrote a book for this answer before. Oh and congrats, I also have two girls, a new born boy and am done. And I also have had a mixed bag experience of failing and succeeding at BF.

I would pick up a book on breastfeeding or take a class (usually offered for free at your hospital). It seems like it should be the most natural thing in the world, but it really isn't. Especially when its not going well. So educate yourself. There is only so much we can tell you in this kind of forum. I'll just list a few things you want to watch out for.

You do want to avoid "nipple confusion". This is when the baby gets introduced to the bottle nipple too early and develops a preference for the bottle over breast because its easier. So if you do need to supplement with formula in those first few days, learn to syringe/finger feed. But do not let that baby use a bottle nipple the first 10 days after birth.

Breast milk is based on supply and demand. Some women don't struggle at all with milk production. But for those of us who do struggle to get our supply going to adequately nourish the baby, there are lots of pit falls that can ruin your efforts to BF. The worst one is formula supplementing. I could write you three chapter on this topic alone. Try your best not to supplement with formula at all, rather put baby to breast as often as necessary. But this can be very tricky and this is where you really need some professional help. Straight up demand feeding is not going to work for everyone. I for example ended up with a baby who had a week suck, so no amount of demand feeding was going to help us. I had to supplement because she lost more than 10% of her birth weight, was feeding for two hours in a row (which caused her to use more energy feeding than she was getting out of the milk she got. It is critical that you be checking the babies weight in all this. Don't let people bully you into demand feeding only, there are very real problems that you may have to get through before you can exclusively BF.

The key to formula supplementation in the first few days (if you must resort to it), is to only give them a few milliliters to top them off, I'm talking the tip of your pinky the first few days, and only one 10 ml syringe full after the first week. What you want it for baby to make it at least 2 hours between feedings (cluster feeding in the evening is fine ((thats when the baby eats multiple times in a short time frame, like three feedings in two hours)). A baby who eats every hour thoughout day and night, will burn your out and stress your body to the point that it won't even be able to make milk. You as the mom HAVE to get some rest to be able to make milk. Don't make the mistake I made and suppliment until the baby goes 4 hours without eating. A breast fed baby goes 2-3 hours between feedings and thats what you want to strive for. If thats what baby is doing, you are well on your way to success.

Strive for no less than 8 feedings a day to establish your milk. Do the math, if your baby eats every three hours (which is normal and ideal for a BF baby) thats 8 feeding is 24 hours. If you formula supplement and baby goes 4 hours between feedings, you won't hit 8 feedings a day and therefor won't stimulate your body to make the milk it needs to make. Trust me, 6 or 7 sessions on the breast in 24 hours in the beginning is a death sentence to your milk supply.

Work with a lactation consultant. Your hospital will likely provide you with one, and you will leave the hospital with her contact information. Don't rely on family, friends, or the internet to get you through troubles with BF. You need someone who acctually observes the baby eating and weighs the baby on a hospital grade scale to offer you any advice worth taking. Also, it takes a good 72 hours for any methods you try to start working. When you take everyones advice, you will get contradictory advice, you will switch methods every 24 hours in exasperation and desperation.

When you start to feel you are in trouble, get help. BF problems can escalate very quickly. stay on top of it and get help right away from a lactation consultant.

Don't trust the nurses in the hospital. when it comes to feeding and formula. Keep baby in your room and skip the nursery all together. Some are great, just angles sent by God. But more often than not the nurses in the nursery care more about keeping your baby full, quite and gaining weight than about your ultimate success at exclusively BF. I had a nursery nurse fill my baby to the max with bottled formula against my express wishes. We never recovered from the insuing nipple confusion. I did not succeed at BF my first baby.

Good for you for trying to make this work and educating yourself up front. I have both succeeded and failed in my attempts to BF a baby. I have made a lot of mistakes I don't want others to make.

BF is hard, but here is the truth, formula feeding a baby is hard too. Its all hard. Babies need a lot. But trying to BF when your supply is down is really hard and adding pumping to the mix doubles the work. So only pump if you really need to. Best to put baby to breast if you can.

In summary here some some of the worst mistakes I made:
letting my baby stay in the nursery at the hospital
listening the the nurses about supplementing with formula
letting nurses bully me into thinking my baby was starving
thinking I could do it alone
thinking it was great that my baby slept 4-5 hours in a row (first baby)
thinking I would demand feed my baby no matter what and never supplement at all (second baby who ate every hour and more day and night almost completely burning me into exhaustion)
thinking I didn't have time or energy to make it to see the lactation consultant after I went home from the hospital

Best thing I ever did to succeed at BF
built up a teem of support
mentally prepared myslelf for one difficult road
saw my laceration consultant frequently even though she was half hour away
had husband stay in the hospital with me overnight so WE could feed the baby
learned how to suppliment with syringes not bottle and to only top baby off to get them to go 2-3 hours, not make them full.
Gave up on le leche style demand feed only, because my baby had real problems getting milk out and only an experience lactation consultant was able to see this and help me through it
Trusting my lactation consultant instead of everyone who tried to project their own personal nursing experience on me, including myself (since I had struggled with different issues with my first child that had nothing to do with the issues i struggled with my second baby)

Don't overthink it!! Seriously. Some women have a hard time. For some women, like myself, "put boob in baby's mouth" works just fine. Don't go into it thinking you will have all kinds of trials and tribulations, you will just stress yourself out! I highly recommend getting a doula who will stay with you after your delivery and help you get things started. That doesn't necessarily mean you will need tons of intervention, but the doula can get you started and will be there to support you, keep people out of your room for a bit of you need it, get you a drink, etc. And that person will be totally calm, not exhausted/excited/stressed like your SO.
Best of luck, you will do great!!

I have had three c sections and have successfully exclusively breastfed all three. My first two until over 24 months each and still nursing my 17 month old.

I found the football hold helped tremendously when my son struggled with a good latch. Also, lots of pillows were helpful in the first few days to properly position and support the baby's while my stomach was sore. I put them under their baby, under my arms, behind my back...

Even with all my experience, I was surprised by how sore my nipples were the first 5-6 weeks. The initial latch really hurt after the first few days. But, by the fifth or sixth week, everything was great. Breastfeeding is so easy and convenient from that point on.

My babies all nursed much more frequently than most people thought they should, but I found that it is normal for a breastfed baby. They would typically go between 1-2 hours between feedings but would usually have one or two longer stretches of 3-4 hours in a 24 hr period. I had plenty of milk and my babies gained lots of weight, so I know their frequent feedings had nothing to do with low supply.

One thing I wish I had known about was that it is common for babies to be jaundiced and don't need formula supplements to help. My doctors tried to have me quit nursing for several days to help. Thankfully my lactation consultant informed me about breastfeeding and jaundice

Congratulations on your little guy!

Updated

I have had three c sections and have successfully exclusively breastfed all three. My first two until over 24 months each and still nursing my 17 month old.

I found the football hold helped tremendously when my son struggled with a good latch. Also, lots of pillows were helpful in the first few days to properly position and support the baby's while my stomach was sore. I put them under their baby, under my arms, behind my back...

Even with all my experience, I was surprised by how sore my nipples were the first 5-6 weeks. The initial latch really hurt after the first few days. But, by the fifth or sixth week, everything was great. Breastfeeding is so easy and convenient from that point on.

My babies all nursed much more frequently than most people thought they should, but I found that it is normal for a breastfed baby. They would typically go between 1-2 hours between feedings but would usually have one or two longer stretches of 3-4 hours in a 24 hr period. I had plenty of milk and my babies gained lots of weight, so I know their frequent feedings had nothing to do with low supply.

One thing I wish I had known about was that it is common for babies to be jaundiced and don't need formula supplements to help. My doctors tried to have me quit nursing for several days to help. Thankfully my lactation consultant informed me about breastfeeding and jaundice

Congratulations on your little guy!

Congrats!

There is some great advice here. Here is mine:

-Don't borrow trouble. By that I mean, assume it's going to go well and don't be nervous.
-Tell the nurses you plan to breastfeed so they can support you.
-Resources to have in your back pocket: the lactation consultant at the hospital, the breastfeeding mom's bible: www.kellymom.com, and of course the moms here on mamapedia.

Oh, Jill Y had a great tip. I had 2 c-sections, and the football hold is definitely the hold to know for nursing, because the baby doesn't lay across your incision site.

I have seen a lot of moms provide shirts for their newborns that have a reminder for the nurses that the mother wants to nurse... "No bottles, please! Take me to Mommy if I'm hungry!" and such... Just so you can get a good start in the hospital.

Some moms complain of pain when starting.... Personally, the only pain I experienced was from engorgement when my milk came in. Moms I know recommend Lasinoh ointment if you DO experience nipple pain...

Also, a lot of moms feel like their supply is low, and they need to supplement with formula because their baby nurses a lot, or they can't pump much. These are NOT indications of supply; they are normal breast-fed baby behaviors, and the pump is not as effective as a baby. You will know your baby is getting enough based on dirty diapers and weight gain. (Baby should produce a dirty every 2-3 hours... Pediatrician will help you measure healthy weight gain.)

If you think you have a clogged duct, use a detachable shower head to massage the area with warm water.

Also, I would recommend investing in some reusable nursing pads. I went through SO MANY disposable ones!

Also, comfy bras for sleeping in, and extra-absorbent breast pads. I woke up in quite a few puddles before I figured that one out!

Also, sexy bras that can hide the pads. I was not able to have sex without a bra on unless I wanted to shoot my husband with a stream of milk. Kind of a mood killer... Lol.

I also pumped after most nursing sessions, and stored the milk. It really helped to boost my supply, and gave me a stockpile for times when my supply dropped (like when I went back to work...)

If you feel like your supply IS getting low, try to encourage baby to nurse more often, fenugreek capsules (or tea, like Mothers Milk) or one beer a day are ways to boost your supply.

Also, buy a few nipple shields. They come in handy IF you have nipple pain or a hard time latching. My DD needed the shield for the first 2-3 times we put her to breast, then she figured out how to latch and we didn't need them again until she was teething. (She bit me once, and I needed the shield until it healed... BUT, she only bit once... I yelled in shock, and it honk it scared her too much to do again. Lol.)

Nursing is different for everyone. Kudos to you for making a commitment to trying! Understand though, that no matter how dead set you are to breast feed there may be factors outside your control that could force you to formula feed (or supplement) It's rare that there is a true case that it is impossible for a mother to breast-feed, but if you happen to find yourself in that situation there is NO SHAME in switching to formula... Just do what is best for you and your baby. :)

Good luck!

I read a book that said in other countries BF is the only way to feed a child because they don't have bottles or formula. From then on I said I was going to BF versus trying to BF. I didn't buy any bottles.

My first daughter latched on quickly and easily. My third child was much harder to BF. I was really glad I knew I could be successful because had she been my first I may have given up.
In the fist week or two, it would take about an hour for her to latch on and when she did she preferred my one side. I ended up so sick with a breast infection. Not easy.

Also, be warned that it is toe curling pain at first but that passes. I nursed my third until she was a little over 3yo and my oldest for 2 years.