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Before I had my son, I think one of the things I worried about the most (besides pushing a watermelon out of a lemon sized hole) was breastfeeding. What if I couldn’t do it? What if I didn’t have much of a supply? What if I couldn’t get baby to latch? The first goal with my son was to make it six months. I ended up nursing him for two years. I am now on my second breastfeeding journey with my newest “nursling,” a baby girl I delivered in November. These are some of my breastfeeding tips and tricks that helped me the first time around, and even today with my daughter!
Understanding your Milk & How Much Baby will Drink
Did you know that your milk comes in three stages? Did you also know that your baby’s stomach is only the size of a cherry on day one of their life?! Seeing this visual as a new mom really helped me put into perspective how much baby was really getting.
Colostrum – At first you will produce colostrum, which will immediately come in after giving birth. Some women may even notice colostrum leaking before baby is even born. Colostrum or “liquid gold” as most mamas call it, is yellow in color, and helps give baby antibodies that will help prevent infection during your baby’s early days. A little goes a long way, as baby’s stomach is only the size of a cherry!
Traditional Milk – A few days after baby is born, you’ll start to produce what is called transitional milk. When your transitional milk comes in, your breasts will start to produce a lot more than when you were producing colostrum. Your breasts will become a lot fuller and may feel warm. This type of milk looks creamy in color. At this point, baby’s stomach is the size of a walnut. At about a week old, it is the size of an apricot.
Mature Milk – About two weeks after baby is born, your mature milk will come in. Your breasts will become softer during this transition. Mature milk is thinner and resembles skim milk. At a month in, baby’s stomach will be the size of an egg.
Get Comfortable
When you first bring baby home, he or she will be nursing every 2-3 hours. So lets make sure mama is comfortable! These are some things that definitely helped me while nursing both my babies.
Find a Comfy Spot
You know that nursing chair you just HAD to have for the new baby? Make sure it’s super comfy and supportive as you will be getting very acquainted. A comfortable couch with lots of pillows works too!
Nursing Pillows
Invest in a nursing pillow like a boppy, or my personal favorite, My Brest Friend. This will help prop baby up closer to your breast, which will help to insure a good latch.
Nursing Bras
When you first bring baby home it will feel like nursing is a full time job. Baby will most likely be nursing every two to three hours. Invest in a comfortable nursing bra, which willl make it easier to whip those girls out! These are my favorite bras from Motherhood Maternity. They’re so soft and comfortable. Perfect for sleeping in! It doesn’t hurt that they come in cute prints too! When you haven’t showered in days, and you’re wearing a diaper, it’s the little things that make us feel better.
Nipple Cream
Like I said above, you will be nursing baby round the clock, and your nipples are definitely going to feel it! They may crack or even bleed. Putting nipple cream on after each feeding will help soothe the pain and help prevent any discomfort. This is my favorite! It goes on smooth, and is safe for baby.
Practice Makes Perfect
Getting your baby to latch can be tricky. Especially after giving birth. You’re exhausted, in pain, and your hormones are going crazy. I know it can be hard, mama, but try to relax. Here are some different things that can help.
Latching
Guide your baby’s mouth up to your breast so you are not hunched over. You want baby to open their mouth as wide as possible. Place your nipple under baby’s nose so they can detect the smell of your milk. Gently rub your nipple on baby’s lips, and wait for them to open their mouth wide. Make sure baby’s chin and the tip of their noise is on your breast. If the latch doesn’t feel right, that’s okay, place your finger in their mouth, and try again. You got this, mama.
Try Different Positions
When nursing baby, sometimes the position you hold him or her in makes all the difference. Side lying, football hold, cradle, cross cradle, and back lying are just some of the many positions you and baby can try. At first it will seem hard to figure out what works best for you and baby, but I promise, with a lot of practice, you and baby will get comfortable with one another.
Getting Support
Let Daddy Get Involved
Okay, its the middle of the night, and it feels like the hundredth time baby has woken up to nurse. You look over, and your sweet husband is snoring loudly and sleeping so peacefully. You think to yourself “Ugh. Men and their useless nipples!” All kidding aside, your spouse or partner CAN help. The first few days we were in the hospital after my daughter was born, I was in so much pain, and I just couldn’t get the hang of getting her to latch. My husband helped hand express my colostrum each time my daughter nursed. The lacatation consultant had come in to show us, and he made sure to listen carefully and watch exactly how it was done. Your significant other can help by offering pillows to help you feel more supported, be on diaper duty, and making sure you’re staying hydrated and well fed. Hydration and good nutrition are imperative while nursing. I can’t tell you how helpful it was to have all of my husband’s support during a time that I felt so discouraged.
Lactation Consultant
A lactation consultant is a healthcare professional who specializes in breastfeeding. A lacatation consultant can help with issues like supply, finding the right posisition for you and baby, resolving pain and engorgement issues, pumping, and trouble latching. Lactation consultants can even help before baby is born by offering classes on breastfeeding and what to expect. You can contact the International Lactation Consultant Associatation for help.
Supportive Sites
When you bring baby home, the internet will be your best friend. Yes, you will google things like “What should the color of my babies poop be?” and “Is it okay that my newborn keeps sneezing?” Breastfeeding will bring up a lot of questions as well. Here is a list of sites that are incredibly resourceful.
https://www.llli.org/ / https://kellymom.com/pregnancy/bf-prep/bf-links-support/
Take Care of You
I just want to remind you that you’re a badass. You made a human being, gave birth to him or her, and now your body is feeding this life and providing nourishment. You are a warrior. Don’t forget to take care of you. Basic hygiene is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. So take a long hot shower, mama. Make sure you sit and eat that hot meal. Take a few minutes to yourself, and enjoy a hot cup of coffee or tea. Take care of yourself. You’re important too. You matter too.
- Make sure to eat! It’s important to keep up your energy while breastfeeding, as you can burn up to 500 calories each nursing session. Nourish your body with healthy foods. Oats and flax seeds are great things to incorporate into smoothies to help boost milk supply!
- Stay hydrated! Breast milk is made up of 90% water.
- Let someone else take care of the chores. Laundry? Dishes? Mama, let someone else take care of that. Breastfeeding your baby is hard enough work.
Breastfeeding creates such a strong bond between mama and baby. There’s nothing like the moment your baby latches for the first time after birth. There are highs, but there are most definitely lows too. Breastfeeding can be very difficult, but just remember, there is a lot of support and resources out there that can help. With practice, you and baby will get the hang of it. Together.
