My husband and I welcomed our son Reid in mid-July, and considering it’s been five years since we’ve had a baby in the house, there were a few things we had to brush up on as far as babies go. Breastfeeding was at the top of my list! When I became a first-time mother to Tatum, I had very little knowledge of breastfeeding. I spent many nights panicked, crying and frustrated. Now I realize that it’s never too early for moms-to-be to start learning about breastfeeding. When armed with the correct information, support and confidence, the road to a happy and successful breastfeeding relationship with your child can be far less daunting.
Breastfeeding 101
With August being National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, and breastfeeding being a subject that I’m passionate about, I wanted to highlight a few of the tips that I’ve found the most useful during my time as a breastfeeding mother. I’m no expert, but I am a real mom with real experience that loves to lend a little helping hand. Take a look at my tips to help make your breastfeeding journey an easier transition.
Remember that you and your baby are learning.
I remember sitting in bed, trying for what felt like the zillionth time to get Tatum to latch properly, and thinking that this breastfeeding business was insane. Because it took us a while to get the hang of it, I felt like I was doing something wrong or my natural motherly instincts hadn’t kicked in. Although it may be the most natural way to feed your child, there is a learning curve involved, and it will take both you and your baby some practice before you perfect your technique.
Don’t let those first few days scare and intimidate you — it will get easier. Ask the hospital staff or contact a lactation consultant (or even a friend who has been there!) if you feel like you need a bit of direction. It will take a little while to get into the swing of things with your baby, but with a little bit of work you’ll be a pro in no time.
Yes, your body CAN produce enough milk!
Breast feeding is a confidence game. It’s so important to remain confident that your body can provide for your baby. Because you can’t measure how much your baby is taking in, it can become worrisome when they seem constantly hungry. You may feel that you aren’t producing enough for your baby, or that something is wrong with your milk. While there IS a small percentage of women who cannot produce enough milk, that’s not the case for most women. Your baby has a very tiny stomach (about the size of a marble when first born, and by day ten around the size of an egg!) that empties and fills quickly, and in return they will feed often. This isn’t cause for concern as long as your baby is wetting/dirtying diapers as they should — it’s completely normal newborn behavior.
I’m fairly certain Reid nursed for a day straight the day after he was born! Babies will nurse often in the beginning to build up your milk supply, and later on will have cluster feeds (periods of time where they are nursing non-stop) during growth spurts or around developmental milestones. All of this is normal behavior, and not a sign that you’re not making enough to satisfy your baby. Stay confident in your body’s ability to make what it needs for your little one!
Relax.
This is one of the biggest things that helped me while breastfeeding both of my children. Babies are very sensitive and can pick up on our emotions easily. If you’re tense and upset, they’ll recognize that and become tense and upset as well. When Tatum wasn’t latching properly and would start to cry that sad newborn cry, I’d immediately begin to sweat and panic. Then Tatum would become even more distressed, and we’d both be a mess. Not a great atmosphere for breastfeeding.
If you find yourself stressing, take a moment to step back and refocus. Breathe deeply, get a glass of water, give your baby to your partner for a minute so you can collect yourself and try again. Creating a relaxing atmosphere while breastfeeding is important both for you and your baby. If you’re calm, your baby will be calm, and you’ll be in the right frame of mind to troubleshoot what problems you may currently be having.
Read, read, read.
During my first pregnancy, I skimmed over breastfeeding sections in baby books, thinking that it couldn’t possibly require any extra effort or research. Cut to actually living it, and not having a clue what I was doing. Foremilk and hind milk? Football hold? Block feeding? I desperately wished I had done a little bit more reading about breastfeeding and how it worked, because then maybe I wouldn’t have thought we’d be frolicking happily through breastfeeding with not a care in the world. I would have liked to have known a few better ways to get baby to latch (touch the top of their lip and then bottom with your nipple to help them open their mouths wide) before I was sitting there, frustratedly trying to get Tatum to latch on without causing pain.
Take some time during your pregnancy (and even after) to read about breastfeeding and what it entails. Breastfeeding doesn’t have to be a major life-altering experience that requires heavy-duty reading, but it does help to know the basics and what to do if you run into trouble, as well as how exactly your body works to feed your baby.
Surround yourself with people who support your choice.
Had I not had my husband encouraging me while I struggled through the first few weeks of breastfeeding Tatum, I would surely have given up. There can be challenges when it comes to breastfeeding depending on your unique circumstances, and it can wear on a new mom. The struggles of breastfeeding usually only last a few weeks before you get into a good rhythm with your baby, but during that time they can be very trying.
Surrounding yourself with family or friends who understand the importance of breastfeeding is so helpful to mothers looking to successfully breastfeed. Having the knowledge that you are being supported by a group of people that are close to you can make those struggles much more bearable when you feel like throwing in the towel. If you have a spouse, family member or friend that you can turn to for help or just to vent to can be extremely important to your breastfeeding journey.
Breastfeeding is a beautiful thing for a mother and her child to experience. When you approach obstacles that make it difficult, it’s important to be armed with the knowledge that you can do it, and have a great group of supportive people who can continue to encourage you even when you feel like giving up.
Comments
Thanks for your experience, it was very helpful to me .
Very good points. I am nursing my otherwise happy 3 month old and the past week he has been VERY grumpy with his last feed before bed. Have you ever had this problem with yours? Or any advice?
A woman attaches both physically and emotionally with her child in nursing days of her life. Breast milk is specially designed to nourish the body of infant also delivery of this milk aids mother health too. While breastfeeding every women must know that if her child is too small give support to his head by hand during breastfeed also take care of your diet because what you eat ultimately goes into the child through breast milk.