Things I wish I'd known about BFing before Baby Came

[hollyk]

Please keep adding your wonderful words of wisdom to this sticky. :)

Things I wish I'd knowing about BFing but nobody told me:
1. 24 hour nursing is very NORMAL at the beginning and in general BFing is far more time intensive than formula feeding because BFing babies feed more often (as the milk breaks down faster and is digested faster) and they also comfort suck a lot which helps you establish supply.

2. All BFing mamas worry about supply --too much (esp. at the beginning) or too little-- and as a rule of thumb it's better to avoid supplementing and instead keep the baby on the boob to up supply naturally because supplementing can actually hurt your supply, particularly early on.

3. Nipple pain is often a sign of a poor latch, but even if you have a good latch, for a while the nipples may feel like raw meat anyway as you simply get used to having them sucked for hours on end.

4. You baby will very likely hit growth spurts at 7-10 days, 2weeks, 4 weeks, 6weeks, 2months, 4months, 6months - and will do marathon nursing sessions and be kind of gritchly and miserable for a few days. This is NOT a sign that your baby is sick or your milk dried up. But it's a good time to settle in on the couch with some DVD's and a bottle of water. Nothing to do but ride it out.

5. Getting over any fear of nursing in public is probably a good idea, since otherwise you may go stir crazy staying at home all the time.

6. And most of all, I really really really wish I'd known that BFing does NOT always come naturally, and takes tons and tons of persistence and patience.

What about everyone else?

[lisa811]

Hmmmm. You took most of the ones I was thinking of. Right now, I wish I knew how difficult it can be to nurse a very excited 9 month old. He is constantly wanting to be on the move during the day, making for very interesting sessions.

Love the siggy pic - - she's getting so big! Go booby milk!

[MommaBear]

Good thread!

Latch issues are extremely common! Just because your baby has a hard time figuring out a latch doesn't always mean you won't be able to BF. Even if you have a NICU baby who gets used to only having pumped milk in a bottle for the first few weeks or months of their life, it IS possible that you can overcome the nipple confusion and get them onto the breast. It's hard, but it can happen... even if your baby is 4 months old when you make the transition. :wink:

Also, if your baby starts fussing at the breast and arching their back refusing to latch on, it doesn't mean that they no longer want to BF and need to be weaned to a bottle. It can mean anything from gas/needing to be burped, to a food allergy, to being overly tired. This happens with even the most booby-lovin' babies now and then.

[Rin]

Forgive me if I repeat anything. I think this is a great idea!

~ I wish I knew I had flat nipples BEFORE I tried to nurse him.
~ I wish I had known about nipple sheilds.
~ Get a second opinion on the latch. I was told by the LC at the hospital he had a great latch and it turns out he didn't and I never sought help.
~ Don't be afraid to seek help. It could make a world of difference.
~ I never knew anything about cluster feedings and that he would be on the breast every half hour for the first 2 weeks.
~ I wish I had been told just how hard it would be.
~ Most of all, I wish I had had a support room like this!!

[AmyRenee1923]

Yay Holly!

1. Nipple shields work wonders but be prepared to wean because they deffinately become a nusance.

2. Don't worry so much about your eating habbits. Before you cut out dairy and other foods that "make" babies gassy, test it out with them first. There is no reason to cutting out dairy if it's ot effecting your baby.

3. Expect your nipples to be sore.

4. Learn how to type with one hand because nursing sessions can be lonnnnng :) hehe

5. Get a nursing bra... they are so quick & easy!

[hanvan]

Yall covered most of them for me ...

I wish I knew that new babies don't feed on schedules for quite some time.

I wish I knew that you don't HAVE to nurse the baby on both sides. I just nursed her on one side and she was fine.

I wish I had a better diaper log to log all those wet and dirties (kellymom has one)

I wish I knew that it was normal and OK for them to nurse A LOT in the beginning

[sprinke]

You don't always have to listen to what your mom/MIL/grandmother/neighbor/random person on the street says about breastfeeding. Do you own research and do what feels right for you. Like others have said, seek professional help when necessary.

[MommaBear]

Ooh, I almost forgot... make sure that the hospital staff knows that your baby will be BF and DO NOT let them give him or her any formula or sugar water. Nurse your baby as soon after birth as possible (or pump, if your baby goes to NICU). If your hospital has them on staff, insist on seeing a LC before you go home.

The two biggest parts of early success with BFing are making sure that you are informed and surrounded by support. Know the facts from the myths, and make sure you are around people who know that BFing is important to you. Whether it's an online community, LLL meetings, mommy-baby playgroups, or friends and family-- it will go a lot easier if you have people to lean on when it gets to be overwhelming and you want to throw in the towel.

[stash]

I wish I'd known that breastfeeding is like any other learned skill or art. It takes time to figure out how to do it right - both for you AND baby.

[NSenadenos]

6. And most of all, I really really really wish I'd known that BFing does NOT always come naturally, and takes tons and tons of persistence and patience.



This about sums it up to my experience...

[DIVADLX]

* Your DH IS important and needs to be onboard with BFing too. Or your partner. Or your roommate. Whomever it is who is going to be there when you are sobbing on the couch thinking about quitting to say "remember all the reasons you wanted to do this." An unsupportive DH is one of the most surefire ways of enabling your nursing to fail.

*Nipples that look perfectly functional can be flat or inverted. You can see what yours are by simply pulling at the areola around them - if they continue out with your pinch, they are good. If they pop in or do nothing, then they are inverted or flat.

*You are not somehow a worthless human being if it is not easy. Yes women in third world countries, and women in medieval times did it, but then again, there are/were wet nurses in both cultures for a reason!

*It is something that you will be SO proud of. I never expected that!

[Naki24]

I wish I knew that I would have to avoid some of my favorite foods...
And I agree that great patience is needed.

~stash- I love Oscars new pick!! Is he tasting the tree?

[mrswilson]

--I wish I would have known that BFing is just as hard for DH as it was for me in the beginning. He wanted to be able to help and feed her, but really ended up helping me. As he put it, "up until DD was four months old, I felt like your butler." So find something special for your DH to do with your baby...read a book, he can change diapers, give the baby a bath, etc.

--I wish I would have known that at 6 mo, I would look back on the early weeks and actually miss the time I had to just sit around and nurse, look at my beautiful baby, watch TV, eat while she was nursing, read a book while she was nursing, talk on the phone while she was nursing. Because now I have a wild baby who will not let me do anything else while she nurses!! :D

--I wish I would have known how important co-sleeping became to our nursing relationship. It is the ONLY WAY I could go back to work when DD was 12 weeks old.

[Bhause4]

I want to emphasize the couch business! For about two weeks straight, we sat on the couch, nurse, burp, nurse, sleep, poop, repeat---around the clock that is! After that, we may escape for a walk, but pretty much, nursing is most of the day's activity!

BFing is so different for each person, and there is great advice and support right here on APA!!! These ladies are WONDERFUL!

[missmeg]

Ditto to all of the above!

I wish I had known that babies have to learn how to nurse.

I wish I had know that many babies come with latch issues such as pushing in the wrong way with their tongue. I will have my LC come to the hospital right away with my next baby--it took her about 30 seconds to figure out the problem with DD's latch. It took me much longer to heal the shredded nipples :shock: !

[newlyttc]

I think the most important thing I wish I would have known is to trust my instincts and ignore the stupid comments from people who have never bfed a baby.

[Krissy456]

Most of the issues have been covered, but here are few to add

-- Bring a good BF book in your labor bag (Nursing Mother's Companion or The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding): I had time while I stayed at the hospital after delivery, and could have learned something while I was actually practicing

-- Latch and pain improves as your milk comes in: instead of chewing on your nipples, babies actually begin to suck

-- Don't hesitate to limit comfort nursing if this does not work for you: while my nipples were raw, that was NOT pleasant. Instead, I gave baby my little finger to suck on after meals, as soon as his nutritive sucking stopped. He liked the finger a lot!

-- Be careful about proper latch, but also ensure that you're unlatching the baby in the way to avoid any damage. A few days into breastfeeding, I realized (thanks to an LC follow up call) that's when I was doing most damage to my nipples! The LC suggested using my index finger instead of the little finger, and use it as hook while assertively inserting it into baby's mouth and in between his gums. Also, don't unlatch by pinching baby's nose, as a stupid BF DVD I watched suggested!!!

-- While at the hospital, have LC teach you how to recognize swallows. That was really helpful because I could tell when he was actually eating. Before she showed me, I had no clue!

[Noahsmommy]

My little guy is only a week old and we have had some BF issues since he was in NICU....we went for a LC appt and she showed us the "My Breast Friend" nursing pillow...it is a LIFESAVER! It is the perfect platform for comfortable feeding and makes you independent because it attaches with velcro tight to you and provides a nice carrying platform for the little one. You can even get them feeding and be hands free as they rest on the platform...allowing a hand to talk on the phone, eat, or hold your eyes open! It is fantastic!!!

[hollyk]

My little guy is only a week old and we have had some BF issues since he was in NICU....we went for a LC appt and she showed us the "My Breast Friend" nursing pillow...it is a LIFESAVER! It is the perfect platform for comfortable feeding and makes you independent because it attaches with velcro tight to you and provides a nice carrying platform for the little one. You can even get them feeding and be hands free as they rest on the platform...allowing a hand to talk on the phone, eat, or hold your eyes open! It is fantastic!!!

Yeah, the Boppy pillow is great too. I have one upstairs and one downstairs just so I don't have to keep hauling it around. At first I didn't quite get how to use it, but after a week or two of trying to position the baby using a regular pillow I soon realized just how useful the breastfeeding pillow could be. They are GREAT. :)

[heartmyboyz]

1. You DON'T have to give your baby formula if he/she is jaundiced.

2. Nurses don't know everything and you don't have to listen to them when they tell you its ok to give baby an ounce or so of formula until your milk comes in.

[LaurieH]

the "My Breast Friend" nursing pillow...it is a LIFESAVER!

I definitely wish I had purchased this instead of the Boppy when I was preparing for the baby to come. Luckily I went to a support group where they had some to try.

[Juliet*]

Here's something good that came as a surprise. BFing really calms me down. To the point where I've fallen asleep with Nadia. :lol:

[amaes1]

Thanks for sharing! iam planning on bfing and ya's experiences will help me!!

[NSenadenos]

One thing to add:

You can't plan your experience.

I had wanted to BF both times until a year with my girls - and physically I couldn't get past 6 months. For whatever reason, my reproductive hormones beat out my milk producing ones every time. So even the best laid plans go out the window once the baby gets here.

[amaes1]

Yeah I have heard that too! But even breast feeding for 6 months is suppose to have just as good benefits for mom and baby. So at least you can appreciate that..

[KJBriesacher]

I wish I would have known the 1st nurse to help me breastfeed was going to be a complete jerk and make BFing a negative thing for my son. Also I wish I had know how hard it would be to BF with inverted nipples and that everytime we try it is a struggle. I am completely glad to know that my son is completely adorable and everytime we have a hard time BFing it is worth it all the way to know he is getting used to it and will be ok in the end. :)

[LaeActress]

I tried breastfeeding with my second child and I cried when it was time to bf bcuz of the pain. Felt like someone was sticking me with needles. I want to try again w/this child. What advice do you have? How long does it hurt like this?

[tinabelle]

I wish I had known that the hospital staff, although pro-BF, were not very knowledgeable about how to help and gave inconsistent advice. one nurse was great but most were not. and like everybody says, it is not supposed to hurt after a week or so. if it does, seek help from LLL or similar resources. also I didn't know that sometimes a baby might want to eat ALL DAY! thank goodness for tivo!

-tina

[MommaBear]

I tried breastfeeding with my second child and I cried when it was time to bf bcuz of the pain. Felt like someone was sticking me with needles. I want to try again w/this child. What advice do you have? How long does it hurt like this?

It can be painful for the first couple weeks, after that it's likely a latch issue. It's a good idea to see a LC (lactation consultant) before you leave the hospital to ensure a good latch early on.

[LaeActress]

Thanks for your help! That really helped.

[LaeActress]

By the way, your son is absolutely adorable.

[futuresoccermom]

Very informative!

[TK2]

You will probably leak in the first weeks (or months :oops: ). Have some good breast pads ready. (I tried a bunch and my def fav are Lansinoh)

[NSenadenos]

You will probably leak in the first weeks (or months :oops: ). Have some good breast pads ready. (I tried a bunch and my def fav are Lansinoh)

Oh yes, the Lansinoh are THE best ones.

[momma2binSD]

You will probably leak in the first weeks (or months :oops: ). Have some good breast pads ready. (I tried a bunch and my def fav are Lansinoh)

Oh yes, the Lansinoh are THE best ones.

I agree!!!

[Lydia]

But don't worry if you never leak. Some women just don't, and it's not indicative of supply. I have a whole bunch of nursing pads that I never used and for which I'm trying to find alternative uses.

[stash]

for which I'm trying to find alternative uses.

Coasters?

[heartmyboyz]

for which I'm trying to find alternative uses.

Coasters?lol

[TK2]

for which I'm trying to find alternative uses.

Coasters?

:lol:

[CareBearMom]

I tried breastfeeding with my second child and I cried when it was time to bf bcuz of the pain. Felt like someone was sticking me with needles. I want to try again w/this child. What advice do you have? How long does it hurt like this?

I have NO experience with this yet, but my mom told me to get my nipples ready by rolling and tugging (gently) on them. I am going to try it.

[NSenadenos]

I tried breastfeeding with my second child and I cried when it was time to bf bcuz of the pain. Felt like someone was sticking me with needles. I want to try again w/this child. What advice do you have? How long does it hurt like this?

I have NO experience with this yet, but my mom told me to get my nipples ready by rolling and tugging (gently) on them. I am going to try it.

Careful though - too much nipple stimulation can cause contractions...

[CareBearMom]

I will be careful. I also read that using a towel to roughen them up helps.

[MommaBear]

IMO it'd be pretty hard to find anything that will actually toughen up your nipples enough that a real baby's super-vacuum suck won't make you sore.

[MommaBear]

I wish I'd known that you NEVER stop worrying about your supply. Jamie's over 1 and I only pump to donate, and I still freak out when I get less than usual at a given session.

[jenhd]

I wish I had known to not be so obsessed w/ the clock. The whole 10 minutes/side every 2-3 hours drove me batty. I know it's meant as a guideline but it caused me more stress than anything else- I felt like something was wrong if she ate for less (or more) than that. Sometimes she'd eat for 5 minutes and not be hungry until 3 hours later, other times she'd eat for 45 and want more an hour later. Once I realized I needed to let go of the whole time thing, we were much happier!

[Antimony25]

But don't worry if you never leak. Some women just don't, and it's not indicative of supply. I have a whole bunch of nursing pads that I never used and for which I'm trying to find alternative uses.

buffing your car after wax (like you have time, right?!?)

[Jaisaphira]

I wish I would have known that many women are sad when their babies wean... {I cried for 2 wks...}

I wish I would have known that it doesnt matter what ppl think or even say when you are nursing in public, its natural and beautiful! {It took me months to figure that out.}

I wish I would have know that even with a perfect latch, it can still hurt for more than a few weeks for some women. {All the LCs all said we were perfect, I just had tender nipples... }

I wish I would have known about lanolin cream with my first 2 kids... {it saved me with my 3rd}

[missamanda]

This was probably already said but I wish I knew that my nipples were going to kill for weeks and weeks. The nurses mislead you and say it should only hurt for a few days and during the first few minutes of nursing. Iguess they don't want to scare you off so they don't tell you what really happens.

Be prepared for pain just in case!

That and, if things are going cruddy and not what you expected, don't beat yourself up. I was constantly thinking I was doing something wrong, but we were both just learning and trying to get the hang of it. It takes lots of time, effort and tears. But anyone can do it you just keep on keepin' on ;)

[dixiechicken]

Thank you for this thread.....Baby #1 is due soon and I want nothing more than to BF! Reminds me, I need to get some Breast Pads, thanks for the recommendations!

[LilMama]

I wish I would have known about the gel pads you can get to stick in the fridge and then into your bra after nursing to alleviate any soreness.

I wish I had known that it can hurt like h3ll to have your milk come in again. Mine felt like two hot pokers running through the center of my nipples. not fun..

I wish I would have known that I could have kept on pumping my milk after Gus was weaned at seven months. I knew nothing then...

[KJBriesacher]

It has probably already been said, but I wish I would've known the crap I was going to get for BFing. "What are you stupid" " What a waste of time" "You can get a lot of things done if you just FF" To all of this I say "BUNK"! Just because it worked for you doesn't mean it'll be perfect for MY family. I have no problem with FF by the way, but I want to give my boy the very best I can. I want to have that treasured bond when BFing! I don't care how much of MY time is taken up with BFing daily, because I am being a great mom giving my son everything I can! From the beginning we had problems, but I was bound and determined to MAKE it work out and now 5 months later, we are still going strong!

[Lante]

What are breast shields or nipple shields?

[Channing'sMom]

Here is some info I got from my LC. It tells what to expect from a breastfed baby and what is normal behavior. Hope it reassures you like it did me!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3183/2318019718_45068d21da_b.jpg

[dixiechicken]

Here are my "I wish I had known"

*That babies sometimes prefer laying on one side to eat and that it is normal
*That DH would be jealous of me because "I got to bond with the baby while pregnant and now while you feed him!"
*That the lack of sleep due to feeding gets better....your body adjusts to little/no sleep
*Not to waste money on any nursing pads other than Lansinoh :D
*Singing while nursing calms me and baby and the same song can help at other fussy times too

[ColtsFan1912]

I wish i knew that for some babies it isn't very hard to start...but it does NOT mean they are not getting what they need. BFing went very well from the beginning for Caleb & I. . .my nipples never hurt & I was afraid he wasn't eating. . .but he was. He gained like 3 lbs in 2 weeks lol. .. .maybe i just have old tough boobs hehe i dunno. But i know he's eating fine. . .i just heard stories about how sore you'll be & I wasn't. ..freaked me out i was starving him or something. :D

[zacharysmom]

I wish I had known all the different stories I'd get and discouragement even from the doctor!!!!

[teachermom]

That you can suddenly develop a bad latch after having a good one (DD got lazy when she was sick and I was too tired to notice what was happening).

That even experienced breastfeeding friends can seem perplexed when you tell them you LO wants to eat nonstop (I believe some mothers experience amnesia after their babies are 3 mos or older).

That your LO can HATE nursing covers, even at 4 weeks of age or younger!

[laura88]

I wish I had known to express some milk if your boob gets to engorged, & ESPECIALLY of it gets hard.

I wish I had know that leakeage also meant milk flying out,like the water guns you use in the Carnival Games w/the ballons that rise (thanks to expressing, I bet I could win 1 of those w/o use of the gun!)

I wish I had known that refluxy babies will sometimes feed, & spit-up at the same time, so they end up drinking the spit-up back-up....& that this means you need to stop them every few minutes to keep this from happening!

[laura88]

I wish i knew that for some babies it isn't very hard to start...but it does NOT mean they are not getting what they need. BFing went very well from the beginning for Caleb & I. . .my nipples never hurt & I was afraid he wasn't eating. . .but he was. He gained like 3 lbs in 2 weeks lol. .. .maybe i just have old tough boobs hehe i dunno. But i know he's eating fine. . .i just heard stories about how sore you'll be & I wasn't. ..freaked me out i was starving him or something. :D
I wonder if that's a Caleb thing....same thing 4 me. It was so easy I kept checking to see what I was doing wrong, b/c every1 talks about what work it is, & i was expecting the work! I was so paranoid, but in week 2 he'd gain 18 ounces...so I stopped worrying. Now I just wonder if he'll ever go 3 or 4 hrs w/o eating....he was, & then in week 3 he slowly got back to 2hrs. Now in week 4 (almost 5) he goes 2 hrs max (over an hour though).....I'm sleep deprived again!

[kerri]

i wish i would have know how easy it is to NIP, without a cover, and the joy and pride i feel doing it!
i wish i would have know how crucial a nursing style top really would be. like a button down or crossover top, something that allows the boobies to be free quickly!

[MrsBuzzer]

I wish someone would have told me that the feelings I got with let down were totally normal and I wasn't a freak or a bad mom. It contributed to me weaning when I did.

http://www.d-mer.org

[hollyk]

Well, it's been 15 month here at Mama's Dairy and we're still going strong. Here's my latest addition to this thread:

I wish I would have know that some people love BFing and feel a very special magical bond with their baby because of it, and if you're not one of them it's perfectly fine. I never have enjoyed it much and felt rather ashamed of that fact. But lately I've just gotten over that. I realize I do it for my daughter's health and now, even more, for her happiness. That's good enough, I think. It doesn't have to be hazy happiness and rainbows and balloons and birds tweeting, yk? It's okay not to love it. :)

But I am a bit envious of the mamas who DO really love it. It would be nice to feel that way.

[Irish-Eyes]

Wonderful information. Thank you.

[atodd33]

Thank you for such an informative post. I really want to breast feed (we have to get pg first!!), but DH is having second thoughts. I think he doesn't really understand the benefits, but we have time to discuss it. Thanks again!

[MommaRhyne]

FIRST AND FOREMOST:
-It'll hurt like he!! for the first week, even with a good latch.. your nipples just aren't used to having a vacuum attached to them for 6 hours a day... and if you get mastitis (like I did with both babies).. you are really in for it.
-Be persistent... PROMISE it will all be worth it by the 1-2 month... and then the rest is a breeze :celebrate:

[HappyNewMom]

I wish I had known that by waiting 6-8 weeks (like all the books suggest), my baby would reject bottle feeding altogether. I'm so scared he'll be hungry when I go back to work... Next time, I'm taking my chances and introducing the bottle at 2 weeks.

[queenj919]

No one else mentioned this...I wish I'd known that bf would make me stink LOL

Apparently, my hormones kicked into high gear with bf'ing dd. I sweated all the time. I guess that's the high metabolism, eh?

[Babidol]

This is such an informative post. I plan on going the breastfeeding route and DH is really supportive so I am doing as much research as I can now. I will be sure to spend some time in here as well. Thanks ladies!

[hijacob]

This may have been mentioned before, but I wish I'd known how much WORRY comes with BF'ing! Worry about supply, is LO getting enough and gaining enough weight? Those kinds of worries.

Oh, and what to expect when they have an appetite/growth spurt. Just plan to keep your boob out and ready to go at any given moment. No lie. No exaggeration. Better yet, just find some way to secure your baby's mouth to your boob 24 hours a day during those spurts (though a good latch from LO may just do the trick). :)

[cheeksy]

I wish I knew that our GSs will be eternal - then I'd develop a way of securing my DD's mouth to my booby 24/7!!! :lol:

[Mrs. C]

I never knew how rewarding it would be to BF. I cried A LOT in the beginning because of pain but in about 2 weeks that was gone. I now feel like I am giving the best of me to a little person that depends on me for survival.

I never knew how hard it would be to watch someone else feed my baby (ebm of course). BTW it has only happened twice and both times were DH...now Adam wont even take the bottle...and that make me happy because I know he wants me.

[babyjoy414]

I wish I had known you could buy D vitamin for infants without the other ones. My pedi only recommended a multi vitamin and after forcing my baby to take something she hated, a lovely mama told me about "Just D" I found another one called Carlson's D for infants. It is so easy to give to her now. I put one drop on my nipple and she sucks it right off while having her milkies!

[Luna]

I really wish someone had told me there really is no "right way" to BF. What I mean is, I'd heard it was hard, said "meh, I can take it, my kid's never getting formula". When I discovered I had low supply and had to supplement with formula, I felt like a failure 100%. Despite the supplementation, we're still breastfeeding almost 10 months later. I wouldn't have it any other way.

[hijacob]

I really wish someone had told me there really is no "right way" to BF. What I mean is, I'd heard it was hard, said "meh, I can take it, my kid's never getting formula". When I discovered I had low supply and had to supplement with formula, I felt like a failure 100%. Despite the supplementation, we're still breastfeeding almost 10 months later. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Wow!!! Thank you SOOOOO much for saying this - you just nailed my experience with BF'ing so far (about 2 1/2 months in). I have had so much unjustified guilt about not being able to BF exclusively - I've often felt like I've let my LO down, and that I was 100% failure. I am SO encouraged to hear that you're still going at 10 months. And BTW - your LO is beautiful, and seems very happy and healthy.

[Taffyrn]

ok so my milk supply was late coming in and on the 3rd day my lo was crying because he was so hungry .....I could hear his stomach:( .... I finally had to give him something ( he had already lost a lot of weight and was to the point of no wet diapers so I had to get him to eat or risk him being hospitalized) so I did give formula, but as I know this can affect supply I made it a rule to pump for 5 minutes for every ounce I gave.... and I kept putting him on the breast as much as I could and the next day my milk finally came in.... and I spent the next week feeding around the clock to get a good supply.
Know it sometimes takes 3-7 days to get your milk in.... I thought it was so important to breastfeed so I pumped or had him on the breast every 2 hours now matter what.....
I also found that I didn't want a lot of people around the first week til I got the whole breastfeeding thing down.... I knew what we had to do just needed to figure out how it worked best for me and my baby..... so basically I didn't have a lot of visitors and I would ask them to leave if it was feeding time again.

[amilyarnaud]

"bump"

[amilyarnaud]

this thread is the shiznit

[xtrememousey]

you guys have so hit it all!

for me....what would i have wanted to know:
~to ignore people in public when you are tring to be respectful about nursing
~that some LOs do not like to be covered up
~that not all women are supportive of BF....in fact some are downright nasty to you
~that my mom would be so unsupportive
~that normal people really don't care if you are nursing....
~that you may get emotional when you do have to pump because you are away from the baby

[olivia27]

I wish I knew that "switching breasts every 2-3 hours" means "giving baby the same breast for 2-3 hours and then switching to another one for 2-3 hours" and NOT "feed baby every 2-3 hours"...
I wish the nurses/doctors who told me to pump to bring my milk in told me that I should probably stop pumping after each feeding after the milk comes in.
I wish I didn't try to put her on schedule.
I wish I had her sleeping with me right away, instead of 2 months later after complete exhaustion and nearing serious post partum.
I wish I knew then everything I know now...

[butterflyb]

I don't know if any of these have been posted but...I wish I knew:
-Not to listen to the lactation consultant that told me to rent a hospital grade pump for the first month (even though I alread had a Pump In Style). She also told me to use it on the highest setting after each feeding. So unnecessary and practically made one of my nipples split in two.
-Have snacks and drinks near where you nurse. Even if you aren't hungry when you sit down, a wave of extreme hunger/thirst can come on at any time (especially those first few weeks when you're nursing for an hour or two at a time).
-You don't have to nurse in the nursery. Set yourself up in front of the TV and relax. Until I realized this, I felt SO isolated sitting up in the nursery for nearly 50% of the day. And, the middle of the night feedings don't seem so bad when you're watching something on the DVR. And, beware the infomercial (I was actually told this one in advance). I don't know if it was hormones or sleep deprivation but for some reason, I wanted Pro-activ, Bare Minerals, the best of 80's hair bands CD collection and the Sham-Wow in the WORST way.
-When people tell you breast feeding should NEVER hurt, they're full of crap. There is no way you can constantly put suction on any part of your body and expect it not to hurt. But, the cheese grater on the nipple feeling does go away after a few weeks.
-This one may not work for everyone but I wish someone had told me that I should not have visitors for the first couple of weeks. I NEEDED that time to get to know my baby, learn to nurse and sleep when I could. After a constant stream of visitors at the hospital for five days and people arriving at my house before I did on my first day home, I felt so trapped, imposed upon and frustrated. I finally had a full-on sobbing melt down and my partner told everyone to give us a couple of weeks. It was like a weight was lifted.

[AshNAllen]

I really wish someone had told me there really is no "right way" to BF. What I mean is, I'd heard it was hard, said "meh, I can take it, my kid's never getting formula". When I discovered I had low supply and had to supplement with formula, I felt like a failure 100%. Despite the supplementation, we're still breastfeeding almost 10 months later. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I wish I would have known this also. :( I know this would have aloud me to be able to nurse. If I could do it all over again I would supplemented only until I had enough to feed him.

[EKZZS]

I wish I would have known that things dont always go perfectly and not every breastfeeding relationship starts with cuddling your newborn in the hospital. Sometimes it starts with buying a breast pump and trying it out in the car. But however you start and however it goes, you are still being the best mama to your baby.

[carriek]

I wish I knew that I needed to ask even more questions and do more research based on the OB's off-handed comment after delivery that my daughter had a high palate.
I wish I knew that just because it looked like she was latching fine at that first breastfeeding attempt, it did not mean everything was okay.
I wish I had been prepared for just how hard it is (physically and emotionally) to breastfeed a baby with a high palate, instead of being told that we must not be having real problems because she was gaining weight and that the pain would go away in a few weeks tops.

[Stephie]

I wish I knew

it would get easier than it was the first few weeks
its ok to let your baby start crying if its the only way to get them to open their mouth wide enough

[maine06]

BUMP here, too :vibes:

[PuppeyMommy1]

But don't worry if you never leak. Some women just don't, and it's not indicative of supply. I have a whole bunch of nursing pads that I never used and for which I'm trying to find alternative uses.

Use them as gauze pads to stop bleeding. My MIL uses maxi pads for the same thing (they're also very absorbent).

[Mom42]

I LOVED BFing my first son.. I got to 8 months before my milk was dried up and gone. I'm planning to BF my little bean due in October. My pain only lasted about 1 week. It took 3 days for my milk to come in, and after that, just the amount of time for the scabs to heal. After that, it was painless and wonderful.

Things I wish I'd known:
- Walking around the house without a shirt or bra would be more comfortable and convenient then wearing one (I'm relatively small breast size wise - so not wearing a bra was very comfortable and not having a shirt made my nipples happy.)LOL
- Guests can be really irritating, not only did I have to put a bra and shirt on, but they usually were not BF supportive.
- Sometimes Grandma's feelings need to be hurt. Instead of giving in to her temper tantrum to feed with a bottle (formula since I wasn't pumping yet) I should have asked her to understand my BFing goals.
- DHs feel just as emotional post birth as moms do. But some need to help stand up to Grandma's temper tantrums and be more supportive of BFing.
- Get a book! I Bought Dr. Sears everything you need to know Birth to age 2, and the Complete guide to breastfeeding. Between the two, I always found the knowledge to BF when I didn't know who else to ask. I didn't read the whole thing, but I used it as a reference, and it was very helpful with learning to latch even before delivery!
- Lanolin is a wonderful invention-buy some your nipples will thank you!
- Get over shyness! Shyness was a big part of my not making my full 1-year goal with DS.

Thanks,
This is fun!

[niamhovaprilbaby]

Your DH is the more important person to support you. They will be the one there when you are thinking of giving up.
Cluster feeding patterns can be different to what you expect. My baby fed for 6 hours and then slept for 6 hours....I had no idea what was going on.
Hospital charts for recording feeding are breastfeeding unfriendly, especially cluster feeding. Mine needed to know how many ounces baby got!!!!
Many women are very guilty because they fed their kids formula. This includes some of the nurses in the hospital. Try to get help from people who actually breastfed.
Breastfeeding will take you out of your comfort zone. I never did anything on demand in my life!!!! I love schedule and measuring things. I was born to be a formula mommy. I concentrated these controlling impulses on counting wet and dirty diapers!
Your mom/ mil is trying to help but could impact your nursing. She might be guilty about not breastfeeding her own children, she may still believe what she was told as a new mum (formula is great, bf is primitive) or she might just be concerned about the baby getting enough to eat (as she fed formula and her comfort zone is x no of ounces every x hours). Try to be nice but not listen. Try to get DH educated before all this starts happening.
Normal output for the first pumping can be 3 drops. It does not mean you have no supply!!!
Breastfeeding in a country where 85% of babies are formula fed makes you feel bad for the other babies, and a bit pushy on local forums.

[PurplePasion]

I wish someone had told me to check my milk for high amounts of lipase (severe soapy taste) before building up my stash and having to throw it all out.

I wish I had known that I could have avoided tossing my freezer stash by scalding the milk before freezing. It inactivates the lipase...

I wish i had known that I could have donated my 'soapy' frozen stash to a milk bank instead of dumping all 100 ounces...

[adlibby]

(With my frist baby) I wish I had known how much I would miss it when she was weaned.

[BabyHopes]

I wish someone had told me to check my milk for high amounts of lipase (severe soapy taste) before building up my stash and having to throw it all out.

How do you check for this? Sorry I'm a newbie.

[redhead 1]

I wish I had known that breastfeeding is more of an art than a science!! That my baby would not always want to eat for 15 minutes on each side every three hours. That sometimes she would only nurse for 5 minutes on one side, and not take the other side. Or that sometime she would go 2 hours and want to eat again - or go 4 or 5 hours. And that it is OK and not to stress out about it!!

[PurplePasion]

How do you check for this? Sorry I'm a newbie.

See how long your EBM stays fresh 1) at room temp 2) in the fridge and 3) in the freezer... Depending on how long it lasts and what it starts to smell/taste like will tell you if you have a problem with your EBM. soapy = too much lipase

ETA: You don't need to use a lot just enough to do taste tests on every few hours (room temp), everyday (fridge) like an ounce or so. Freezer is a little more complicated but I'd suggest freezing small amounts seperately so you can thaw some each week to test. All in all... I could have 'wasted' 4 oz tops experimenting with instead of ending up throwing out 75 oz...

[jeryn80]

That the person who is supporting you the most will most likely pi$$ you off the most! With little sleep and a newborn that has been attatched to your boob for HOURS when you are sobbing- sometimes the last thing you want anyone to say to you is to KEEP HIM ON THE BOOB! But- once you find a way to relax and go with the flow and things get easier... you truly appreciate that person helping you get thru the rough beginning! Love ya Mom!!

[hijacob]

That it's normal for your sex drive to PLUMMET while breastfeeding. Awww...hormones.

[RosieLB]

That it's normal for your sex drive to PLUMMET while breastfeeding. Awww...hormones.

Really? Sheesh! I wish I'd known that earlier. I don't need to stress so much about being disinterested....

[hijacob]

Really? Sheesh! I wish I'd known that earlier. I don't need to stress so much about being disinterested....

I know, right? Thankfully my DH has been awesome about it (I think he's too tired with our LO to get too excited about sex, too). But I seriously thought something was really wrong with me until I did a little research. Maybe THAT's the real reason why BF'ing is a good birth control method. Can't get PG if you're not DTD! :lol:

[Irish-Eyes]

I wish I'd known that I'm truly never stop worrying about supply. 7.5 months in and it's still a concern.

[Googliani]

-If you don't have a comfortable couch, spend the money (even if you think you shouldn't) and buy a new one...you will be spending so much time on it in the first few months that it's worth it. I wish I had.
- Have healthy finger foods on hand all the time and a lot of water for during feedings.
- Have either really good cable or lots of movies for endless feeding in the first few months.
- Sometimes it will hurt no matter what you do...it will get better, but it will hurt.
- I never knew that I would get to 6 months of breast feeding and be ready to keep going and be sooooo proud!!!

[poliale]

I LOVE this thread!! I have to say that I have fallen madly in love with my baby boy and I can stare at him for hours while I b'feed him. I've had non sleep nights because he wants to b'feed constantly and barely have time for myself. It has been painful at times, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!! :hugs:

[jpsmommy]

Thank you sooo much for everyone that posted! I bottle fed both my first two and I really want to BF this one and I am a third time Mom and a first time BF so all the advice and knowledge is REALLY useful, I am so glad I joined:hugs: