New Kinda Class
Last night, Tom and I got the chance to attend a different type of class at a local hospital:
all about breastfeeding.
Tom was really stoked to learn about boobies 😉
[That picture melts my heart a little bit]
I really need to give him props because his work schedule has been INSANE since we got to Tucson. I’m happy because he comes home at night, and we’re in Tucson (!!!), but he’s been working a lot. He builds the schedule for the entire squadron, and every week he makes sure that he has time to get away for Bradley classes on Tuesday night and was sure to switch flights with someone else so he could make it to breastfeeding class. So when I started to whine about how he wouldn’t be home on Halloween, all it took was a sideways glance for me to remember how dedicated he’s been to the truly important things, and I shut my face. After class last night, I made sure to tell him what a good husband he is and that I am so thankful that he cares enough to go to classes with me and for everything he’s done to help us prepare for the little one.
The class last night was extremely informational, even though I’ve read a couple of books about breastfeeding. The instructor was a registered nurse in labor and delivery at the hospital and went over all of the details about breast milk (the different types your body produces and how it changes to accommodate supply, demand and the growing baby), proper latching techniques, ways to hold the baby, tips and tricks- I was SO glad we went.
It was also helpful to practice on a baby doll, to kind of get a feel for the different holding techniques:
I’m not going to do a synopsis post on what the nurse discussed since I have no medical credentials whatsoever –if you’re curious, I’ll post some book recommendations, and definitely look into taking a class in your area- but here are some of the things that I had NO idea about before I got pregnant and started researching:
-It’s extremely intuitive. I’ve heard so many horror stories about breastfeeding and how babies can have problems figuring out what their supposed to do, but just like any other mammal, they will smell for their food and go directly to the source.
-The best thing to do after birth is to have skin-to-skin contact with the baby and try to get them to breastfeed. They’re most alert at this time and aren’t too exhausted yet. Even if it doesn’t quite work the first time, the best thing to do is try. [This was definitely one I didn’t know before]
-It shouldn’t hurt. Once again, all I’ve heard is that it feels like a thousand knife stabs to the girls, but if the baby is properly latched on, they’re may be some discomfort, but no pain. Pain can be caused by the baby not taking enough into its mouth and causing the hard palate to smash down and irritate the tissue.
-You don’t have to worry about foods you eat causing digestive distress if you continue to eat what you normally eat. Baby is already used to it. The only thing that may cause problems is too much dairy, which shouldn’t be a challenge for us. She also advised to stay away from alcohol and caffeine while breast feeding, but anything you intake should be out of your system in 24 hours.
-Intense exercise can cause lactic acid buildup, which can make milk taste sour or funny, too. The good news is that breastfeeding burns a lot of calories, so there’s no need to go balls to the wall on exercise.
-Breastfed babies may need to eat more than formula-fed babies since breastmilk digests very quickly.
It truly amazes me that our bodies are able to produce a perfect food for babies, that’s FREE and readily available.
Of course, I have no idea how all of this will work out with our little family until she gets here. It’s also something that’s been on my mind, and if it doesn’t happen, that’s ok too.
So tell me friends: what are your breastfeeding tips and tricks?
Friends sans kids: does seeing a woman breastfeed in public creep you out a little, or is it NBD?
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It doesn’t freak me out in the least. To be fair, I work as a nutritionist for the WIC program, so I spend my day promoting BF (This might make me a little biased 🙂 )
Kudos to you for making the choice to breastfeed! It’s become a little lost in our current culture and it makes me so happy to hear of a new mom wanting to try. My biggest advice for you; speak up if you have a question. I can’t tell you how many moms I meet that stop BF because something isn’t quite right and they didn’t ask for help. It’s a new skill to learn and it takes time! Good luck to you and if your pre-natal activities are any indicator how how you’re going to be with the little one you’re going to be a fantastic mommy 🙂
Wow! Your Tom is so amazing, supportive and involved. That is so so awesome. And so important for your little girl to feel values and safe. There is literally nothing like the love of a father for his daughter. I think a breastfeeding woman in public is no big deal! I would much rather see a woman breastfeeding than formula feeding. Way to go for choosing to breastfeed, it is the best head start in life ever!
its NBD. it makes me angry when people are jerks to women who are breastfeeding. it can get a little uncomfortable when ladies are swinging the girls all around willy nilly, but a tiny bit of discretion fixes all. one of my girlfriends said that draping a little blanket over herself and baby while she breastfed actually kept her baby a little calmer anyway.
Breastfeeding in public is cool but I have seen some people take it to the limit. Breastfeeding in a retail store while trying on shoes and their other kids are running around 😐 Other than that I like to know that mums don’t feel like they have to hide themselves while they feed their baby.
hmm..tips? Well, I’ve been nursing for the past THREE years nonstop (Henry weaned when Clara was born), so I can vouch for it’s awesomeness!!! My advice would be to take it one day or week at a time! When you want to give up, just remind yourself WHY you chose to nurse in the first place. And then vow to keep going for another week.
It’s really a great great great time to bond and cuddle!
I agree with this, but I would also say not to set yourself up for failure by being too rigid about your expectations!
I had to pump, because my daughter was in the NICU. It was a lot of hard work (which I was happy to do), but her weight gain was so poor that we had to add multiple packets of human milk foritifier to each feed just to help her gain weight. Eventually, I really had no choice but to wean down to high-calorie formula. I focused on being proud of myself for sustaining 3 grueling months rather than my disappointment that it didn’t last as long as I would have liked.
Some people have an easy time with one baby and stop sooner with others (because of top & bottom teeth or whatnot). All we can do is our best!
One of the things that helped us at first was meeting with a lactation consultant for the first month to make sure the baby was getting enough milk she would weigh him before and after a feeding to check. Also they had great once a week meetups with other new moms, where where could sit around and talk all things baby and feeding, and of course Mommy.
Not to scare you, but in the interest of wanting to be informed I feel I must say that there IS definitely some pain in the beginning when your nipples need to “toughen up”. Cracked nipples are no joke, I highly recommend getting some lanolin, I’m sure there’s also a vegan alternative, to have on hand. Because when you need it, you need it NOW! Hubby had to make an emergency late night run to drug store for me and it really made a difference.
I second this post. Even when your baby is latched correctly, there is still pain. Fortunately, it only lasts a couple of weeks. After that your nipples will toughen up and it will be no big deal. It’s very easy to throw in the towel in this first two weeks, but stick with it. I love breastfeeding now. (my daughter is 1 month old)
Pain city totally. Be careful in the shower, pelting flows of water on the nips is amazingly painful during this period. Just a heads up 🙂
I would describe it more as a soreness than pain, if the latch is correct.
the vegan alternative to lanolin would be your own breastmilk! Just express a little, rub on the nipple and let air dry. It has naturally cleansing and moisturizing properties to it
I also agree with the pain issue. It is tolerable. I also recommend nipple shields…they are little silicone things that go over your nipple. They can sure help in a pinch when your nipples are adjusting. I have successfully nursed 4 kids (including preemie twins) for over a year each. And BTW when my twins were in the NICU they received a daily dose of caffeine to help stabilize their heart rate so the nurses said a little coffee was not a bad thing.
I have NO issues with women breast feeding in public. It’s perfectly a natural thing. I know many women tend to cover up instead of letting it all hang out there, but when they don’t, no biggie for me. I’m not pregnant nor have any kids, but one of the things that does make me nervous of any future child is that if it won’t latch. I have friends who’ve breast feed and others that couldn’t and the experience is different for everyone it seems. I would love to know the book recommendations, just for future reference 😉
I love that you two do these classes together – you both are going to be awesome parents 🙂
I think it’s NBD. One time I was on a coffee date with a friend (who I hadn’t seen since high school) and her newborn in Starbucks and when it was time to feed she just covered herself up right there and went for it! At first I was a bit shocked but then I didn’t care anymore.
Btw, I really like you hair like this with your bangs long and to the side – gorgeous!
thank you friend!
I agree, your hair is super cute in that style! 🙂
Did your teacher talk about breast crawl at all? It’s pretty cool stuff, and can be really great for bonding and establishing breastfeeding if you and your baby can stick it out without getting impatient (it can take kind of awhile sometimes).
I don’t have kids, but I kind of like to see moms breastfeeding in public. The more babies being breastfed the better. 🙂
yes, i you-tubed it today! crazy awesome
I can attest to how awesome it is. I was lucky enough to witness it when my nephew was born. Amazing.
And I totally agree with Caroline; I like seeing moms breastfeed in public. It’s completely natural!
I have no kids (and don’t plan to have any) and it is definitely not a big deal seeing moms breast feed in public. Not only is it not a big deal but I think more moms should do it so that everyone gets used to it!! It’s a natural way to feed your baby — it makes no sense to me that anyone would have a problem with it (though I know some do). Glad to hear you had such a great class!
I’ve had great breastfeeding experiences, but I did have to fight for the first one because my daughter was premature and unable to latch. As far as tips go, I guess I have three:
1. If it doesn’t just “happen,” don’t give up! I think breastfeeding advocates, in an effort to encourage women to nurse, do themselves a bit of a disservice. It is not always easy and not always convenient. It puts the vast majority of the burden of feeding the baby on the mother. And nursing a newborn is not relaxing! You have to coax and encourage and pinch cheeks to wake him/her up, when all you want to do is sleep yourself. It is worth the above a hundred fold, but I wish there was more honest information out there.
2. Both my babies were happiest when I ate more carbs than normal. Not sure if I had more milk or better tasting milk or what, but they definitely liked the carbs!
3. I take a fish oil supplement, and you can totally smell it in expressed milk. Gross. So be prepared if you’re taking any kind of funky smelling supplement that your milk might smell funky, too.
Good luck! I hope it comes easily and naturally for you and you have a great experience!
Seeing a woman breastfeed doesn’t freak me out at all. It’s perfectly natural and I feel like it should be socially acceptable for women to breastfeed in public.
When I was in college, I went on a nannying interview and I literally had met the mother for 5 seconds before she just completely took off her shirt and started breastfeeding. Initially, I was a little taken aback, but it was more like, ummmm, where am I supposed to look?! We did the whole interview with her breastfeeding. haha She ended up being one of the nicest, most laid back people I’ve ever met. 🙂
Breastfeeding was by far my favorite part of having a newborn. When I had my baby, almost 10 years ago, we lived in a very small town (Sierra Vista,AZ) with no lactation consultants in the area. I just read everything I could on the subject; also, my will was very strong and I was totally committed to make it work. My biggest piece of advice probably goes against what all the books say, but instead of timing feedings per side, I let my baby eat all she could from one side and then switched sides and let her eat as little or as much as she wanted from the second side…then at the next feeding, we started on the side she only ate a bit from. My reasoning was that if she happened to be lazy and not sucking effieciently in the ten minute time period the books recommend, she may not have gotten to the thick, more satiating hindmilk, which would then affect my supply. If they’re just getting the watery foremilk, they won’t be full and satisified and your body won’t know to produce more milk. I hope that makes sense. Best of luck to you!
that’s an awesome tip!! last night the nurse said the first side is like the appetizer, salad and dinner. the second side is like dessert: sometimes the baby wants it, other times he/she wont, but to start with that side first next time
that’s so cool you used to live in sierra vista! arizona neighbors 🙂
I actually LOVE seeing women breastfeeding in public! I get this smile on my face, that she’s comfortable and confident enough to do so, with so many people being asshats about it being in public. It really should be more common place I think in our society. I love seeing it and often think, “That’s a lucky baby!” because its Mama knows that the baby is hungry NOW, and isn’t forcing themselves into a bathroom (you want to eat your dinner in a bathroom?), a car or some other more awkward place.
I’ve nursed all 3 of my kids for 12+ months each. It’s a great experience to have with your children and I feel blessed to have been given the opportunity for it to work so well.
As with all things mother-related, just take in as much information as possible beforehand so you don’t feel totally overwhelmed and unprepared if/when any issues come up. Also, if you haven’t found a pediatrician yet, make sure and choose one that is supportive of full-time nursing. Some doctors are surprisingly not, which I think is pretty ridiculous. You want to get full support from someone as important as your pediatrician, but also keep in mind that they are usually not LC’s and so you shouldn’t take everything they say as fact even if they are supportive.
I will also say, though, that you should definitely expect some pain. Of all the nursing moms I know, I know of ONE that didn’t really have a lot of pain, and it was still uncomfortable for sure. All my kids have had great latches, no problems there, but I still went through different phases of pain for 5-6 weeks with each one, being excruciating in the first couple of weeks. Unless you have someone aggressively sucking on your nipples for 12+ hours a day before having a baby, I don’t understand how LC’s/nurses can honestly say there shouldn’t be any pain. It just doesn’t make sense.
Take it one day/one week/one month at a time and be thankful for every ounce baby gets 🙂
So, so, so true about the pediatrician! Ours is a more natural-minded DO and BF all 3 kids for 18+ months and the office has an in-house lactation consultant, as well, and they were a huge help.
First, holy gorgeous pregnant hair. I’m jealous.
Second, I’m not *totally* in agreement with the don’t worry about what you eat post pregnancy, as long as its the same. I ate a lot of veggies, salsa, and relatively flavorful food when I was pregnant (especially the 3rd tri) and about a week after my son was born we went to a mexican restaurant and I had a little salsa along with my chicken salad (weird that I remember exactly what I ate…its because the following events were rather traumatic) Up until that point, my son hadn’t had any major cry sessions, just the usual grunty cry when he was hungry… Well, my newborn screamed for 6 hours straight that night. I would go easy on too much flavor right out of the gate. I noticed that as he got older (by 3 months) I could pretty much eat whatever I wanted and he was okay…but those first couple of weeks, I’d go bland–if your baby is anything like mine was. 😉
Third, Good for you for wanting breastfeed. Its a great thing, I did it for 11 months and was thrilled when it was over (breastfeeding helped me to lose weight initially but it wasn’t until I stopped that I lost the last 10 lbs–in like a week). But I had a really easy time with it, but even without a latch issue I was sore for the first 3-4 weeks…I’m sure those lactation specialists will help you greatly, but I really liked lansinoh.
Ha! There is nothing that mom’s like more than giving advice to new moms, hopefully this isn’t annoying. 🙂
I agree about the food thing– whenever I ate spicy or acidic foods and nursed my son later on he would be up all night crying. It didn’t seem to bother him after he was a couples months old, but in the beginning I would definitely go easy on the spicy/acidic foods. 🙂
Not sure if I have any tips. I breastfed my two kids until they turned 2, although the weaning process started at 1. I’m pregnant with our third and plan to do the same thing. It is a great way to bond with your baby. I guess a tip is just because it’s natural doesn’t mean it will come natural to you or your baby. I guess I disagree a bit about not having to change your eating habits too. My first would react badly if I had any dairy at all. So I had to completely cut it out. I anticipated this with my second, but in addition to dairy I had to cut out many veggies and eggs too. My second baby wasn’t good at knowing when to stop either. I couldn’t figure out why she would throw up so much after nursing, so my midwife came over to watch. She was the one that noticed that my daughter didn’t want to stop nursing even after she was good and full and would keep on going. Thank goodness for a great midwife.
My sister would breastfeed anywhere at all and so do my cousins. You can’t even SEE the boob when the baby is on it. She had cool maternity tops that were either v-neck (and pull to the side) or had a sort of hidden pocket (secret agent top).. erm.. how to describe? The top would separate just below the boobs and you pull up the top part. Also, if you can’t breastfeed, there is no need to feel that baby is missing out. Formula is very advanced these days and I just read a major study of nutritional deficiencies in infants where the only ones that showed any deficiency were actually breastfed babies (mainly vitamin D, which is crucial for bone growth). I was not expecting that AT ALL. It messed with my ‘religion’ of breast is best. I think I’ve already said this on your blog but my sister was expected to bottle feed her second baby as well as breastfeed. Because she is small and her baby was large the assumption was that she would not make enough for him and that it would drain her nutrient reserves (this is the Swiss way). She resisted at first but it turned out that they were right. He was hungry all the time until she started half breast-half bottle.
My son’s pediatrician told us about the vitamin d deficiency today. He said milk becomes vitamin d deficient around 2 weeks and to supplement it by giving baby liquid vitamin d.
A little exposure to the sun everyday, especially in sunny AZ, would provide enough Vit D, as well.
I don’t have any kids, but two of my good friends just welcomed a baby boy into the world about 2 months ago. I went to visit when he was 1 month old and I didn’t even realize that my friend was breastfeeding him until I’d been there for about 10 minutes! It’s probably because I’m incredibly naive when it comes to these things, but it didn’t gross me out at all. Baby needs to eat. Of course, we weren’t in public, we were in their living room, but I think if I saw a woman breastfeeding in public, I would probably just ignore it.
I will echo what others have said. It’s not always easy, it’s not always convenient, it’s not always socially acceptable, but it is worth it. It’s very much like working out and eating healthy foods and making the right choices even when it’s not the easiest option out there. Especially if you have to pump at work, which is probably the hardest part of being a working, BFing mom 🙂
Love your positive approach to everything breast-feeding related. And, um…look at how absolutely beautiful you look!!! Pregnancy looks INCREDIBLE on you.
I love when I see mommas breastfeeding when they are out and about. I had a hard time with that part because I have really large breasts and the football hold was about the only way I could feed my little one without feeling like I was smothering her. And that is not the most discreet of holds! But I quickly learned which stores had comfy fitting rooms or baby rooms where I could go to nurse her. I will second what some of the commenters above me said; it is not pain-free at the very beginning. But even when your nipples are in the process of toughening up, it only hurts for the first couple of sucks when they first latch on and it gets better quickly.
My hubby and I are going to be going to our birthing/breastfeeding classes soon. I’m very excited about it. I definitely want to breastfeed, although I have no judgement at all toward women who for whatever reason don’t breastfeed. For those that do, it doesn’t bother me to see it in public. I may have to oneday. I just hope to have a little class about it. I don’t think it’s neccesary to show the world everything I have no matter how “natural” it may be. Unfortunately we live in an overly sexualized society and breasts distract people in that way. Sad, but true.
I was really apprehensive breastfeeding in public in the beginning because I always felt so self-conscious, always worried someone was going to see the mommy belly in all its stretch-marked glory. So I bought a nursing cover and it was even worse. My kiddo’s super active, even while he nurses, so he was always kicking the cover away. I started using a wrap-around skirt, throwing it over my shoulders and securing it in the front, so I am completely covered. But, be warned, that as my baby got older, if he saw the cover he would start laughing and grabbing at the booby just because he saw it. So, I had to start hiding it away until I knew he was ready to eat 🙂 Now, though, he brings it to me and asks more discreetly, but it’s taken us 19 months to get there! Good luck. It really is the most amazing thing that only a mother can do for her child.
I have 2 kids…breast feeding the first didn’t work out after a few weeks…the second one, he never had a bottle the night of his first birthday he made the douce to stop and went straight to a cup
My tip: ask for help, those ladies at the hospital might be overhelming but they know their stuff
How sweet is the pilot for being so good about the classes! Love it.
I think that as long as a mom is at least trying to be discrete, it’s NBD, but let’s not be whipping out boobs in Starbucks with no cover people.
So I have a totally random question, I know you’ve been wearing your luon goodies while preggers, but are you worried about them losing some of their stretchiness? Just curious 🙂
As a lactation educator, I am so glad you went to the class. I fell in love with nursing, with the whole process, and for me, things weren’t “natural” or easy and b/c of what I went through in order to make it work for us, I learned so much, and then decided to pursue becoming a lactation educator. THAT’S how much I love this topic 🙂
After the birth, don’t let them bathe her, wash her, or mess with her…she belongs on your chest. That immediate skin to skin contact is the best. The is a youtube video or plenty of them, but if you google the Breast Crawl…you will literally see a newborn baby, placed on mom’s chest, and it *crawls*, i.e. squirms, to the breast and latches b/c it was un-disturbed. Truly a moving video!
I could go on and on…but glad you guys went!!
Breastfeeding is the hardest thing I think I have ever done. I would have quit over and over if I didnt have the support of my husband and the http://www.kellymom.com message boards. It isnt supposed to hurt, but it in the beginning I found it to be sore, as it was something obviously I wasnt used to. Soothies in the fridge for sore boobies are a must, as is Lasinoh. With my first, I found baby’s arms were always in the way, so my husband even got up in the night with me in the beginning to help hold arms out of the way and give moral support until I felt more comfortable. I breastfed my first 2 daughters each 13 months, and am breastfeeding my third daughter, who will be 6 months next week. It makes every frustrating moment worth it when I smell milk on her breath and know I gave her that nutrition, she grabs my boob with her hand while she is eating, and she looks up into my eyes. Pure love. Every time I wanted to quit, I was told “Just try it until 6 weeks. If things aren’t better by then, then quit”. SO true. There is a world of difference in day 6 and 6 weeks.
That is awesome your husband went to class with you. I think you guys are much more informed than I was, good for you! And you could be a model from that picture of you, it is beautiful.
I don’t have any little ones of my own (yet!), but to me nursing in public is no big deal. It’s natural! I know there has been heated controversy over it in the media in the past few years, but honestly…I don’t understand. You’re feeding your kid the best possible way, what’s wrong with that? If women’s bodies weren’t so objectified in the first place there wouldn’t be an issue at all! Good luck!
i agree with this – if breasts weren’t so sexualized, then this wouldn’t be a big deal. breasts are a part of our bodies and they’re how we feed our children. i frankly can’t stand it when someone freaks out at a boob flash a la janet jackson a few years ago. who cares, they’re just boobs?!!?!
Every time I see a mom breastfeeding in public, I want to go give her a big high-five! I love that she’s doing whatever it takes to feed the best to her baby. I’m years away from babies myself, but I’m totally not fazed over it in the slightest. Almost all the moms I know that are my age (early 20’s or younger) give their babies formula without a second thought, and it makes me sad. Breast milk digests more quickly because it’s designed to be their perfect food. It’s worth it!
ahhhh, so exciting!! Love the pilots face. Embrace the experience.
YEA!
My husband came with me to our breastfeeding class too and he thought it was a waste of his time since he can’t feed the baby, but it ended up being incredibly helpful. After labor and delivery of my daughter I was exhausted and could hardly think straight but my husband was able to remind me of what we learned and how to get the baby to latch. Worked perfectly! I was always afraid that breastfeeding would feel weird and I wouldn’t like it but after a few weeks of adjustment I absolutely love it. Remember to take advantage of the lactation consultants at the hospital where you deliver–even after you go home they are an invaluable resource. Also, stay calm. If the baby is upset or having trouble and you get upset she will sense it and it will be harder for her to get started.
I found breastfeeding to be hard in the beginning because my daughter was not latching properly (she was latching properly in the hospital then I had her positioned incorrectly at home) but once that was fixed and I started to heal, I loved it. It’s convenient and amazing to think that after growing my baby in my body, my body is able to continue to give her all of the nourishment she needs. I’m pretty sure I’m going to miss the time I spend breastfeeding my daughter when I go back to work. Even if you have trouble in the beginning, stick with it, it’s so worth it!
I have been breastfeeding for almost a year and I dont plan on stopping anytime soon! My baby was born via emergency csection, so we did t get to nurse right away. She was in NICU and I had to pump for her, but when we did nurse, she latched right away and we never had issues. So don’t worry if you cant (for any reason) nurse right away. Also, I found my nipples were raw and sore the first month, Earth Angel baby makes nipple butter that’s amazing! Also, their bottom balm is a miracle, my baby has never had diaper rash. Oh and if your baby does get gas, Gripe Water is a lifesaver! It’s all natural, herbs and homeopathic, works like a charm!
Breastfeeding in public is NBD to me (& I don’t have kids) as long as the woman covers herself up appropriately. True story, I had a lady at the restaurant I work at pop her boob out in the middle of the restaurant during the lunch rush and start nursing without covering herself. Not altogether awful except the baby kept losing it’s grip and the woman repeatedly flashed the entire restaurant, horrifying many customers. At one point her entire boob was out in the open for several minutes while she adjusted the baby & she just didn’t care. So awkward waiting on that table! I’m definitely a huge fan of breastfeeding mom’s (Major kudos!) but seriously, I don’t need to see the goods while you do it.
I was hoping you would ask for some tips, as I have a few good ones.
1. Nurse right away. Don’t worry if it doesn’t feel like anything is coming out…it’s OK.
2. Think about putting the baby onto you, instead of shoving yourself into baby’s mouth. Place your hand behind her head and “put her on”. That helped me a lot. Her lips should look like a duck’s bill on you. If not, use our pinky to pop her off and try again. Oh yeah, clip your pinky fingernail.
3. Later, when you get home (get ready, this sounds weird), go topless as much as possible. The air helps with the soreness.
4. If you are having trouble with “let down”, watch TV or read to completely take your mind off what you are doing. Then you body takes over, and it knows what to do. Often times worry about nursing actually hinders it.
5. I never put a limit on how much to nurse. It would seem a baby knows how much they need.
I have nursed both of my children until almost 3 (which is the world average for nursing!). Many Americans seem to put a stigma on it…I don’t know why. Personally, I was so glad not to have to wash and prepare bottles! For public nursing, I used a blanket to cover, and it was fine.
Good luck! I hope this helps.
Also, use lanolin between nursing for soreness.
I forgot to comment on never limiting a baby’s time to eat. In those first weeks with each kid, I felt like I was nursing all.the.time. Each feeding would take like 45 minutes, I would only have like 15 minutes before my baby would want to eat again. Normal! And there is something called “cluster feeding” when baby wants to do nothing but eat. It is common in the evenings. I frequently was/am stuck on the couch for 5-6 hours at a time, nursing, besides just a few short breaks. Again, normal. It helped for me to know this was normal so when family who had never been around a breastfed baby before questioned why I was hogging the baby and feeding all.the.time, I knew I was doing the right thing.
Mary you had some great tips!
I totally agree with Jessica here! At first, you will feel like ALL you do is nurse your baby! They fall asleep at the breast a lot when they are first born, and it will take a long time for them to “finish.” By the time they are finished and you change their diapers, etc. It’s time to nurse again.
Just get as much rest as you can and make sure you are eating and drinking enough. Also- nursing is a great time to bond with your baby- but don’t feel guilty if you use the time to read or watch tv or whatever sometimes! 🙂
Its NBD if the woman does it in a modest way, covering up all lady bits and not making a big spectacle of it. I’m all for women doing what they need to do and I would never say that they SHOULDN’T be able to breastfeed in public, but I saw a woman once in Vegas whip her entire boob out at brunch and her kid (not baby, kid like 2 yrs old) was sucking away. It freaked me out for sure!
My ped has a great website..dr.jen4kids…she also has a facebook bage that is wonderful! She has great information on her sites.
Good Luck with everything. Breastfeeding was a wonderful experience for my boys and I!!!
I don’t have kids yet, but hope when I am ready, my hubs will be as great as yours is! I am all for breastfeeding and feel so bad when a woman feels like they have to go bathroom or even another room in THEIR OWN home when company comes over to hide themselves. I will say, once though I worked at a bar in college, and it was not a family establishment, and this lady just totally pulled up her shirt, both boobs out nurses her kid . . . and then she drank a beer and proceeded to change the baby’s diaper AT the table. Now in that instance, I think she could have been a bit more discrete.
Breastfeeding can be hard to get started, but it is definitely worth it! I love the way my baby and I bond while he nurses. I also highly recommend the nipple shields, especially if you get mastitis. Yowch!
Breastfeeding is tough for me ’cause I have to work full-time now that he’s six weeks, so I breastfeed when I’m home and pump when I’m not. My poor nipples are pretty sore but it’s NBD. The hardest part about this is that he gets bottle-fed (with my milk) at daycare, so he isn’t that enthusiastic about breastfeeding ’cause it’s harder for him. But I just don’t give him any other option when we’re together, so he deals with it.
About the breastfeeding in public..well I have a new baby and it freaks me out! I always bring a bottle with me when we’re out and about, and make sure he’s nursed right before we leave so my boobs don’t feel like they’re going to explode halfway through our outing. Nursing pads FTW!
I didn’t read what people commented on already, but it does kind of hurt a little — not major– for a few days until you toughen up. Then if it hurts after that it’s a symptom of an infection. Don’t mess around but get it looked at right away if that hapens because those can get really nasty.
As long as I don’t see the actual boob I’m ok with women breastfeeding in public — I mean, not when you’re waiting in line at the grocery store, but if you’re at a park or even a mall I have no issue with it.
Being the mother of three children, I have had my share of breastfeeding! My FIRST suggestion is to try on nursing tops and sit facing a mirror and practice with a baby doll. That way, you can see how much “skin” you are showing to others! I know it sounds silly, but it will help you become more comfortable with juggling a nursing top, nursing bra, and a tiny little one! Most of the time, if you have practice, you won’t need any additional cover up in order to refrain from flashing the whole world. But light weight blankets work well too. Another tip, for the first few weeks, ALWAYS pack an extra shirt for you in your diaper bag. Every woman’s body is different, but sometimes if you are out even the sound of another baby crying will get your milk pumping! Invest in a good lanolin creme and nursing pads. I liked the washable ones, but also kept the disposable ones on hand too, just in case. Make yourself a small “nursing bag” to keep in the house, in your favorite room or by your favorite chair, for the first few weeks…inside keep your lanolin, nursing pad, “burp rag”, a small snack, bottle of water, and even a book to read to the little one..or your favorite book to read out loud. That way, once you sit down to nurse, everything you need is right there. No need to get up, especially during the early weeks when both of you are learning.
Be patient. Nursing, while natural, takes work. It will take time for you both to get comfortable with it. There may be times where Tom will feel left out. I know my husband experienced those feelings. Make him as much of a part of it as possible..obviously he doesn’t have the boobs for it, but he can sit with you and chat or even read out loud while you nurse 🙂
Best of luck to you!
Oh, and on the topic of pain. The first few times you nurse, it is going to hurt. Because your body is contracting and going back to the “pre labor” stage, you will feel light to heavy contractions during your first few nursings. With my oldest two, it wasn’t bad..but with my youngest, I cried. We stuck it out..but don’t be surprised if the first few aren’t what you thought they would be!! After that, commonly women experience pain if there is an infected milk duct..so warm compresses in between nursings during your first few weeks will help. Not saying sit with a hot towel on your boob for hours, just occasionally after you nurse. 🙂 That will help!
I agree with others about nursing right away. We started in the recovery room and he seemed to know what to do instictively. I also agree with others that even if you ate certain foods during pregnancy they can still be problematic during breast feeding. For us it was trial and error figuring out what foods were problematic. It’s wonderful that your husband joined you for the class!
There is a pretty good thread above going about pain at the start. And rather to disagree in that thread, I wanted to let you know that I had no *pain* while breastfeeding my son (now six months), IF he was latched correctly. Now he plays a bit on the breast, and he has damaged one nipple a tad, and it’s a bit uncomfortable, but BREASTFEEDING DOESN’T HAVE TO HURT! So get that out of your mind! :D.
No big deal. Breastfeed away. If you’re concerned about privacy there are these apron-like things that you hang around your neck, and they have a curved wire at the top that keeps it from draping onto the baby. If you need to pump at work, though, find a secluded spot – legally they have provide a private area for you to pump.
Forgot to post the link to buy the cover-ups: http://www.bebeaulait.com/
I breastfed my daughter for 12 months. But if you had asked me within hours of her birth if I was going to be able to breastfeed, I would have said “there is NO way!” We had trouble getting her to latch correctly and I had to try several different positions until I found what worked for me.
But I was committed to doing what was best (and free, hello!) for my baby…so I worked with the lactation consultant (and pumped to help with my supply) until we got everything figured out. Two weeks later, I felt like a pro. 🙂
I guess what I’m trying to say is, “If at first you don’t succeed…..” 🙂 And just don’t give up to soon if it doesn’t come as naturally as you expect!
And I personally was never comfortable nursing in public, but it doesn’t bother me for other women to do it.
Just thought of something else…not sure if anyone else has mentioned it or if you already have one…but a Boppy or other nursing pillow can be a lifesaver. I honestly could not have nursed without mine and I love it! Just a suggestion! 🙂
Im sure your class mentioned oxytocin? That sh!t’s the bomb. The only time I was pain free after my c-section was when I was nursing. It was better than Vicodin. Nursing can also make you very sleepy which doesn’t seem possible when you are already sleep deprived. I also have to agree with previous commenters – what you eat can upset the baby. My culprits were tomatoes, caffeine, and mustard. After three months I could eat anything, but before that if I ate something “wrong” Bronwen would let me know!!
My only advice is try not to rely too much on pumping. I tried it and had to have pump-a-thons to continue to increase my supply. Plus pumping was a lot less comfortable. And took so much more time. Unofrtunately o had to go back to work early so I stopped breastfeeding at 2 months. Don’t be too hard on yourself and your decisions:)