Breastfeeding advice, please :)

RavenC92

Hello,
I'm due in June with my 3rd baby. I've never breastfeed before and I really would like to with her. I try reading up on it but I get so confused. Can anyone give me any advice? Tips for this being my first time? Must haves you think I should purchase? Tips, tricks, lol anything. I have no clue where to start

krissyberb

Be prepared for it to be hard, and work on getting sufficient support. We had issues that I never would have expected (tongue tie, lip tie, and torticollis). If not for the support of my husband and several lactation consultants, we would not have made it. Start working on your support system now. Get help at home for when the baby comes home. We had family help out for the first two weeks. They took care of cooking, cleaning, etc so I could focus only on feeding the baby and resting. If you have insurance, find out what they provide for lactation support and what you need to do. Insurance is required to provide a breast pump now. Get that lined up before you deliver, even if you don't think you need it right away. I'm so glad I got mine early because I ended up having to pump right away. Look into a local breast feeding support group, such as La Leche League or at the hospital. Bottom line: you don't yet know what your particular issues will be when baby gets here, but you will need lots of support so work on getting that in place.

RavenC92

Thank you, I really appreciate that !!

NurseRieger

Buy The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding now and read it. Personally I'm not into the whole attachment parenting they promote but it was still an excellent resource especially for initial latching, skin to skin, how many dirty diapers you should get, etc. There is also a whole chapter dedicated to problems and solutions. If I didn't read it I probably would have quit earlier on.

krissyberb

Also, this website is a great resource: https://kellymom.com/category/bf/

SmrBrd2012

La leche league also has lots of information. I would have a lactation consultant double and triple check how LO latches at the hospital before you leave, even if there is only a little bit of pain. Also, some hospitals have local breastfeeding groups where you can just drop in for support or questions. I never used it but it was nice to know it was there.

valerie1132

Take a breastfeeding class! I met the hospital LC as she led the class, learned the basics, and about different holds and latches. Plus when I delivered I felt really comfortable because I knew the LC. My hospital offers one once a month and they are free!

princesslockness

Get some Nipple cream. I used Coconut oil sticks, but had lanolin for a back up. 

Even with a great latch you can get some soreness, and nipples don't callous. 

marijaa333

We also had a rough time, and I second the recommendation to see the best possible lactation consultant you can find.

Pumpkin91407

Lactation consultants are a huge help and it is normal to have a hard time sometimes. I thought it would be so easy... It's natural... Lol but it has been more tricky than I thought. If you have issues get help and support. It's worth it to keep trying.

A&Lmommy

Nipple shields are amazing! Once my milk came in, she couldn't latch on. It was like trying to latch onto an overfilled balloon! Also, if baby is very fussy, see if it could be anything in your own diet that isn't agreeing with your LO, such as dairy, spicy food, or citrus. Once you get your supply up and both of you get the hang of it, the hard part becomes weaning haha

kvogel77

Breastfeeding is hard but keep at it and eventually it does get easier. I breastfed my son for the first 6 weeks and had a latching issue. So I decided to exclusively pump from that point on. My son is now 10 months old and I am still exclusively pumping. I have only had to supplement a few times with formula. You don't hear too much about exclusively pumping but it has worked out for me. Just keep trying until you find something that works for you.

mrsjustinaburrell

Like everyone has said, prepare for it to be hard. Breastfeeding is time consuming and can be frustrating at first but it's so worth it. I didn't have any issues with latch issues or supply although I do drink mothers milk tea once a day and lanolin is a must! Good luck we are all here for you!

GoogleMD

Everyone talks about lanolin, but it did nothing for me. I use the Earth Mama Angel Baby nipple butter, and love it. Also the soothe breast pads are great, since your nipples will likely be pretty sore for the first week or 2 at least. 

MandahGirly

I wouldn't bother with a breastfeeding class honestly because you don't know what will happen until LO is born. But I would take advantage of the LC and nurses at your hospital. I had them come and help me every time I fed my daughter because I didn't know what the hell I was doing and she wouldn't latch properly. My hospital also offered a breastfeeding class whole we were there and it was great. And I also met with the LC after leaving the hospital and it was so much help.

lcc946

Three main things helped me succeed with breastfeeding my second - APNO cream(get the prescription from your OB before you LO is born and bring it with you to the hospital - apply it after EVERY feeding in the beginning), My Breast Friend nursing pillow and breast shells.  The breast shells were great to use after everyt feeding - if my nipples were sore from that nursing session, I would apply the APNO cream and put on the breast shells to allow my nipples to air out.  I am not kidding - using these three things made nursing 1000 times easier in the beginning this time around.  LO will be 6 months in a couple of weeks and we are still breastfeeding exclusively.  Good luck!