Breastfeeding Discussion Tips and Tricks

spartan4life

I didn't see a board on this yet (sorry if it's coming and I'm jumping the gun).

STMs, what are your best tips/tricks/favorite products for breastfeeding? What worked and what will you do differently this time?

FTM mom's or moms who haven't breastfed, what questions and fears do you have about breastfeeding?

littlelibelula

@spartan4life I think there was a thread a month or so ago. Also, there were some great tips in the week checkin this week. (https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12758128/week-3-4-5-15-21-5-31-21-check-in-w-o-1-4-21#latest)

- Biggest tip: Find out if your hospital has a lactation consultant available, or find one before your birth so that if you have any questions, problems or doubts, then you know exactly where to go, no wasting time trying to figure out a strategy. I was connected to the Leche League and they have volunteer certified lactaction consultants and I wish I had gone to a meeting before my DS´s birth. There may be other volunteer groups in your area, I highly recommend connecting with one before your delivery. Most consultants and groups have virtual consultations or groups so they´re very accesible. 

My plan for this pregnancy is tandem feeding and I´ve already received help from the LdL consultant and she was wonderful. Sore breasts from pregnancy and teething toddlers is difficult for breastfeeding, but I think we´ve past the hard section, hopefully. Best biting advice: Stop feeding and give them something to chew on and then continue when you are both ready. Better yet, if they are teething, let them chew on something more a little bit before feedings and have the object close by in case they start biting. 

- Other advice: Find out if your have abnormal nipples, before you give birth, even if you think they´re normal. That way, if you have a type that needs extra information for success, then you can do your research, prep your nipples and figure out strategies to try based on your nipple type. 

- Hamburger: Hold your breast like a hamburger and place it in your babies mouth as completely as possible. Suction is important for a baby to eat. They don´t just feed from the nipple, you need to get part or all of the aereola in. Hence the hamburger. 

spartan4life

@littlelibelula thanks! I did search the group but didn't see anything...but I also only searched on mobile so that could be why 🤣. I knew we had talked a bit in the check-in thread but didn't think the whole group would necessarily see that one.

littlelibelula

@spartan4life I tried too and couldn´t find a thread, so it must be hidden in another. Thanks for posting the thread. Info gets so lost sometimes. 

ckmb_1250

Haakaa forever! 

I could really unload here based on everything we went through 😂 I feel like a lot of people get worried about their milk coming in quickly enough, but as long as baby is healthy don’t freak out if it takes several days. Baby’s tummy is the size of like, a grape. Mine took probably 5 days to pick up, she was still below her birth weight at her first ped visit so we went back a week later for a weight check and she had gained. 

The fact that women have varying breast storage capacity was eye opening for me. Don’t get hung up on baby wanting to nurse constantly, it doesn’t necessarily mean your supply is low. Judge that by diaper output and weight gain. 

If you have pain or baby has pain, or if you or baby’s father have lip or tongue ties, have a qualified LC check for ties.

kellymom.com was always a great resource, even for tips on more complicated things things like how to nurse through a stomach virus, I referred to that website quite often. 

littlelibelula

@ckmb_1250 My DS took at least 2 weeks before he got back to birth weight and I was only breastfeeding and had my LdL consult when he was 1&1\2 weeks. She helped me quit the breast shield. And after 2 weeks he started gaining a lb a week for a month or two. 
And if you want to know how much milk your are making, don´t worry, like @ckmb_1250 said. Many worried moms take out a pump and judge their output based on the ounces they pump, please don't, judge it based on poopy and wet diapers. 

ckmb_1250

@littlelibelula Same! About 2 weeks for us. And even then I cried at the Dr visit because their scale was hard to read and I thought it had gone down 😂

yellingbanana

Good advice so far! It took I think 6 days for my milk to come in with my first baby. But that could have been due to the crazy birth/trauma circumstances. 

Your boobs are going to hurt, regardless if you breastfeed or not, regardless if you are successful or not. Just be ready! Have a good nipple butter, it takes a couple of weeks for your girls to get used to all that sucking. Mine hurt with my first, they even bled a little. I used the lanolin, but it helped minimally. My lovely sister (mom of 3 by then) sent me this nipple butter and it saved me. Within a couple of days they were healed and feeling fine! https://www.amazon.com/Breastfeeding-Earth-Mama-Lanolin-free-Verified/dp/B000JVCBBG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=nipple+butter&qid=1610299332&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExSU5NUTI4SzhEVThLJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTc3NTI5MkdQRlo3WE9MSUxPWiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTE5MzgyMVpURDEwMURDVUtHNSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I cannot stress the difference it makes. It’s huge. Get it. I already ordered mine for my hospital bag, even after 3 kids it takes a couple of days for the girls to get used to it again. 

Also, the hamburger hold on your boob is totally true. And you have to be quick to get it into baby’s mouth before they turn or close their mouth. The secret to successful nursing is to get as much of your nipple into baby’s mouth as possible. And relaxing. I always try to take a deep breath and relax my neck and shoulders.

Make sure you have a comfortable place to nurse, and bring baby to you. Don’t lean over or sit awkwardly. I love my boppy pillow, but regular pillows or couch pillows work also. 

spartan4life

Last time my nipples hurt so bad and nothing seemed to help so thank you @yellingbanana for the nipple cream suggestion! I think I was only using lanolin. 

Has anyone used the My Brest Friend pillow? I have read great things and I did try it once at the pedi when DS was about 4 days old so I'm thinking I might get one. I do have a boppy as well but didnt use it for anything last time other than sitting DS up.

mimser

@spartan4life I obviously haven't tried that pillow, but that's the one I've registered for 🤷‍♀️

gusgus14

@spartan4life super love My Brest Friend! I used it anytime I was at home but not able to nurse lying down (like while I was working from home after maternity leave but before she started daycare). Fully intend on using it again.

yellingbanana

@carly_themammaslist when is your due date? 

ec1212

@yellingbanana she already delivered. I think she may have just joined to promote some posts from her site. 

littlelibelula

That was random, but useful. 

texas_t

@carly_themammaslist

asf0613

@texas_t

nsk489

Guess enough of us reported the spammer, looks like her posts were removed

yellingbanana

Nice! It was a little weird. I never had that in my other bump groups.... Glad we are moving on Monday. 

ec1212

Question: Should I feed from both boobs at each feeding? I was hoping I could feed on R, Haaka on L for feeding #1, feed on L, Haaka on R for feeding #2 and so on, but now I'm reading differently. Alternating during every feeding sounds like even more work 🤯

gusgus14

@ec1212 I’ve never heard of feeding from both sides during one session 🤷‍♀️ I alternated one side per feeding (#1 right, #2 left, so on). I was just told you don’t want to nurse from one side twice in a row so both sides can get relief and know how much they need to be producing.

ec1212

@gusgus14 this makes me happy. Thank you. BF already sounds like so much work with so many things to pay attention to, this new info was pushing me over the edge 😅.

gusgus14

@ec1212 Okay so now I’m totally questioning myself and pretty sure I misspoke 😂😂😂 sorry! I’m thinking I did offer each side per feeding and just made sure to alternate which side I started on. Sorry it’s been a couple of years! Mine didn’t always take from both sides but I think I at least offered. I wish I hadn’t thrown out my breastfeeding log! Totally planning on using an app this time around.

ec1212

gusgus14 😭😭😭

gusgus14

@ec1212 it’s not so bad and I think you can still use the Haaka on the non-active side! 

littlelibelula

@ec1212 I think I always offered both sides. In the night I would feed one side change the inevitably dirty diaper and then feex the other side. Some people like to alternate the side they start on, which helps with lopsidedness. Don't worry, once you get in the rhythm it will be easier, hopefully. 

Disclaimer: if you plan to feed an older baby they sometimes like to switch back and forth multiple times during a feeding. But by then they can latch on their own and even take out the side they want. 

queen_frostine

Babies be crazy. With my daughter she would nurse for so long, and especially at first it was hard to get a good latch, so sometimes I'd switch back and forth a few times in the session because my boobs would need a break. I could usually tell which one was the "fuller" boob and start with that one. 

(FWIW the hakaa did jack for me. I would leak less than 1mL while baby nursed on the other side. But everyone's boobs are different and mine were on the stingy side.)

ec1212

@queen_frostine

yellingbanana

@ec1212 I didn’t usually switch during a feeding session. They’d get full off of one and pull off when done. Then next session I’d feed baby from the other side. 

The only time I did switch was when my supply was low, usually when baby was weaning around 1yr.

ckmb_1250

@ec1212 I was always told when baby is done with one boob then offer the other, but my daughter rarely wanted the other boob (until like 20 mins later when she was ready to nurse again) 😅) but either way you can have the haakaa on the opposite boob no matter what. 

I also suggest wearing a hair tie or bracelet on your wrist on the side you nursed on last so that you can remember which side to start with the next time. Postpartum brain is even worse than pregnancy brain and I never had a clue which side I used last. 

ec1212

@ckmb_1250 good tip on the hair tie! omg i hope there's an app to capture all this info. It's so much to remember between feedings, poopings, naptimes. I think Moms on Call and Babywise both have decent apps but I can't see them because you can't create an account with a baby birthdate in the future.

ckmb_1250

@ec1212 don’t worry, baby will tell you what to do 😂

yellingbanana

I just want you guys to know that I didn’t know what a haakaa was, and I went to look it up. It’s my dream come true! I’ve been wishing for a way to save my let down in the other side without using a pump for years! And apparently it took me 4 babies to figure it out! You guys are the best! 

gusgus14

@yellingbanana I use the Milkies Milk Saver to catch let down and love it but it doesn’t have suction like the haakaa! But I like that I can just stick it in my bra. 

mamatohne

TRUST YOUR BODY!!! I nursed my oldest for 3 weeks before we did formula. I feel like anything that I thought was wrong with him someone (a dr or a nurse) blamed on breastfeeding when in all
Actuality he was just a new born baby. I had really bad PPA with him and it attributed to me not trusting myself. 

My second, my daughter,  nursed exclusively for 19 months and my third nursed exclusively for 26 months. 

The second time I knew what to expect. I often tell friends who are going to be first time moms “RESEARCH breastfeeding if it’s an option”. I honestly believe you should put more effort into researching breastfeeding than birth plans. 

Also use your breastfeeding consultant and le leche league. Both are great resources for all phases of breastfeeding. 

ckmb_1250

@gusgus14 have you seen the haakaa ladybug milk collectors? They are exactly like the milk savers but they have some suction like haakaa, excited to try them this time.

They also now make a haakaa Gen 3 where the top screws off and you can add a nipple or sippy directly to the haakaa. I want it all!