Breastfeeding
Question about classes/books
Hi..sorry if this gets asked a lot. I tried looking through the last few pages and didn't see anything.
I have been on bedrest for the last 11 weeks, so I didn't get to take all the classes I wanted. How important do you think breastfeeding classes are? I wanted to take one, but the earliest I would be able to would be at 37 weeks pregnant and there's a chance I won't make it that far anyway. Will I be able to figure this out just by meeting with a lactation consultant after birth? Should I get a class on DVD (Thats what i'm doing for a childbirth class)? Should I get some books? If so, can your recommend a good one or two.
TIA!
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Re: Question about classes/books
Honestly, I think the more information you have, the better, and classes are a great way to get reliable information. Lots of women assume that since BF is "natural," it will be easy, and they'll just know what to do. Which is not at all the case. Natural =/= easy, or even necessarily intuitive!
Definitely make sure you meet w/ a LC after the baby arrives (the sooner the better, even if it seems like everything is going well). If things are going well, great! If not, she'll be able to give you advice, information, tips, etc. My favorite book is "A Nursing Mother's Companion." A DVD would probably not be a bad idea either, but I'm not familiar enough with any to recommend one. A LC should be able to point you in the right direction with that. You can probably find one through the hospital you're delivering at. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to help.
Of course, La Leche League is a wonderful resource, but personally, I don't really like their "style." It came off as a little judgy/pushy for me, but for others it is a great support tool/resource. I hope everything goes ok w/ your bedrest, and that you have a healthy baby right on time! GL!
I thought the class was helpful, but not essential. I'm someone who has a hard time processing a lot of information before I'm actually doing something, so meeting with the LC after birth and my books were really helpful to me, much more than the class. So it's good to prepare ahead of time, but, for me, it was the support and information after birth that were essential. If I were you, I would probably not try to cram in a class at 37 weeks.
I also liked the Nursing Mother's Companion. It was my bible for the first few months. I have seen people recommend "So That's What They're For." Kellymom.com has good info and I found some videos by Jack Newman online that helped me when I was having latching issues.
I met with a LC at the hospital a couple of times, and then went to a breastfeeding support group run by the LCs. If you can find something like that, I really recommend it. I had so many questions about whether things were normal, how to deal with certain situations. We also met with the LCs quite a bit when DS was very young. Take advantage of whatever resources are available to you.
Good luck with the rest of your pg and the baby!
Thanks for the tips and advice. I will definitely look into that book and maybe start researching some dvds. One of the pediatricians in my practice is also a lactation consultant so I will have ongoing access to help from her.
Thanks again!