Breastfeeding Class Necessary?

lex22109 · October 2011

I am planning to breast feed and in my infant care class this past weekend the instructor very strongly encouraged us to take a breast feeding class. For a first time mom do you think it is necessary to take a breast feeeding class?

WinesNot Whines · October 2011

I wouldn't say it's necessary, but I think it could be very helpful. I took a free breastfeeding class at the Breastfeeding Center in DC, and they gave some helpful advice and information.

LindseyJW · October 2011

i didn't take one and successfully nursed two babies.

that being said, i had a lot of support, anything other than BFing was not an option, a good friend studying to become an LC helped with latch with #1 and i saw a lactation consultant at the breastfeeding center with #2. nothing that i got from either the friend or the LC would have been covered in the class b/c it was very specific to me, my babies and each baby's latch.

i do think it can be really helpful to take a class, especially if you have questions, may not have the full support of your family/friends, or just generally want to be as prepared as possible.

mcatmay · October 2011

I'm a FTM and i thought the breastfeeding class was very helpful - while it provides some tips and explains latch, etc..., what was most helpful was the repeated encouragement to be patient, to realize that this is not something you just 'get' and that education is part of a successful breastfeeding relationship. It was also helpful to DH to allow him to see that he would need to be behind me 100% - i think that once he knew what it was all about, it made him that much more committed to helping me achieve it.

Breastfeeding is NOT easy, even when it goes well, those first couple of weeks because you are the sole source of baby's comfort and food (but very fulfilling a little later on). The class made DH and I more mentally aware - DH always made sure i had the space i needed it to make it work.

Good luck with whatever decision you make!

rnin02 · October 2011

I would at the very least read a book about it, if you can't take a class. That will at least give you a little bit better idea on how to get started and the basics. Some moms and babies can get started from the beginning with out any sort of problems, but I think most of the time there's quite a bit of a learning curve and it takes a bit of time to get it all figured out!

DCtoLowcountry · October 2011

I'd budget for visiting a LC in the first week of LO's life. While classes are great and I would encourage you to take one (they are often free when you register for childbirth classes), the hands-on instruction with an LC will be priceless.

mssaint · October 2011

I didn't take a class, but I did read The Nursing Mother's Companion before LO was born and basically kept it next to me for the first couple of weeks of his life. I also saw a lactation consultant at the hospital who basically watched me bf LO and said we were doing it right. We have been fine without it, but I was lucky that breastfeeding has been very easy for us. If we'd run into problems, I would probably have taken a class at the breastfeeding center in DC.

I also highly recommend bookmarking kellymom.com. That site answered SO many of my breastfeeding questions and I spent many hours nursing LO at 2 am and reading.

QueSrah · October 2011

mssaint:

I didn't take a class, but I did read The Nursing Mother's Companion before LO was born and basically kept it next to me for the first couple of weeks of his life. I also saw a lactation consultant at the hospital who basically watched me bf LO and said we were doing it right. We have been fine without it, but I was lucky that breastfeeding has been very easy for us. If we'd run into problems, I would probably have taken a class at the breastfeeding center in DC.

I also highly recommend bookmarking kellymom.com. That site answered SO many of my breastfeeding questions and I spent many hours nursing LO at 2 am and reading.

Ditto the bold parts. I know that I learn better by reading than listening, so a class on BFing where I didn't have a baby to practice with wouldn't have been useful to me. That said, I did speak to two different LCs while I was in the hospital and Pat Shelly from the Breastfeeding Center a few days after getting home, and that was very helpful once I had a baby to practice on and had particular troubles to work through.

suecadence · October 2011

I took a class at my hospiral and found it helpful. I also read the book "So That's What They're For" by Janet Tamaro. And ditto the kellymom.com recommendation.

For me, reading ahead and taking the class de-mystified breastfeeding for me and strengthened by resolve to nurse as long as I could.

smacb · October 2011

I thought it was a waste of time.

tomandcourt · November 2011

mcatmay:
I'm a FTM and i thought the breastfeeding class was very helpful - while it provides some tips and explains latch, etc..., what was most helpful was the repeated encouragement to be patient, to realize that this is not something you just 'get' and that education is part of a successful breastfeeding relationship. It was also helpful to DH to allow him to see that he would need to be behind me 100% - i think that once he knew what it was all about, it made him that much more committed to helping me achieve it.
Breastfeeding is NOT easy, even when it goes well, those first couple of weeks because you are the sole source of baby's comfort and food (but very fulfilling a little later on). The class made DH and I more mentally aware - DH always made sure i had the space i needed it to make it work.
Good luck with whatever decision you make!

I agree with this. It's impossible to learn how to breastfeed before you have your actual baby (and each baby is different), but it was helpful to see different holds, to hear that it would be painful and difficult at first, to learn how much food your baby needs at first (not as much as you would think!) and for your DH to see how much work it would be so he could be supportive.

mssaint · November 2011

tomandcourt:
I agree with this. It's impossible to learn how to breastfeed before you have your actual baby (and each baby is different), but it was helpful to see different holds, to hear that it would be painful and difficult at first, to learn how much food your baby needs at first (not as much as you would think!) and for your DH to see how much work it would be so he could be supportive.

Although we didn't take a bfing class, the lactation consultant at Holy Cross lectured DH about how hard it was going to be. Not that I think he wouldn't have been supportive anyway, but I'm sure it helped remind him. And having your DH be supportive can make the difference in continuing or not.

umdbride · November 2011

Ditto mcatmay's post - the class was helpful to give us a better perspective on how things may be, and it was indeed very difficult for us at first and can be stressful at times to be LO's primary food source. Having DH attend the class was crucial - I think it made him feel like he had the knowledge, and that it was totally appropriate, for him to be truly supportive and involved in this big part of LO's life.

I also second the rec for Nursing Mother's Companion book - DH even decided to pick it up and read parts in the first week when we were having serious trouble with DS staying latched and eating. He recommended a specific technique he read in the book that helped immensely - I was exhausted and frustrated so I really credit him with getting us through that first week!

GL!

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