Tips!?

kerischrader · December 2011

So I am now kicking myself for deciding not to take a breast feeding course (37 weeks)... I figured I would learn all from the lactation consultant in the hospital and take advantage of the group classes they offer while you are still in the hospital after birth. Thing is, I want to breastfeed ASAP after birth and want to make sure I am doing it right (proper latch esp!). I have been doing online reading and research as well as watching clips via you tube of how to get a proper latch. Any tips or advice on this subject? How early in your experience did you meet with the lactation consultant after birth to help? Thanks!

jlsimon56 · December 2011

I didn't take a class either, no worries! Just make sure the nurses know you want to BF and ask to see a LC asap. And WAKE THE BABY to nurse, even if it's not for very long. Your body needs that stimulation. Like, every 2-3 hours. Ask the nurses to wake you if you need it. When you are trying to BF, put a sign on the door so visitors stay away. You will have more success if you are given the time to succeed. I had a ton of visitors and I don't remember nursing LO at all on the first day, and she was born at 9:30am! People just kept coming, it sucked. Make it a priority if you want it to be.

I watched youtube videos on latching to help. (Once we were home.)

meg193 · December 2011

Go to Barnes and Noble and pick up a breastfeeding book. That way if you are having issues you will have something to reference even in the middle of the night. My son was born at 7pm and the LC had already left for the day. My nurse really wasn't much help. I ended up seeing the LC in the morning but I had already been forced to give my son a bottle and we had latch issues from the start. If I had it to do over again I would have refused the bottle and just syringe fed my son pumped colostrum and then kept trying to latch him every 2 hours. If you search the board for book recs there are a whole bunch of post. I have The Nursing Mother's Companion which I think is good but it is the only one I have read so I have nothing to compare it to.

Ms5586 · December 2011

Check your local library for DVDs that will be like a class. I LOVED Sheri Bayles' Laugh and Learn Series. There's one for breastfeeding that was very helpful (there's also about childbirth and newborn care), and I didn't take a class either. DH also enjoyed the dvds, she has a good sense of humor and really spells things out so they're very easy to understand.

I went in to the hosp. very informed, and ended up exclusively pumping. I did everything "right", but he wouldn't latch at all.

Oh well, it works for us.

meltoine · December 2011

Definitely get a book. DS was born at 9pm on a Friday night and we were discharged Sunday morning without having seen the LC at all since she doesn't work weekends. Thankfully I had read a ton and my aunt (who's an LC and a peds nurse) came to visit. Without her, we would have been a little lost. The books help, at least then you have the knowledge in the back of your head.

BeetleLinz1125 · December 2011

Make contact with your local La Leche League, maybe go to their next meeting so that you can have someone to contact if it's after hours for a LC when you get home. I went home on a Saturday, and so I had questions but no one would be able to call me back until Monday. Even just someone you can call will help. I've had a great experience with them.

ArcadianDreams · December 2011

I didn't take a course either. And in retrospect, I don't think a course would have prepared me, almost everyone has some kind of kinks early in the process. I agree - be prepared to frequently need to wake the baby to eat. Make sure the hospital knows not to give bottles or pacifiers. And request an LC to visit you the day after the birth to discuss any issues. (Although, it is just as likely for issues to crop up after you are home)

tokenhoser · December 2011

The LC never got around to seeing me because the hospital was super busy and I think I looked like things were fine (and they were). Just ask for help and try to relax. kellymom.com is the best breastfeeding website I've found.

https://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/index.html

You could also see when the next La Leche League meeting is in your city - I went while pg and found it very encouraging.

rosiemomma · December 2011

Getting a good latch can mean the difference between continuing or not being able to from pain. Get the baby to open up very wide (corner of mouth open 160 degrees). Watch to see the baby swallowing, you can listening for the swallow, and tell if your baby is swallowing if the areola moves towards the baby?s mouth with each suck.

Most babies, if given the chance, will attempt latch and nurse within 24 hours of their birth. Frequent early feedings are very important so that the newborn receives colostrum, and so momma's milk will "come in" more quickly .Sometimes a baby will latch on immediately after birth, and some babies may just nuzzle the nipple, these are both just as important. If your baby has troubles give them time and patience to latch proper. All of these actions help; the more time from birth the baby spends at the breast, the more accurate mom's supply will be. If your baby is born early, give them until past their due date to really get the hang of breastfeeding.

Try to put off for the first hour, treatments like eye ointment, which stings, and the first bath, or at least have the baby's hands left unwashed (the smell of amniotic fluid on the hands can help the baby find his way to the breast). If you are having a boy and plan to circumcise him, consider waiting until after breastfeeding is well-established to have the procedure done (pain can impact a baby's feeding).

A good technique is to massage and compress each breast at each feeding during pauses in the baby?s sucking to increase the amount of colostrum they receives during each feeding. Nurse as soon as the baby shows any hunger signs or cues. This is the single most important thing you can do! Feed on your baby?s cue: at least 8-10 times each 24 hours. Know your babies feeding cues, nurse when you see these: Rapid eye movements under the eyelids, hand-to-mouth-movements, sucking movements of the mouth and tongue, any body movements and small sounds. Basically anything other than deep sleep or quiet awake periods, is hunger. If your baby starts acting squirmy even with shut eyes, pick him/her up and try to nurse.

Skin-to-Skin is very important, place your baby skin-to-skin on your chest right after the birth, aiming to have the first nursing occur within the first hour after birth. Skin-to-skin contact awakens your baby?s feeding instinct. Especially if you end up with a C-section, the baby can be placed across your upper chest while surgery is completed so the baby gets skin-to-skin contact and is motivated to nurse. Ask that your baby remain with you during recovery.

It would be ideal to keep the baby with you, assuming there are no medical reasons for the baby to be removed after delivery this should be allowed; even if you have to insist. It is better to keep your baby with you during the hospital stay. Babies who are sent to the nursery tend to breastfeed less often which is not good for your baby or for your milk production. Believe it or not, you?ll probably sleep better, because you will be less anxious about the baby. Keep baby with you as much as possible in the hospital. This may require your support person to stay with you so they can help you care for the baby. More importantly it gives you the opportunity to nurse on demand from the beginning, without any intermediaries telling you when your baby is hungry or not. If your baby spends time in the nursery, make a sign the bassinet that says "Breastfed baby. No bottles or pacifiers, please! Bring me to my mom the moment I cry, or every 2 hours if I don't." Baby needs to nurse frequently, they may tell you every 2 hours, but it works best to put baby to breast any time they were giving a hunger cue. This is even more important with a C-section.

Good Luck!

helpful links:

https://www.nbci.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=6&Itemid=13

https://www.bestforbabes.com/fast-facts-how-to-deal-with-common-breastfeeding-issues/

https://www.bestforbabes.org/get-your-best-game-on/

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