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Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
BFing Moms- questions!
Hi ladies! (I also posted this on the breastfeeding board)
I am a STM, however I feel like a FTM with BF. With DS1 I had a lot of problems trying to BF. It was a very trying and frustrating time, and we were only able to BF for about 3 months, while supplementing with formula throughout that time.
DS2 was born 5 days ago, and things are completely different! I would like to BF for as long as possible this time around. However, I feel like I know nothing. I have just a few questions for all of you moms who BF.
What do I need for breastfeeding? What products made it easier for you?
Is there any way to prevent/ease the pain of engorgement?
Do I need to invest in a pump now, or should I wait?- Last time we rented one from the hospital, but we have moved and that isn't an option this time around.
Thanks so much for your help! I am so appreciative of any advice I can get!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: BFing Moms- questions!
The only thing I really used was my Boppy, it is great for breast feeding.
I would invest in a pump now, I know that early on I would get so engorged and if I didn't pump I would be in so much pain. I made enough to pump and breastfeed my little one.
Good luck, I hope everything goes smooth and you should be very proud!
-I love my Boppy
-I would get some nursing pads, the first few months especially are very leaky! I prefer the reusable kind but they have disposable nursing pads as well
-I would go ahead and get the pump. Even if you don't plan on leaving LO right away it is still nice to be able to build up a stash so that you have it when you do want/need to leave LO.
Definitely get a pump. Besides hopsitals, I know a local parenting store/educator in our area rents. Also check with your insurance to see if they can arrange a rental or will pay for part or all of a purchased pump. I never pumped at work but I used it when we were having trouble latching at the beginning if I ever missed a feeding because of needing a bottle, to have some milk on hand for seperation, and to ease engorgement early and, eventually, when we weaned.
Get something to store you pumped milk in. Most ladies like bags. I preferred the bottles because I didn't have to worry about them springing a leak.
You need nursing pads - diposal or reusable are both options - and some nursing bras/tanks (I liked Bravado).
Get Medela Tender Care (modified lanolin that's easier to apply on sore nips).
You might like a boppy or my breast friend. I just used a regular pillow.
See a LC if you have problems! Good Luck!
Congrats on your new son and on getting a good start to BFing!
Boppy and lanisoh are really all I used for DS. I had really cracked nipples and even a blood blister once, but I stuck it out and am glad I did. Once we made it past the first month it was easy peasy.
Your supply will regulate itself. You can take advantage of having an oversupply now by pumping and building up a freezer stash if you want. Especially a good idea if you are going back to work and DS will need to bottle feed. You can nurse DS on one side only, and when he's done finish pumping that side and then pump the other side until it's empty too. Then the next nursing switch sides.
If you don't need a freezer stash so much, then I'd say just get a $30 hand pump and pump just enough to take away the pain from engorgement but dont completely drain the breast - then your supply will start to level out. I don't think you need an expensive double pump unless youa re going back to work full time. I actually thought my $30 Medela Harmony worked a lot better than my Pump in Style.
What do I need for breastfeeding? What products made it easier for you?
I highly recommend the My Breast Friend - I liked it way better than the Boppy for nursing. I also couldn't live without breast pads for leaking, regular old hospital blankets or other blankets I didn't care about to put under LO b/c he was so messy & my let-down was so strong that milk would get everywhere (that way I didn't have to wash the Breast Friend cover all the time - just the blankets).
I needed lanolin cream for my crazy cracked, bleeding nipples, as well as Polysporin & an anti fungal cream (both OTC) to put on my nipples to try to prevent infections & thrush & all that. I needed a pump ASAP to help relieve engorgement... pumping was also a lifesaver when I thought I would quit b/c of the pain of him clamping down on my (cracked, bleeding) nipples - I would just pump instead of nursing him for a while b/c that didn't hurt so bad, and eventually would get back to nursing.
Is there any way to prevent/ease the pain of engorgement?
I had TERRIBLE engorgement and TONS of milk. Pumping helped some in the short term, but you have to be careful b/c if you pump too much you'll tell your body to keep making more milk & keep getting engorged. Cabbage leaves worked for me... you keep them in the fridge, then break up the veins in them (I used a rolling pin to do that) and then put them in your bra for a while, til they're wilted. They warn you not to do that too much b/c it can really dry up your supply, but I had so much that I could use them for days just to get back to a regular supply. I would also just sit there and massage the knots out of my boobs & hand-express milk... DH and I would literally sit in bed with towels & big bowls in front of me & just milk me to relieve the pain.
ETA: I tried using the cloth/washable breast pads first, but I ended up finding that I had to get disposable. They were much less noticeable under clothes for one thing, and they actually absorb the milk like a diaper would, instead of just becoming wet themselves like the cotton ones did. I would leak a whole ounce or more out of one side while I was feeding him on the other side, so I started getting cheap diapers and putting them in my bra on the side I wasn't feeding him to absorb all of that.
- I used a handpump to relieve engorgement. My breasts were so hard DD literally could not latch unless I pumped a little first.
-Dr. Newman's anti-fungal nipple cream. You need a prescription for it, but it saved me.
-Disposable breast pads (I'm still using them all the time but I seem to have a really forceful letdown)
GL! I also wasn't able to BF my first (recurring thrush that I just could not get rid of no matter what I did), but am happy to say that BF #2 has been SO much easier!
Eleanor Noelle - 18/05/12 Claire Elisabeth - 16/-5/10