STM question preparing for breastfeeding

jenaliat · October 2012

I am trying to be prepared but not end up with a bunch of stuff I won't need. I want to breastfeed, but I know that sometimes it just doesn't work out. My milk could not come in (my mom had this issue), I could not produce enough, blah blah blah..there are many things that could prevent it from happening I suppose.

That being said, I don't know what I need before hand as far as supplies. We have a few (like 4) bottles and two big containers of formula that came in the mail as samples from Similac.

Do I need a breastpump in advance or wait and see?

Supplies for pumping/ feeding?

What about nursing bras?

More bottles?

Any insight would be great!! TIA!!

xxaliciaxx · October 2012

I am a first time mopm and plan to do the same if all work out. I can tell you the advice I got from breastfeeding class was to have at leat 2 maternity bras, 2 maternity tanks, some bottles just incase with formula, and some nipple cream. They reccomend you do not pump for 3 weeks, so the pump can wait, at least thats what I plan on doing. When you have built up a supply and your let down is normal, then the pump and storage containers come in handy. that way you dont buy a 200 dollar pump and are SOL if it doesnt work out.

jenaliat · October 2012

MandJS:
Nursing bras are helpful but not a "must". You don't need pumping supplies or a pump for a few weeks. And really... the stores are ALWAYS open. If you need formula or bottles, you can get them pretty easily. Really, you just need a good lanolin cream (I like Lansinoh brand), some nursing pads (leakage happens), and a handy supply of pillows to get baby propped up properly (even if you have a boppy, newborns are little and I still always needed another pillow or two at the beginning).

Tips to help your success rate: Drink a ton of water. Seriously. Whatever you have been drinking during pregnancy, drink more. Eat. Nursing moms actually need to intake MORE calories than pregnant ones. Utilize the lactation consultants that your hospital has (if they have any). Don't be afraid to ask for help. Nursing is natural, but not easy to do, and back in the days of old, girls learned how to nurse by being around nursing women. We don't get that education anymore. So ASK FOR HELP if you think you need it. You're learning AND so is the baby. Don't stress too much over it, but if you are truly committed, do NOT supplement until you've tried everything else. Milk supply is a supply and demand thing. If you supplement before giving your body a chance to ramp up supply, then LO won't be demanding as much and your body won't catch up. It's a catch-22. If you do end up supplementing, don't stress it. It's not the end of the world and your baby will still grow up and be healthy provided he gets sufficient nutrition from somewhere.

Thanks SO much! I will keep it simple. That sounds easier than worrying about all these supplies before hand! I really hope to be able to breastfeed, I know it is mostly up to me not giving up. I am thankful our hospital offers a breastfeeding class I can take before the baby comes (hopefully) and a lactation consultant on staff at the hospital. I plan to get help so I can make breastfeeding happen.

Since you are the resident expert , I will have to return to work after 6 weeks. Any tips in that area?

SLHurst11 · October 2012

MandJS:

Nursing bras are helpful but not a "must". You don't need pumping supplies or a pump for a few weeks. And really... the stores are ALWAYS open. If you need formula or bottles, you can get them pretty easily. Really, you just need a good lanolin cream (I like Lansinoh brand), some nursing pads (leakage happens), and a handy supply of pillows to get baby propped up properly (even if you have a boppy, newborns are little and I still always needed another pillow or two at the beginning).

Tips to help your success rate: Drink a ton of water. Seriously. Whatever you have been drinking during pregnancy, drink more. Eat. Nursing moms actually need to intake MORE calories than pregnant ones. Utilize the lactation consultants that your hospital has (if they have any). Don't be afraid to ask for help. Nursing is natural, but not easy to do, and back in the days of old, girls learned how to nurse by being around nursing women. We don't get that education anymore. So ASK FOR HELP if you think you need it. You're learning AND so is the baby. Don't stress too much over it, but if you are truly committed, do NOT supplement until you've tried everything else. Milk supply is a supply and demand thing. If you supplement before giving your body a chance to ramp up supply, then LO won't be demanding as much and your body won't catch up. It's a catch-22. If you do end up supplementing, don't stress it. It's not the end of the world and your baby will still grow up and be healthy provided he gets sufficient nutrition from somewhere.

Ask for help even if you DON'T think you need it. I thought DS and I were doing well, but the lactation consultant came anyway. Turns out I had a less-than-ideal latch and didn't even know it. Things were really good after she came in, watched us, and gave me pointers.

SLHurst11 · October 2012

jenaliat:
MandJS:

Nursing bras are helpful but not a "must". You don't need pumping supplies or a pump for a few weeks. And really... the stores are ALWAYS open. If you need formula or bottles, you can get them pretty easily. Really, you just need a good lanolin cream (I like Lansinoh brand), some nursing pads (leakage happens), and a handy supply of pillows to get baby propped up properly (even if you have a boppy, newborns are little and I still always needed another pillow or two at the beginning).

Tips to help your success rate: Drink a ton of water. Seriously. Whatever you have been drinking during pregnancy, drink more. Eat. Nursing moms actually need to intake MORE calories than pregnant ones. Utilize the lactation consultants that your hospital has (if they have any). Don't be afraid to ask for help. Nursing is natural, but not easy to do, and back in the days of old, girls learned how to nurse by being around nursing women. We don't get that education anymore. So ASK FOR HELP if you think you need it. You're learning AND so is the baby. Don't stress too much over it, but if you are truly committed, do NOT supplement until you've tried everything else. Milk supply is a supply and demand thing. If you supplement before giving your body a chance to ramp up supply, then LO won't be demanding as much and your body won't catch up. It's a catch-22. If you do end up supplementing, don't stress it. It's not the end of the world and your baby will still grow up and be healthy provided he gets sufficient nutrition from somewhere.

Thanks SO much! I will keep it simple. That sounds easier than worrying about all these supplies before hand! I really hope to be able to breastfeed, I know it is mostly up to me not giving up. I am thankful our hospital offers a breastfeeding class I can take before the baby comes (hopefully) and a lactation consultant on staff at the hospital. I plan to get help so I can make breastfeeding happen.

Since you are the resident expert , I will have to return to work after 6 weeks. Any tips in that area?

This is not necessarily true. Do not blame yourself if breastfeeding doesn't work out. It's not a mind-over-matter thing for everyone, some people will just have natural difficulties. There is no shame in things not working out as planned/hoped. Try your best, keep working at it, but if it doesn't work out, that's okay and you should be proud of your effort. Best of luck!

btudorica197 · October 2012

MandJS:
Nursing bras are helpful but not a "must". You don't need pumping supplies or a pump for a few weeks. And really... the stores are ALWAYS open. If you need formula or bottles, you can get them pretty easily. Really, you just need a good lanolin cream (I like Lansinoh brand), some nursing pads (leakage happens), and a handy supply of pillows to get baby propped up properly (even if you have a boppy, newborns are little and I still always needed another pillow or two at the beginning).

Tips to help your success rate: Drink a ton of water. Seriously. Whatever you have been drinking during pregnancy, drink more. Eat. Nursing moms actually need to intake MORE calories than pregnant ones. Utilize the lactation consultants that your hospital has (if they have any). Don't be afraid to ask for help. Nursing is natural, but not easy to do, and back in the days of old, girls learned how to nurse by being around nursing women. We don't get that education anymore. So ASK FOR HELP if you think you need it. You're learning AND so is the baby. Don't stress too much over it, but if you are truly committed, do NOT supplement until you've tried everything else. Milk supply is a supply and demand thing. If you supplement before giving your body a chance to ramp up supply, then LO won't be demanding as much and your body won't catch up. It's a catch-22. If you do end up supplementing, don't stress it. It's not the end of the world and your baby will still grow up and be healthy provided he gets sufficient nutrition from somewhere.

THIS! I am a FTM, but my sister was unable to breastfeed because she thinks she did not get enough fluids...Thanks for posting MandJS. I was curious about this as well!

jenaliat · October 2012

SLHurst11:
jenaliat:
MandJS:

Nursing bras are helpful but not a "must". You don't need pumping supplies or a pump for a few weeks. And really... the stores are ALWAYS open. If you need formula or bottles, you can get them pretty easily. Really, you just need a good lanolin cream (I like Lansinoh brand), some nursing pads (leakage happens), and a handy supply of pillows to get baby propped up properly (even if you have a boppy, newborns are little and I still always needed another pillow or two at the beginning).

Tips to help your success rate: Drink a ton of water. Seriously. Whatever you have been drinking during pregnancy, drink more. Eat. Nursing moms actually need to intake MORE calories than pregnant ones. Utilize the lactation consultants that your hospital has (if they have any). Don't be afraid to ask for help. Nursing is natural, but not easy to do, and back in the days of old, girls learned how to nurse by being around nursing women. We don't get that education anymore. So ASK FOR HELP if you think you need it. You're learning AND so is the baby. Don't stress too much over it, but if you are truly committed, do NOT supplement until you've tried everything else. Milk supply is a supply and demand thing. If you supplement before giving your body a chance to ramp up supply, then LO won't be demanding as much and your body won't catch up. It's a catch-22. If you do end up supplementing, don't stress it. It's not the end of the world and your baby will still grow up and be healthy provided he gets sufficient nutrition from somewhere.

Thanks SO much! I will keep it simple. That sounds easier than worrying about all these supplies before hand! I really hope to be able to breastfeed, I know it is mostly up to me not giving up. I am thankful our hospital offers a breastfeeding class I can take before the baby comes (hopefully) and a lactation consultant on staff at the hospital. I plan to get help so I can make breastfeeding happen.

Since you are the resident expert , I will have to return to work after 6 weeks. Any tips in that area?

This is not necessarily true. Do not blame yourself if breastfeeding doesn't work out. It's not a mind-over-matter thing for everyone, some people will just have natural difficulties. There is no shame in things not working out as planned/hoped. Try your best, keep working at it, but if it doesn't work out, that's okay and you should be proud of your effort. Best of luck!

Thanks for that! I just know a lot of women give up because it is hard or it hurts. I DON'T want to be one of those women!

jenaliat · October 2012

MandJS:
jenaliat:

Thanks SO much! I will keep it simple. That sounds easier than worrying about all these supplies before hand! I really hope to be able to breastfeed, I know it is mostly up to me not giving up. I am thankful our hospital offers a breastfeeding class I can take before the baby comes (hopefully) and a lactation consultant on staff at the hospital. I plan to get help so I can make breastfeeding happen.
Since you are the resident expert , I will have to return to work after 6 weeks. Any tips in that area?
I went back to work after 8 weeks. Honestly, my supply was never as good with the pump as it was when I nursed, and I wound up pumping a few times MORE than when S nursed. When I first started back to work, I would pump at about the same time S had nursed at home during ML. After a week or two, I spoke with DCP and got the schedule from them of when she was taking a bottle, and adjusted to pump at those times. Also, if you can make time to pump in the morning before work, do it. Either before or after your nurse LO. And again. Just... drink more water. I would make myself drink an entire bottle of water during EACH pumping session. The times I didn't, I noticed it in the amount I was able to get. FWIW, despite supply problems with the pump, I am STILL able to nurse S, she never got formula, and I pumped until she was 18 months old. It's hard but doable for most people. HOWEVER. As a PP said... there are times when it just won't work for whatever reason. Don't beat yourself up about it if you happen to be one of those people.

You are so helpful and knowledgeable, thanks for sharing!!

klingb52 · October 2012

I nursed and pumped with DS until I got pregnant this time around and pedi said he could have whole cow's milk. I went back to work at 8 weeks. You don't need nursing bras or tanks, but they are helpful. A good pump is helpful around 2 weeks post delivery. My advice is to hang in there before deciding to stop trying to BF. The beginning is hard work for both you and LO. While it is true that it doesn't work for some people, most are able to if they put their mind to it and make a serious commitment. I wanted to give up and DH and my sister really encouraged me to hang with. It gets so much easier! A good support system is key. Listen to your lactation consultants. If your hospital doesn't have them, ask your OB for recommendations. I also like having the books "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding," and, "So That's What They Are For." I didn't read either from cover to cover, but read the important parts and kept them as a resource. I referred to them periodically all the way until I weaned DS.

As far as pumping, I agree with MandJ. Try to get yourself in a routine before you get back. Once at work, pump when LO would normally eat, if possible. You may need to pump more often than LO eats, though. I pumped three times at work and also first thing in the morning right after DS woke up. I started pumping at 2 weeks to start building a freezer stash. That is what my lactation consultant advised. I kept pumping an additional session in the morning on the weekends even though I was home, just to keep up my supply.

I really liked some firmer, smaller couch pillows to help get DS into the right positions to nurse comfortably in addition to the boppy. Lanolin and pads are a must in the beginning. I liked the washable kind. They were softer and didn't stick to sore nipples as much as the paper ones did.

jenaliat · October 2012

MandJS:
Oh hey - something I just remembered. When you nurse, not only will your nipples potentially hurt, but your UTERUS may hurt, too. Nursing helps your uterus go back to it's pre-baby shape. In other words, contractions while nursing? Yup. Normal. Don't be alarmed by it. If a friend hadn't warned me about that before S was born, I probably would have flipped my sh!t.

I read that somewhere, most likely on TB somewhere. Not looking forward to it, but getting it back in shape is great!

jenaliat · October 2012

agis:
I had flat nipples and used a nipple shield (the lactation consultant will let you know if this is the case for you). Because of the nipple shield, i did pump after every feeding for 10 minutes to help establish my supply because i lacked some of the skin-to-skin contact. We rented a breast pump from the hospital and they also gave me a nipple shield.
I didn't buy nursing bras the first time around - just used nursing tanks.
I didn't do bottles until 3 weeks.
Oh, the first night at home I completely soaked through my nursing pads and drenched our bed - just a heads up that you may want to sleep on a towel:)

Thanks!! I am so glad everyone is willing to share and give info, it is SO helpful!!

jennygirlmt · October 2012

MandJS:
jenaliat:
MandJS:
jenaliat:

Thanks SO much! I will keep it simple. That sounds easier than worrying about all these supplies before hand! I really hope to be able to breastfeed, I know it is mostly up to me not giving up. I am thankful our hospital offers a breastfeeding class I can take before the baby comes (hopefully) and a lactation consultant on staff at the hospital. I plan to get help so I can make breastfeeding happen.
Since you are the resident expert , I will have to return to work after 6 weeks. Any tips in that area?
I went back to work after 8 weeks. Honestly, my supply was never as good with the pump as it was when I nursed, and I wound up pumping a few times MORE than when S nursed. When I first started back to work, I would pump at about the same time S had nursed at home during ML. After a week or two, I spoke with DCP and got the schedule from them of when she was taking a bottle, and adjusted to pump at those times. Also, if you can make time to pump in the morning before work, do it. Either before or after your nurse LO. And again. Just... drink more water. I would make myself drink an entire bottle of water during EACH pumping session. The times I didn't, I noticed it in the amount I was able to get. FWIW, despite supply problems with the pump, I am STILL able to nurse S, she never got formula, and I pumped until she was 18 months old. It's hard but doable for most people. HOWEVER. As a PP said... there are times when it just won't work for whatever reason. Don't beat yourself up about it if you happen to be one of those people.

You are so helpful and knowledgeable, thanks for sharing!!
Any time. I believe strongly in nursing (if you so choose). However, I don't think women get NEARLY enough support or resources, and I think a lot of people get pressured into supplementing without giving themselves a chance. At the end of the day - YOU are the mom. Do what feels right for you and don't worry about what the "experts" say. You'll know if your baby is starving.

I totally agree with this. I read the People interview with Snookie and they asked her if she was breastfeeding. She said that she wasn't making enough milk and that her baby wasn't gaining enough weight and her doctor told her to supplement. The baby was four days old during this interview. Do not let anyone pressure you within the first few days/weeks. It takes time.

As far as stuff, don't go overboard at first. You'll need more bottles than that if you are going back to work, but I stayed home and DD never accepted a bottle, so I can't give you better advice.

I lived in nursing cami's, I had three from walmart. Not the best quality and I pretty much wore them out. So I just got four from Motherhood. I have two regular nursing bras and a sports bra style one. That is plenty, since I preferred the tank. Also, my helpful hint, if you have a belly band, I would wear that when I wasn't wearing a nursing tank. Then my (floppy :-) ) belly was covered and I could just pull up my shirt and nurse.

My breastfeeding class told me to bring the pump to the hospital with us just in case, we didn't really need it, she just sort of showed me how it worked. The LC also noticed I had big nipples and had me buy bigger shields. I'm so glad she did, because the standard size hurt and I wouldn't have known any better.

Some nursing pads (I preferred Lansinoh, others preferred J&J, I hated Medela) and nipple cream (also Lansinoh), but I barely used any, just in the first few weeks, mostly during showers.

Once you find this is going well and you go back to work, you'll pump and store so you'll also need storage/freezer bags. I had 100 ounces stored before realizing I wasn't going back to work and that DD hated bottles. I liked Lansinoh (notice a trend?) but Gerber bags kept breaking on me.

I think your attitude is great. Be aware that you'll have to work hard to keep up your supply since you are going back to work so early. Nurse as much as you can when with LO, eat well, drink TONS. Good luck!

jillc2010 · October 2012

MandJS:
Nursing bras are helpful but not a "must". You don't need pumping supplies or a pump for a few weeks. And really... the stores are ALWAYS open. If you need formula or bottles, you can get them pretty easily. Really, you just need a good lanolin cream (I like Lansinoh brand), some nursing pads (leakage happens), and a handy supply of pillows to get baby propped up properly (even if you have a boppy, newborns are little and I still always needed another pillow or two at the beginning).

Tips to help your success rate: Drink a ton of water. Seriously. Whatever you have been drinking during pregnancy, drink more. Eat. Nursing moms actually need to intake MORE calories than pregnant ones. Utilize the lactation consultants that your hospital has (if they have any). Don't be afraid to ask for help. Nursing is natural, but not easy to do, and back in the days of old, girls learned how to nurse by being around nursing women. We don't get that education anymore. So ASK FOR HELP if you think you need it. You're learning AND so is the baby. Don't stress too much over it, but if you are truly committed, do NOT supplement until you've tried everything else. Milk supply is a supply and demand thing. If you supplement before giving your body a chance to ramp up supply, then LO won't be demanding as much and your body won't catch up. It's a catch-22. If you do end up supplementing, don't stress it. It's not the end of the world and your baby will still grow up and be healthy provided he gets sufficient nutrition from somewhere.

All of this! Also don't get too worked up and try to stay relaxed, if you don't the baby will feel it and get upset too.

weebos8 · October 2012

agis:
I had flat nipples and used a nipple shield (the lactation consultant will let you know if this is the case for you). Because of the nipple shield, i did pump after every feeding for 10 minutes to help establish my supply because i lacked some of the skin-to-skin contact. We rented a breast pump from the hospital and they also gave me a nipple shield.
I didn't buy nursing bras the first time around - just used nursing tanks.
I didn't do bottles until 3 weeks.
Oh, the first night at home I completely soaked through my nursing pads and drenched our bed - just a heads up that you may want to sleep on a towel:)

I really wanted to mention this too. I had to use a nipple shield and the hospital actually gave me a hand pump (Medela) to use. But pretty much all of this could be bolded for me. The leakage was the worst! I used Lanishoh and swore by them; with the other kinds I tried you could always see them.

Jena503 · October 2012

I'd say you do need a nursing tank or a soft nursing bra to start off with. At least one. But I have giant boobs and just never feel comfortable with absolutely no support during the day.

I'd recommend taking a BFing class if you haven't. Or attending a LLL meeting - you can absolutely go before your baby is born.

It took 5 days for my milk to come in with DD and 4 with DS. I did supplement at various times with both, including a tiny bit in the first few days, but was successful in BFing them each well over a year - my point is that supplementing is not the end of the world.

Want a personalized experience?

STM question preparing for breastfeeding

Re: STM question preparing for breastfeeding

Choose Another Board

Search Boards