@jaimeruns I definitely recommend a breastfeeding class! I took one before my DS was born and it was very helpful. That and don't be afraid to contact a lactation consultant if you're having difficulties. If you're having a hospital birth, they should have them there to help right away, too. The Wonanly Art of Breastfeeding is a good book and Kellymom.com is a great website, as well. Jack Newman has great videos for the correct latch, too. Hope this helped!
@tdoswell1 I don't have any personal experience so this is just based on reading, but from what I've heard exclusively pumping to feed may not be very practical. Because babies are faster than pumps, and having pumped you would still need to feed the baby. And from what I can gather anything that extends the time you're awake for in the middle of the night is to be avoided like the plague ☺ Tbh I've always experienced my breasts as a sexual thing, because they have never been used for anything else. I think maybe it will be a bit like taking on a second role, just as you are now a mother and also a sexual partner, so your breasts can have two functions, both of them good. Good luck with whatever you decide.
Not sure if this helps anyone but, the sensation of nursing does not feel the same as the intimate kind of stuff. Like at all. At least for me. Totally different!
This is all excellent advice, but something that I wish more people would have said to me before having DS is that it's okay if breastfeeding ISN'T right for you. By all means, try if that is what you want, but don't beat yourself up if it doesn't work out for whatever reason or you just decide it's not right for you. Some lactation consultants are amazing, but others tend to be a bit more bullying into making you think you are some kind of failure if you can't do it. Breastfeeding severely impacted my PPA and I ended up switching to EFF. DS is a very healthy, happy, and at least by all appearances thus far bright and thriving toddler.
Also, to the point about exclusively pumping, it can be done, but it is a major commitment and sometimes affects supply if you don't let your baby initially "regulate" your supply. My lactation consultant said to wait until about a month before pumping to allow my supply to match what DS would need. Do what is right for you and good luck!
I lurk. I snark. I offer sound advice if you're not BSC. You may not like me. I'm okay with it.
I bf my daughter and plan to do so again with this one. I think I did 6 months last time until my supply stopped and hope to do longer this time if I can. In the beginning I needed nipple shields (makes a bottle out of your nipple) to help with her latching, which were great and helped on days when the nipple got sore. The one thing I want to do differently this time because I didn't know last time is to pump when the baby is done feeding to help keep up a supply that will even out later when I dry up. I'm curious about the pp with the lactation cookies, so I'm going to look into that. Also just like the pp, talk to the lactation consultant before you leave the hospital (even if things are going well, just as a double check) and call one if you need it when you get home. The amount of money you will save if you choose and are able to bf is just astounding. Good luck!
Ooooh. I thought lactation cookies were cookies you made with your breast milk. I'm glad I restrained myself from the eww gross comments I was tempted to make on fb when a friend posted about them.
@shatzegirl thanks!!! That was a lot of really good info that I'm glad to have. I'm going to order the book just so I can get started on learning more about it.
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour 1 3/4 c. oats 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 3/4 c. almond butter or peanut butter 1/2 c. butter, softened 1 c. flax 3 T brewer's yeast 1/3 c. water 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 c. sugar 1/2 c. brown sugar 2 tsp vanilla 2 large eggs 2 c. (12oz) chocolate chips 1 c. chopped nuts of your choice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. In a large bowl, beat almond butter, butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, brewer's yeast, flax and water until creamy. Mix in eggs. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Mix in nuts and chocolate chips. Add oats slowly, mixing along the way.
Place balls of dough onto greased baking sheets or baking stones. Press down each ball lightly with a fork. Bake 12 min
I use this one. You can mix in different types of chips, nuts, etc depending on what you like
And regarding the sexual/non sexual thing, it can be different for every woman. I breast fed for over 2 years and worked full time on 12 hour shifts after I went back to work at 3 months. After I year I drastically pulled back in pumping because he didn't NEED my milk necessarily and nutrients elsewhere. But over that timeline, I had a variety of reactions to my breasts and the various ways they were being requested, because breasts are both organs for feeding and nurturing your baby as well as have nerve ending for sexual stimulation. But nothing beats having baby nursing and you being totally hands free to eat, or play video games (if that's a thing for you) or read or whatever (laptops weren't easy because they couldn't sit on my lap because baby was there, but I know some people who pulled that off, too). I had to pick food out of my son's hair all the time, but, my pediatrician recommended me to snack while breastfeeding anyways to help keep my nutrition up. So, there are some perks to having your tit out and being hands free versus needing to use a bottle. My husband had the crap end of the deal when I was at work and he had my son all day because he couldn't eat and play games or whatever when he had to feed our son...he had to hold the bottle until my son was old enough to do so himself.
1. I think it's totally normal to not want to breastfeed. My mom didn't breastfeed, nor did my sister. I chose to because of the benefits and to save money on formula. Which funnily enough, DD needed to be on formula too for weight gain.
2. Breastfeeding totally changes your boobs for sexual encounters. Mine are so not sensitive anymore.
1. I think it's totally normal to not want to breastfeed. My mom didn't breastfeed, nor did my sister. I chose to because of the benefits and to save money on formula. Which funnily enough, DD needed to be on formula too for weight gain.
2. Breastfeeding totally changes your boobs for sexual encounters. Mine are so not sensitive anymore.
Ultimately, it's your choice!!
Random but, weirdly enough, as much as I know and have heard that generally bf'ing causes your nipples to be less sensitive...I swear mine are more sensitive now. Maybe I'm a special snowflake but it was a totally unexpected thing and is much to my disappointment right now with uber sensitive nips.
1. I think it's totally normal to not want to breastfeed. My mom didn't breastfeed, nor did my sister. I chose to because of the benefits and to save money on formula. Which funnily enough, DD needed to be on formula too for weight gain.
2. Breastfeeding totally changes your boobs for sexual encounters. Mine are so not sensitive anymore.
Ultimately, it's your choice!!
Random but, weirdly enough, as much as I know and have heard that generally bf'ing causes your nipples to be less sensitive...I swear mine are more sensitive now. Maybe I'm a special snowflake but it was a totally unexpected thing and is much to my disappointment right now with uber sensitive nips.
Good for you!! You must be one of the lucky ones then! It takes so much for DH to get my nipples excited...that after a while I'm just like "stop and keep doing [other stuff]". oh sex lol
1. I think it's totally normal to not want to breastfeed. My mom didn't breastfeed, nor did my sister. I chose to because of the benefits and to save money on formula. Which funnily enough, DD needed to be on formula too for weight gain.
2. Breastfeeding totally changes your boobs for sexual encounters. Mine are so not sensitive anymore.
Ultimately, it's your choice!!
Random but, weirdly enough, as much as I know and have heard that generally bf'ing causes your nipples to be less sensitive...I swear mine are more sensitive now. Maybe I'm a special snowflake but it was a totally unexpected thing and is much to my disappointment right now with uber sensitive nips.
Good for you!! You must be one of the lucky ones then! It takes so much for DH to get my nipples excited...that after a while I'm just like "stop and keep doing [other stuff]". oh sex lol
I did get a little lucky...but now with nipple soreness that won't go away, any touch makes me want to backhand my husband.
Ooooh. I thought lactation cookies were cookies you made with your breast milk. I'm glad I restrained myself from the eww gross comments I was tempted to make on fb when a friend posted about them.
Ha! I thought that for the longest time before I had DS. So funny.
I'm not sure if this was mentioned in this thread or not but I drank Mother's Milk tea by Traditional Medicinals and I had a great supply. Which may or may not been from the tea but it's worth a shot!
I breastfed all 3 of my children and plan on my breastfeeding my fourth as well. I used a medela breast pump. I definitely liked the football position to breastfeed. I would always just use a pillow to prop baby up. I produced a lot of milk. So after every feed I had to pump. I had to pump at least every 2 hours or my breasts would get so engorged. That was annoying.
Ftm plan on breastfeeding. Can't lie have been stressed about doing it & being able to do it. It seems overwhelming in the beginning. Hopefully classes/consultant will make me feel more at ease.
I breastfed all 3 of my children and plan on my breastfeeding my fourth as well. I used a medela breast pump. I definitely liked the football position to breastfeed. I would always just use a pillow to prop baby up. I produced a lot of milk. So after every feed I had to pump. I had to pump at least every 2 hours or my breasts would get so engorged. That was annoying.
Sorry if this is a stupid question, I am a FTM, but didn't pumping for so long after your baby was done eating just keep increasing your supply? What did you do with all that extra breast milk??
Married Nov 2013 Me: 27 DH: 33 B-Day DS: 02/17/2016 EDD #2: 01/24/2018 Furbaby - Lab mix rescue
@ccolekelly, yes, it does tell your body to keep producing more but if you want to build up a stash of breastmilk, you freeze the extra. They can keep drinking it in place of milk for a while if you have extra. If you don't need it, there are ways to help you reduce your supply (Sudafed, cabbage leaves, gradually pumping less, etc.). If you suddenly stop pumping, you will get clogged ducts and possibly mastitis. That is awful.
@ccolekelly not a stupid question . I have always produced a lot of milk even before I started pumping. I would get so engorged that I had to pump or my breasts will literally be so huge of milk. I would freeze all my milk. So when I chose to stop breastfeeding I would still have a huge stash of breast milk for months. When I chose to stop bf I did try cabbage, slowly compressing the milk with my hands but what worked best was wrapping my breasts and not touching them at all until my body got the point. But it was a pain and took about 2 weeks for my milk supply to stop. But every woman is different. I liked having a big supply it was just a pain to constantly pump even after a feeding.
I breastfed both of my children so far, and plan on breastfeeding this one too. When they were very little, I would use the cross cradle hold, holding them with one arm and supporting my boob with the other. The boppy and my brest friend were lifesavers.
Mom to Benjamin 6/2011 and Lena 5/2013; baby 3 on the way
@shatzegirl I've seen the Mother's Milk tea at the store and am planning to try it. I'm a big fan of medicinal teas. But I heard you shouldn't drink it earlier on in pregnancy- when did you start drinking it? Before or after giving birth?
@jaimeruns you can drink red raspberry leaf tea leading up to birth. Add coconut oil to help boost the immune function of your milk and to increase your milk supply. So many other uses too. It's my number one must have for so many reasons. A few listed here:
Re: Breastfeeding
Tbh I've always experienced my breasts as a sexual thing, because they have never been used for anything else. I think maybe it will be a bit like taking on a second role, just as you are now a mother and also a sexual partner, so your breasts can have two functions, both of them good. Good luck with whatever you decide.
I lurk. I snark. I offer sound advice if you're not BSC. You may not like me. I'm okay with it.
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 3/4 c. oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 c. almond butter or peanut butter
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. flax
3 T brewer's yeast
1/3 c. water
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
2 c. (12oz) chocolate chips
1 c. chopped nuts of your choice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
In a large bowl, beat almond butter, butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, brewer's yeast, flax and water until creamy.
Mix in eggs.
Gradually beat in flour mixture.
Mix in nuts and chocolate chips.
Add oats slowly, mixing along the way.
Place balls of dough onto greased baking sheets or baking stones.
Press down each ball lightly with a fork.
Bake 12 min
I use this one. You can mix in different types of chips, nuts, etc depending on what you like
And regarding the sexual/non sexual thing, it can be different for every woman. I breast fed for over 2 years and worked full time on 12 hour shifts after I went back to work at 3 months. After I year I drastically pulled back in pumping because he didn't NEED my milk necessarily and nutrients elsewhere. But over that timeline, I had a variety of reactions to my breasts and the various ways they were being requested, because breasts are both organs for feeding and nurturing your baby as well as have nerve ending for sexual stimulation. But nothing beats having baby nursing and you being totally hands free to eat, or play video games (if that's a thing for you) or read or whatever (laptops weren't easy because they couldn't sit on my lap because baby was there, but I know some people who pulled that off, too). I had to pick food out of my son's hair all the time, but, my pediatrician recommended me to snack while breastfeeding anyways to help keep my nutrition up. So, there are some perks to having your tit out and being hands free versus needing to use a bottle. My husband had the crap end of the deal when I was at work and he had my son all day because he couldn't eat and play games or whatever when he had to feed our son...he had to hold the bottle until my son was old enough to do so himself.
My Ridiculous Chart
My Ridiculous Chart
I did get a little lucky...but now with nipple soreness that won't go away, any touch makes me want to backhand my husband.
My Ridiculous Chart
I'm not sure if this was mentioned in this thread or not but I drank Mother's Milk tea by Traditional Medicinals and I had a great supply. Which may or may not been from the tea but it's worth a shot!
Me: 27 DH: 33
B-Day DS: 02/17/2016
EDD #2: 01/24/2018
Furbaby - Lab mix rescue
Mom to Benjamin 6/2011 and Lena 5/2013; baby 3 on the way
https://blogs.babycenter.com/life_and_home/11232012-21-mom-baby-friendly-uses-coconut-oil/