Breastfeeding--Comments, Questions, Thoughts...

Kipperoo · February 2017

Thinking it's about time to start a thread about the good old topic of breastfeeding! There was another post floating around for STMs who exclusively pumped (sometimes shortened to EP, for the newbies) last time, but I thought it was a good idea to get one big thread going for people to ask questions, share their experiences, etc...

jayandaplus · February 2017

Yes! This is my and DH's number one anxiety, I think. I SO badly want to exclusively breastfeed that I'm already freaking out about it.

Here's my question: should you pump before baby comes out (i.e. last week before EDD or a few days before) to a) get used to the pump, how it works, how it feels and b) help get your milk to come in?

I can't wait to read all the STM's tips, tricks, and advice. I'm a FTM craving insight. (Everyone says BF is hard and be prepared for it to not work. Any success stories??)

nda_roxybabe · February 2017

I'm so excited and anxious and a little scared of breastfeeding. My Mom didn't BF my brother and I and I was always so sure I would never, until several years ago. I'm terrified of it hurting.

My plan is to BF and start pumping during my leave. Once I go back to work I am hoping to still do both.

mcvgal · February 2017

I do not recommend pumping before baby is here. That first colostrum is packed with nutrients that would be beneficial for the baby's first time nursing.

I highly recommend requesting a lactation consultant while in the hospital. I already felt comfortable nursing DS2 because I had so much help in the NICU with DS1. However, if I had not asked for an LC with DS2, they never would have offered. I stayed in the hospital for 5 days because of c-section. However, with a vaginal delivery you will likely stay less time in the hospital. Take advantage of all the resources while you are there not having to worry about anything else.

nda_roxybabe · February 2017

Question: Would you recommend as a FTM I take a breastfeeding class ahead of time? Or do you feel the LC in the hospital is sufficient?

Kipperoo · February 2017

I took a BF class about a month before birth--I thought it was really helpful just to a lay of the basics and put myself in the mindset of what to expect while BF. Once my son arrived, we did skin to skin nearly immediately and started with the nursing efforts. I saw a lactation consultant (LC) a few times in the hospital, for a Medela PISA through my insurance, and everything seemed to be going fine! The LC told me to watch his feeding levels because I had slightly flat nipples and may need a breast shield. They gave me one to try, but it was too big so i had to order a smaller one on Amazon, just in case. At our first pedi appointment, the doctor said although he was feeding, he wasn't eating enough because his weight had dropped too much. We had to start supplementing with formula and I started using the shield. The shield was great because it prevented cracked nipples, etc, but a pain because it was just another thing to remember to keep clean, etc. My son was eating every 2 hours, as instructed by the pedi, but he kept falling asleep mid feed. It was a constant battle to keep the kid awake long enough to eat enough. There were many times that it would take a full hour to feed him, which then left only 1 hour until the next feeding, so I was getting very, very little sleep. I was trying to keep the formula supplements to a minimum, so I just went on with the exhausting dance for probably 3 weeks. DH had 4 weeks off, so during his last week we started a new nighttime routine--I pumped and he fed him a bottle. It sped things up a little bit because he seemed to drink a lot quicker from the bottle, but I then became a slave to the machine. During the daytime, I would typically lay him on his boppy and feed him a bottle while I pumped with my pumping bra (pumping bras are a GAME CHANGER). We still did some BF, but he was never able to drink at the same speed/volume. Unfortunately, pumping seemed to result in a decreased supply (or just a supply that didn't properly increase at the rate it needed to), so I started ramping up the formula. Finally gave up on the whole thing in anticipation of going back to work at 12 weeks, at which point he was fully onto formula.

Aside from the mechanics of my story, I want to stress to all FTM mamas who are planning to BF that making this decision before the baby comes is NOT the same as deciding something like cloth vs. disposable diapers. You should obviously go into it with an idea of what you want to do, but if it doesn't work out the way you had planned, do NOT beat yourself up over it (way easier said than done, trust me). The hormones your body is dealing with on top of the lack of sleep could possibly make the situation feel dire and incredibly stressful. Just remember that a happy mom is far more important than a baby who is formula free. I can specifically remember a middle of the night instance around 4 weeks where I just totally broke down in tears because I felt like the first 4 weeks of my son's life were gone and all I could remember was the feeding and the struggles. It was heartbreaking and I hope to not repeat that this go around. I know that BF works really well for some mamas (even after initial struggles!) and I sincerely hope that each of you have a fabulous experience with it, but also want everyone to be prepared in case it doesn't work out as planned!

bacorrea · February 2017

nda_roxybabe said:

Question: Would you recommend as a FTM I take a breastfeeding class ahead of time? Or do you feel the LC in the hospital is sufficient?

Yes! Take the class.

MamaandNurse · February 2017

*Lurking from Jan17*

STM with a three week old. We started breastfeeding about five minutes after this one was born. She latched beautifully and had a "vacuum suck", as the pediatricians said. The beginning is hard because it hurts. Your nipples are not used to that kind of attention and will get sore. Invest in Lanolin cream and use it before it starts hurting. You may experience cracking or other nipple damage. This is usually a sign of a bad latch so as PP said, definitely take advantage of the LC while you have them.

One of my nipples ended up cracking a little this time because of that super sucking. I rested the nipple with gel soothie pads and solely pumped on that side while LO nursed the other side until it healed. I now have no issues and no pain. After the initial shock to your nipples, BF should NOT hurt.

I would recommend not pumping until after LO gets here. While you wouldn't "run out" of colostrum, it would be a waste of time. Your milk won't come in until usually a few days after LO is born and no amount of pumping beforehand will change that.

Electric pumps are pretty straight forward. Put the shields on and turn it on. They usually have a "let down" button that you push if your let down (milk starts flowing) sooner than what the pump is programed for.

Sorry for the novel! Don't let others discourage you. BF is hard because it takes a lot of persistence and work in the beginning to get your supply established. Both you and LO have to learn how to BF so don't give up! But on the flip side, if it doesn't work out for whatever reason, fed is what's best. I could not BF with my first and she is currently a happy, healthy five year old.

ETA: Water will be your best friend. The more water you drink, the more milk you make. You'll need a minimum of three liters a day to be adequately hydrated.

Kipperoo · February 2017

@nda_roxybabe , yes, definitely take the class! I think it's helpful in a lot of ways, and echo the above suggestions that you should also utilize the lactation consultant while in the hospital! I'd also get a pumping bra, given that you are planning to pump when you go back to work!

@jayandaplus , I've never heard of pumping before the baby comes--I'm not sure what the benefit would be. The pumping part is really easy--it doesn't take long to get the hang of it.

Yiggle09 · February 2017

@jayandaplus there is conflicting research about pumping or manually expressing milk prior to giving birth. There is a theory that it can start preterm labor. I just spoke to my former hospital LC and she says that since 2015 when I had my son that they are now recommending manual hand expression prior to birth and to obviously freeze anything that you get out.
@nda_roxybabe a class prior is helpful to an extent. I feel you can get as much info in a book if that is your thing Ida May has a fantastic bf book i highly recommend. There are post partum classes that I think are more beneficial since you'll have your real live baby with you. LC in hospital is helpful but sometimes its better to have an LC who will come to your home for you and show you techniques in the house. I had someone say on the STM EP thread that all the tricks they showed while you are in your bed at the hospital worked at the hospital but did not help at home.

jayandaplus · February 2017

Thanks everyone! This thread is so great!

hp_momma · February 2017

I did not take a breastfeeding class before, BUT I did a lot of my own research and reading to prepare myself. I don't feel like I missed out on anything by not doing a class but if you have time in your schedule to take one, then go for it!

I think @Kipperoo made the most valuable point; go into it with an open mind and try to be as stress free as possible about it. I went into breastfeeding DD1 as "if it works, wonderful! But if not, she will still be perfectly healthy on formula". I have a neighbor who had her first child two months ago. She was SO stressed about breastfeeding. Her milk supply didn't come in right away, baby wasn't latching properly and it just wasn't working. Her husband kept pressuring her that she HAD to breastfeed, formula was bad and baby ended up loosing way too much weight by her 1 month appointment and had to be admitted to the hospital.

I tell all of my friends that if you can get past the first few weeks of breastfeeding, then it's smooth sailing after that. Engorgement is no joke. It hurts, and it's uncomfortable. Nipple pain is the worst. No matter how much lanolin I used, I was literally cringing everytime baby latched for the first week or so.

hp_momma · February 2017

@jayandaplus I've heard of the pumping before delivery to help induce delivery naturally, but I think it's a waste. And if you happen to get any colostrum out then technically baby isn't going to get that first feeding!

psherman42wwsa · February 2017

I would say it took me a solid 6 months to figure out the hang of things and no longer have issues.

I had some latching trouble and I used a nipple shield the entire 13 months I breast fed although its usually not recommended. I had no problems with it and it worked for us.

I think its important for people to prepare themselves that for some breastfeeding is easy and for some it's really a challenge. If it doesn't work out the way you wanted to than it's ok, your not a failure. Also, there is no harm in having a back up plan. Like I mentioned in another thread, my plan is to BF again but I'm researching formulas just incase it doesn't work out for me this time. I would rather have all of the information ahead of time and have some formula in my pantry just incase. When you are sleep deprived, your entire body is sore, you have a screaming hungry baby... its very stressful and giving yourself options is necessary.

Also, its very important to keep all of your nipple shields/pumping parts extremely clean. I soaked all of my parts nightly in hot soapy water and then used my sterilizer. If your using reusable nursing pads, they should be washed in hot water with bleach. I got ductal thrush and learned my lesson.

nda_roxybabe · February 2017

I already told H he is on water duty! I think the class will be good for him as well so he maybe has a good understanding.

hp_momma · February 2017

Yes! Water water water! And snacks! Remember when your breastfeeding you burn calories, so it's recommended that you keep up the extra 500 calories. Thosd extra calories will help keep your supply up, don't skimp on them because you want to start dropping baby weight right away! Your still going to drop weight, but your water/food intake directly effects your breastmilk supply.

jayandaplus · February 2017

@nda_roxybabe I agree, I think the class would be good (couldn't hurt) and helpful for DHs. Thanks to all the STM giving their feedback!

NotAPlaya-JustCrushAlot · February 2017

I've heard to avoid pumping before delivery because it can lead to early labor as well. No idea if this recommendation has changed.

I would recommend a class for you and your DH. It was helpful to explain the various holds, techniques, and feeding times. It was helpful to DH to understand what I would be going through and provide support where he could. (i.e. bring me water the second the kid latches on..) I also recommend asking to see the LC before you are discharged just to make sure the latch is ok, etc.

My best recommendation is to keep some of the gel soothie pads in the fridge. They will feel amazing those first few days. Also, be prepared to feed on demand for a few months. DD wouldn't take a pacifier and treated my breasts as a pacifier. Between that and cluster feeding, it felt like I was constantly nursing.

Finally, pumping sucks (see what I did there? I'm sure no one has ever made that joke before). If you are working, it's a constant battle of making enough milk to bottle feed your kid while you're at work. I honestly thought that was one of the hardest parts of bf'ing. I had to start supplementing with formula when DD was 11 months, 1 week. Honestly, I should have done it way earlier for peace of mind.

ETA: overuse of the word "honestly." Oops!

hp_momma · February 2017

NotAPlaya-JustCrushAlot said:

My best recommendation is to keep some of the gel soothie pads in the fridge. They will feel amazing those first few days. Also, be prepared to feed on demand for a few months. DD wouldn't take a pacifier and treated my breasts as a pacifier. Between that and cluster feeding, it felt like I was constantly nursing.

YES. Those gel soothie pads are lifesavers! And when you decide to wean, they are handy too!

nda_roxybabe · February 2017

I plan on creating a few little baskets (one in our room, one downstairs, and one by my rocking chair) with anything I may need for BF-ing. So far I have on my list: bars, pads, what else would be good?

hp_momma · February 2017

nda_roxybabe said:

I plan on creating a few little baskets (one in our room, one downstairs, and one by my rocking chair) with anything I may need for BF-ing. So far I have on my list: bars, pads, what else would be good?

I'd probably add a burp cloth to help with any excess milk or spit-up. And little tubes of lanolin if you decide to use those.

WombThereItIs · February 2017

@nda_roxybabe you don't need a ton. I would suggest keeping receiving blankets or whatever you are using for burp cloths handy. Some kids are messy eaters and sometimes they pop off and you spray the room etc. it can get messy! Also in all honesty a phone charger. It gets SO boring.

hp_momma · February 2017

WombThereItIs said:

@nda_roxybabe you don't need a ton. I would suggest keeping receiving blankets or whatever you are using for burp cloths handy. Some kids are messy eaters and sometimes they pop off and you spray the room etc. it can get messy! Also in all honesty a phone charger. It gets SO boring.

Yes, either a book or your phone. Especially in the beginng when nursing sessions are like 30mins PLUS of just sitting there!

JCWhitey · February 2017

Third time mom. I breastfed #1 for 14 months and #2 for 20 months. Both times my breastfeeding journey ended early in the second trimester of pregnancy. Had I not gotten pregnant I know I would have BF #1 a lot longer. #2 I chose to wean because she wasn't STTN and nursed all the time. It was time to end it.

My advice-

Take a class if you can. I took one through WIC that was so helpful! I think WIC offers them even if you don't receive WIC.

Get a good pump. Even if you plan to stay home, you never know when you're going to need to pump for whatever reason. I also like having a small stash of 20-30 Oz in case I'm away from my babies due to an emergency for a couple of hours. You do not need a bigger stash unless you intend to be away longer.

Don't worry if it takes your milk a few days to come in, that's normal. Stress can really affect milk production, so stressing about milk coming in is counterintuative. Instead, nurse, nurse, and nurse some more. Every 2 hours is best in the beginning, even if you have to wake the baby to nurse.

Get Netflix and Hulu or Amazon Prime video. Pick a series you've always wanted to watch but never had the time to. It takes 20-30 minutes to nurse some newborns PER SIDE! Plus 10 minutes of burping. That's a whole hour that you are just sitting get there. I watched all of Lost and Dexter in the first month of my kids life. Yes, nursing is great for bonding, but half the time it's mind numbingly boring, especially at 2AM.

Don't stress if you feel like you have a low supply. Our bodies are designed to adjust to the baby's needs if you don't interfere with it too much. But things like colds and mastitis can affect supply. Try figuring out early what helps you produce. Fenugreek did nothing for me, but a can of Guinness at dinner had me engorged in minutes! Everyone is different. Also pay attention if anything causes a supply drop and avoid it (hard alcohol can).

Don't feel bad if you need to use nipple shields or supplement for low gain. I have tiny, tiny nipple and neither of my kids could nurse without shields. It also saved my boobs a lot of pain and discomfort and didn't affect my supply. I was able to get rid of them after 2 months both times when their little muscles got more developed.

Don't feel bad if you can't breastfeed or choose to stop. I always encourage you go 8 weeks, if you can, as it does get a lot easier after that for many. But if you can't or don't want to, that's OK! Breastfeeding is great but not the only option. If you're experiencing PPD and dread a nursing session or are getting so stressed over a low supply that you are in tears half the time, it's not worth it.

nda_roxybabe · February 2017

Thank you ladies! I'm going to have the Kindle and iPad queued up. H loves tech so I think I can talk him into installing a TV in the loft (where my rocker will be).

kat81 · February 2017

I have so much to say on this topic!

If you plan on breastfeeding, do get a pump ahead of time if possible (should still be free under ACA). However, it's ok to get one just after delivery if necessary. I would not put this off, though, like if you think "well I'm a SAHM so I won't need one for a while." You might need one immediately to get your baby more milk if s/he is having trouble breastfeeding. But you can wait until the hospital discharge if needed--they'll have an opinion on this (e.g. if the kid loses a lot of weight, etc.) Still, if it's possible to get a pump beforehand, do it. Personally, when my milk comes in a few days after delivery, it FLOODS in and there's no way a baby will be able to provide comfort, especially not a newborn with a stomach the size of a bouncy ball. The pump helps with relief, though don't go overboard -- you don't want to end up with oversupply.

Do not pump before delivery. There is no point. You can open your pump and see how it works if you like but don't actually pump and it can induce labor (I guess you can do this if you're overdue, but I wouldn't even do it before 40 weeks, no matter how impatient you are.)

Take a class and read a book. Get all of the information. For this there is no such thing as too much information because you can't anticipate what your particular issues will be. At the hospital, ask every nurse, not just the lactation consultant, for help with breastfeeding. Don't decline ANY help. You might get one visit from the LC but you will be breastfeeding a lot more times than that at the hospital. Also don't be shy of using their pump if it is offered and the baby is not really feeding like a champ. It is ok for the baby to take a bottle while practicing on the breast. It really is. Also at the hospital, take anything and everything offered to you that provides breast comfort, like soothies (the BEST), lanolin, etc. Take as many as they let you take.

Join a breastfeeding support group that meets weekly. Your hospital might direct you to one. If they don't, find one, or LLL or something. These are so great for mental health, meeting moms, and getting more breastfeeding tips. Unless the people in your group are complete a-holes, you can keep going if breastfeeding doesn't work out and you are formula feeding.

As others said, don't let it get to you if it doesn't work out for you. It will likely be pretty crappy (painful, stressful, taking a long time, etc) in the first few weeks for everyone. But you should know quickly from your support group and other sources whether you are in the "average crappy" situation which is bound to get better shortly, or if you have some special problems that either need intervention (e.g. baby gets surgery for tongue tie) or argue towards quitting altogether (e.g. recurring bouts of mastitis, extremely low supply--though you could at least just supplement instead, etc.) IT IS OK TO QUIT! There is really nothing wrong with formula. If breastfeeding is such a nightmare, then formula is actually better for your baby than continuing to breastfeed--baby needs you to be somewhat rested and not depressed. I think it's worth some work in the beginning, but there is no need to persist in the face of so much struggle. Three months in you should have a good idea of whether to stick with it or give it up. And you can always do something in between, especially if supply or difficulty of pumping at work are your problems.

Squirtgun · February 2017

I would reccomend the book "the breastfeeding mother's guide to making more milk" by Diana West. It's an easy book to read and to reference later. Things like what can decrease your supply (peppermint! Crazy! As well as other things) and reccomendations for when you return to work, when you wean, etc.

it seems like PPs have covered everything else I could think of!

Jens_Hoes · February 2017

I love this thread!
I hear people say to go to a class but I know if I go, it will just be me, I won't be able to get DH to go.
So can anyone tell me what I might learn at a class?

march2008 · February 2017

I'm a STM who breastfed for 3 years. I would highly recommend a BF'ing class beforehand and reading over the kellymom.com website completely before baby is born. It has a TON of very valuable information on it!!

I also recommend meeting with a LC at your hospital while you're there after birth just for reassurance and to check latch if there's one available and if you have a La Leche League group or something similar in your area, it's a wonderful place to go after you are discharged from the hospital. They usually have monthly or more frequent meetings. You can meet some people IRL that can help support you and are wonderful resources. It was the first place I took DD after she was born and it was so great because it was just a bunch of moms who didn't care when I had no idea why my baby was crying or if I had "FTM" questions that I was self-conscious about asking.

For me, the first 6 weeks were the most challenging and then it was smooth sailing for the most part after that. Finding a support group and a super awesome LC was key for me.

kat81 · February 2017

Jen_Shoes said:

I love this thread!
I hear people say to go to a class but I know if I go, it will just be me, I won't be able to get DH to go.
So can anyone tell me what I might learn at a class?

I should have put this in my post. Get your DH to go to the class and/or read the book, etc. DH needs to be FULLY involved for it to work if you're a tricky case. Breastfeeding is really the main part of parenting in the beginning. For your DH to be an involved parent, he needs to be involved in breastfeeding--understanding it, knowing how to help, etc.

onebadmotha · February 2017

As a soon to be STM who struggled the first time (my story is almost exactly @Kipperoo's actually) and who beat myself up over my struggles, I just have to say that I love this thread. So much helpful, realistic, non-judgmental support. Y'all really are the greatest.

@Jen_Shoes - My DH was also hesitant about going to the BF class, thinking he'd be the only guy there. There were about 20 women there, and all except 2 had their partners with them. My DH, who didn't know much about BF beforehand, learned so much and would pretty much tell anyone who would listen how awesome boobs are (which, let's be real, they are) and would spout of random facts about breast milk. I'd encourage your DH to go if possible, as it really is a team endeavor, and you'll want his support once the kid is here. It's certainly not the end of the world if he can't go, just something to consider. As far as what we learned, the class covered the benefits of breastfeeding, the mechanics of how a breast makes milk, the different components of breast milk and their functions, we practiced various holds (we had boppies and baby dolls to practice with), got an overview of issues we may encounter and what to do about them, and learned about the different resources available through the hospital (the class was taught by the hospital). I'm sure I'm missing something, it was a fairly comprehensive class, but that's all I can think of for now

onebadmotha · February 2017

@Squirtgun - I just looked up that book, read through some glowing reviews, and ordered it! Thanks for the recommendation!

psherman42wwsa · February 2017

I used my breast pump before delivery.. I was overdue and desperate... If you want to try it go ahead (if your overdue) but I don't think it did anything for me. Colostrum did not come out either.

If your planning to pump, get a hands free bra. It was truly life changing! I have the lansinoh simple wishes and its perfect, you can adjust it as you get smaller/bigger.

I third the lansinoh perle therapy. They are a must have. I used them constantly the first couple weeks and then I every time I had a clogged duct. When they are warmed up they really help with the pain.

If your planning to use a pump I suggest getting multiple sets of pump parts. It's so much better to wash everything once a day opposed to several times a day.

Also... just wanted to mention... at first your nipples may bleed when breastfeeding. One morning I noticed blood all over my baby's pajamas from the night before and I was panicking thinking somehow he cut his mouth until I realized that it was from me.

Kipperoo · February 2017

Second the phone charger recommendation--make sure you can easily access one because you will inevitably find yourself half way through a marathon nursing session on a phone with like 5% battery.

And also second the recommendations to pick a good series or two to binge watch--I watched every episode of Gilmore Girls (all seasons) on my last leave thanks to nursing. And spent many nights watching movies with DH while nursing. I'm thinking about getting a couple of trash magazine subscriptions (the weekly ones like US weekly) just to add a little diversity to the mix. It's A LOT of downtime.

Definitely consider buying a nursing pillow, too. At least for me, it was nice to be able to rest him on the boppy while feeding him vs having to use my arms. Left me free to eat snacks, read a book, look at my phone, whatever.

pshaortao · February 2017

What PPs said, pumping/expressing before the baby is born is unnecessary. Do be prepared to be engorged when the milk come in. I remember exclaiming, holy crap I have porn star tits! by day three haha. It was pretty glorious since I've always been on the smaller side, but it can be uncomfortable too! Anyways this is gonna get long..

BFing was hard for us the first couple month. We had trouble getting a proper latch the first day, that my nips were already bleeding just hours after birth. She did eventually nurse like a champ and loved nursing alllll the time. I probably cried more than she did because it hurt and I have low pain tolerance. Plus I got mastitis twice during the first two months, including my birthday weekend. Fortunately we had a nurse line that we could call and they were able to prescribe a prescription for DH to pick up without me being seen (after answering several questions). It wasn't until close to 2 months when I could just pop DD on without a problem. I also started adding soy lecithin to my diet by then to prevent mastitis again, but it's hard to say if that's what helped or a more established nursing relationship. Either way I will start from the get go this time to play it safe. She eventually weaned fully around 16 months and never looked back.

I suggest educating yourself on the following:
- Tongue and lip ties. Google images to start, be familiar with what they looks like. A few moms in my last BMB had mentioned tongue tie before our LOs were born so I looked into it. I saw DD had a tongue tie as soon I met her and because BFing was hurting so much to start, I really had advocate for them to get it clipped. I could feel a difference in the latch once they finally agreed to clip. Some places can be very well a tongue tie won't affect the latch. We didn't know about lip ties until later, and she had a mild one. We got that clipped around 5 weeks but it's hard to tell if really made a difference.
- Proper techniques. There are certain ways to pop in the nipple into the LO's mouth to make it more comfortable as well how to position the baby (cradle, football, side lying, etc). I learned some through a BF class, plus YouTube videos. I remember learning about different positions to nurse the baby but I found I only liked one position best.
- Kellymom.com is chockfull of all things related to breastfeeding/breastmilk. I learned a lot about proper milk storage, milk ducts (ouch), and more.
- Nipple shields if you rely on them all the time, it can be difficult to wean the LO (from what I heard from my last BMB) I used them in moderation the first couple months, especially when I was engorged. I thought it was easier for DD to latch and nurse for a minute then I would take the shield off when I got a bit softer and she would continue.
- Nursing time. There is so much variety! Mine nursed 15 minutes each side every 1.5-2 hours early on. It was.. excessive. Netflix was my best friend and Gilmore Girl had just come out so I binged through it the first month.. I had to eventually accept it was okay, while knowing some others would just nurse 10-15 minutes total one side only then switch side a couple hours later. Do what works for you.
- Weighted feeding/LC. Take advantage of this if you can. I was really stressed out about how much she was getting so I went 2-3x the first couple weeks. I learned it's very normal to produce more milk on one side (I remember vividly one side was 7oz and the other was 4oz?) Knowing how much she was getting and that it was enough helped.
- Soothing things. Lasinoh lanolin helped some, but those gel pads were heavenly! especially after refrigeration. I only found out about this through a very nice nurse who saw how much pain I was in already. They had them at the pharmacy which was SO nice. When my BFF had her May16 baby, I told her to take advantage but they didn't even offer it. I ended up ordering one for her via Amazon and she was incredibly grateful. Here is one that could be ordered: https://www.amazon.com/Lansinoh-Soothies-Breastfeeding-Mothers-Count/dp/B002KGHUL4/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1486146986&sr=8-1&keywords=soothing%2Bgel%2Bpad%2Bnursing&th=1
- Supply control. I didn't really take advantage of anything to keep my supply up. I just made sure to snack frequently especially while nursing and to maintain my water intake. I was always hungry everytime I nursed anyways, so it was helpful to have a big jar of nuts nearby and other protein snacks as well as a few bottles of water (especially in the MOTN when DH is asleep and can't help fetch something for you). Other moms did fenugreek, oatmeal, lactation cookies and more.

I can't think of anything else at the moment

If you can make it work, great, but if you end up truly miserable or your supply doesn't keep up, it's not the end of the world! Please be kind to yourself and make sure your DH/OH are supportive as well.

Jkp7749 · February 2017

My daughter nurse for four months and then was so colicky and so, so upset that she no longer took my breast. Turns out it was because I was tearing her stomach up because she had a cow milk protein allergy and I was consuming dairy. Has anyone had a child with this and gone on to have a second child? Was your second also allergic? Did you cut out dairy towards the end of your pregnancy to get it out of your system just in case? My daughter also has FPIES reactions to rice and poultry, so not sure if I need to be wary of those, I don't even know if breastfeeding affects FPIES or not.

chickyclg · February 2017

I never really nursed a newborn (other than practice latches) so thats something that I don't have any advice on. I taught my kiddos to latch at 4 months (with help from a nipple shield) and weaned them off of it. I will be a huge advocate for if it doesn't click at first don't be afraid to try later, none of experienced mom friends didn't even know that was a thing. It was by no means easy, but for me it was the best option.

I am also big on "breast is not always best" my breast milk was lower calorie than the average and since DD was FTT that was an issue.

I am planning on pumping one side while baby eats on the other (who knows how well that will work though)

vrj0522 · February 2017

My advice/experience:

1. Take a class. I didn't until my 2nd child and even with the experience I had I found it helpful and was able to ask questions I wouldn't have thought of before.

2. Ask for LC at the hospital and utilize them as much ad possible. Oh, and join any groups they might offer during baby's first few weeks.

3. The best advice I got during my bf class was that the latch should never cause actual pain (discomfort is normal) and if it does, you need to latch and keep relatching. I took this advice and there were times when I had to take DD off 4-6 times before we got a non painful latch but with her, I never even needed lanolin. Of course there are exceptions, like if baby has tongue-tie but my experience with DD was so much better than with DS for this alone. That's why I think a class, book, and LC can be so helpful -- they train on latching which can prove to be a big challenge in the beginning.

4. I have been the the mom that rarely got engorged, never even felt her milk come in, and didn't need pads from leaking because that just didn't happen. All these things made me think I might have a supply issue and at 10 days old I started supplementing 2-3 oz a day, which made me feel defeated. I didn't understand that I just had a very slow let down and that's why it took my baby over an hour to feed the first few weeks. I didn't realize my mistake until I had DD and I pumped to help my supply and ended up with a pretty nice fridge supply. My advice from this: be patient with your body and trust it; know that even with that sometimes things don't work out and it is okay. Baby will be fine if you feed them, whether it's bm or formula. And lastly, I can't stress enough educating yourself so that you are as prepared as possible.

5. Kellymom.com is an amazing resource for breastfeeding, pumping, etc. It addresses just about any question/challenge you can come across with.

Jkp7749 · February 2017

For the four months we could nurse, it went very well! I second what everyone else says, it is quite boring and can be lonely sometimes so having a phone, book, snacks etc is good. My hospital gave me some "triple nipple cream" that was to heal my bleeding boobs. It was a miracle and the gel pads are AMAZING. Nipple shields saved us at first because DD had torn up my boob. definitely have a pump! I used it even as a SAHM quite often. I often forgot to hydrate well enough and I feel like it affected my supply like crazy! If you pump and don't get a lot, don't be discouraged, the baby is more effective and can get more than the pump can! Don't skip night feedings, it also affected my supply when I started skipping the feedings during the night!

MoMs- Tell me all you can about nursing twins! I have a nursing pillow for twins but I am wondering what was easiest... putting them both on at once? Did you switch mid session or switch for the next session? Did your supply keep up with them? What if they don't want to eat at the same time?!

nda_roxybabe · February 2017

Another Q: If I am pumping and trying to build a supply and baby is sleeping through the night, will I need to pump in the middle of the night? If I do, will I need to take the milk downstairs to fridge/freezer right away?

Yiggle09 · February 2017

These were my favorite bf/ EP products
gel pads these can be hot or cold they can be put around your pump parts or in your bra to help soothe or help work out clogs - https://www.amazon.com/Lansinoh-TheraPearl-Breast-Therapy-Count/dp/B0070767DU/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1486145064&sr=8-3&keywords=lansinoh+soothies+gel+pads&th=1
These pads are reusable and help with nipple pain LC gave me a ton - https://www.amazon.com/Medela-Tender-Care-Hydrogel-Pads/dp/B0011ECPA2/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1486145100&sr=8-2&keywords=hydrogel+breastfeeding+pad
my favorite nipple balm no lanolin (at first)- just straight lanolin is very thick and was not pleasant for me. I actually preferred to use breast milk expressed and then rubbed on and air dried (google it trust me) or coconut oil yeah its hippy dippy but it is a healthy fat that is ok for your child to put to their lips, think about what balms you are putting into their mouths also it is anti inflammatory which will help with nipple pain. https://www.amazon.com/Earth-Mama-Angel-Baby-Natural/dp/B000JVCBBG/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1486145123&sr=8-2&keywords=earth+baby+angel+mama&th=1
coconut oil https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Way-Organic-Coconut-32-Ounce/dp/B003OGKCDC/ref=sr_1_5_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1486145415&sr=8-5&keywords=coconut+oil+organic&th=1
rice sock was great to get into small areas https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Rice-Sock

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