Product Spotlight/Discussion: Breastfeeding

kgg2241 · December 2021

Share all your advice, tips, tricks, and favorite products for nursing here!

faithmovesmountains · December 2021

I’m a big fan of the my brest friend pillow, especially for the newborn phase and then the boppy as breastfeeding continues.

Both were the difference of night and day for me personally in helping make the process less awkward and keeping me from getting sore from trying to bend myself into a weird position.

Though for breastfeeding itself I had great success in following the tips of a midwife’s 3 part birth class video series I watched on YouTube, I’ll see if I can link the first part.
One thing she says is to wait for the baby to open their mouth wide, like Pac-Man, and then pop them on the breast to help them latch.
It worked with my son and I remember when the nurses checked in they all seemed pretty impressed by his latch right away.

Video Series Part I: https://youtu.be/j7YucfJuziU

nursejenn5 · December 2021

Get help in the hospital if they have lactation available. Even if you don’t think you need it. They have SO MANY good tips and tricks and can ensure you’re getting a good latch, and what to look for if it’s not.

I loved my boppy. Occasionally I would use another small pillow with it if I needed a bit more support. But I personally found the my Brest friend too big and bulky (but I know many who love it)
I also was a big fan of my haakaa I used it to catch let down on the other side in the early days when my supply wasn’t regulated yet. Also I used it if it had been awhile since my last feed to just take the edge off. Was able to save up a decent amount of milk from just this.
earth mama organic nipple butter was my savior last time. I hate how thick lanolin is and you have to wash it off before baby latches again. I had three horrendous weeks of cracked and bleeding nipples. But once I started using this after every feed they were significantly better (I’ll be starting this stuff right away this time!)
I bought a large pack of reusable breast pads off Amazon(I started with a small pack of like 8 but that wasn’t enough because I had to wash them way too much, especially in the early days) that just wash easy in the washing machine. I hate the disposable ones. They were itchy and didn’t collect as much leakage.

Set up water and snacks wherever you may be breastfeeding! And a phone charger if needed. This was all life saving for the constant nursing and then nap traps.

Also I wish someone would’ve told me breastfeeding is hard. Mentally and physically. But it gets so much better. (And if it doesn’t then that’s okay too. Breastfeeding is not the most important thing!!) and remember it usually takes a full 8-12 weeks for your supply to fully regulate! So things can be wonky during those first few months.

If you have access to any sort of breastfeeding courses before giving birth those can be majorly helpful too!

night_nurse · December 2021

Agree with what everyone else has said:

- Definitely plan to see a LC, both in hospital and a few times outside too. Saved my BF journey the first time around. Even if things are going well, they have so much good advice.

- Get comfortable with your pump and YouTube videos on how to use it in case you have to pivot and exclusively pump for a bit.

- Just got a secondhand The Nest Organic Nursing pillow and can already tell I will love it. Filled with buckwheat, completely adjustable, and stays put however you mold it. Has a nice weight to it too making it really comfy.

- Silverette nursing cups will save your nipples and have even been proven to treat thrush if you develop it. Use them from day 1.

- Give you and your baby lots of grace and patience as you figure it out together. I still tell people that BFing past a year was the hardest thing I have ever done. You learn so much in the first couple months.

- I plan to freeze milk in 1oz cubes using a silicone mold this time around, then transfer to bags labeled with the date range I pumped it all and put into the deep freezer. I hope it works out. Will eliminate a lot of plastic waste.

- Body Armor drinks are great for staying hydrated and have coconut water in them to help keep your supply up.

- Not all supplements (like fenugreek) work for every person. Takes a little experimenting to find the ones best for you- if you need them. Legendary Milk is a great resource on instagram and their products are all great.

- Also: make sure you put on nipple cream before you pump! Makes it sooo much more bearable. Didnt figure this out until like a month into EPing. I saw a new product that is a pump lube spray. Also looking to use silicone flange inserts from Legendary Milk that apparently make pumping more comfortable and helps you express more milk.

- And anyone who tells you BFing is more cost effective than formula feeding is delusional 😂. So much ‘stuff’ you end up needing in lactation support.

kgg2241 · December 2021

If you want to nurse then I highly recommend taking a class or reading books to prepare. It really doesn't come as natural as you'd expect it to. I took a class through Lactation Link and thought it was great. I also went through them for my lactation consultant.

First, nursing is hard! For me it took about a month to get easier. I know they say it shouldn't be painful but the reality is that it will be a little painful at first, especially for a FTM. The newly created friction is bound to cause some pain until you get used to it. It shouldn't be extremely painful though! One thing that helped ease my anxiety with nursing was doing weighted feeds occasionally. I had it in my head that she was barely eating but come to find out she was getting plenty.

As for products, I liked the Boppy. I didn't use my Haaka because I just never had a strong enough supply to make it worth it. I also never needed breastpads because I never leaked. For pumping when I went back to work I used the blue Spectra and Lansinoh bags. I didn't used anything fancy to store them. Just laid them flat to freeze on whatever was in my freezer and stacked them in a Tupperware container.

If you do pump, I recommend following Legendairy Milk on Instagram. They have so many good tips and tricks for pump settings and ways to make it in easier.

Panaceia · December 2021

So...my breastfeeding journey was a little different the first time around. A few things I learned...
1. Set an appointment with an LC before birth if possible. This was soooo helpful to me. She taught me different holds etc right away, and I saw her again in the hospital and afterwards for weighted feeds, prescriptions, etc.

2. Not everyone's milk will come in in a set amount of time. Due to birth trauma it took 3 months for my milk to come in. During that time I used assisted lactation (a feeding tube attached to my nipple at every feed so baby was still nursing to stimulate production, but was getting formula), pumping after every feed, and they put me on Domperidone also to get milk production started. Things I learned from alllll of this is that pumping does not work for everyone (it did not increase my supply and they had me stop after 6 weeks), Domperidone will not necessarily increase your supply more if they increase your dosage (they kept increasing mine but my supply just plateaued after a while so they also had me stop). My milk did come in eventually and DD1 started rejecting the tube in favour of just milk.

3. If you want to breastfeed there is almost always a way to make it happen, but don't feel like you need to. Formula is wonderful and you need to do what is best for you and your sanity.

I did end up breastfeeding DD1 until she was almost 4 years old, and DD2 has just recently weaned herself at 2.5 but will likely start nursing again after baby gets here.

I had no issues with breastfeeding DD2, so just because you struggled the first time does not mean you will struggle a second time, and vice versa.

Check baby for tongue ties ASAP as this makes a huge difference. DD1 had a tongue tie we corrected at about a week old, DD2 did not have any tongue ties.

Disclaimer: my mat leave with DD1 was 12 months, and with DD2 was 18 months.

For me, I never had pain while nursing. I did have some cracked nipples with DD2 and she did ingest blood...so if your baby spits up a lot and you have cracked nipples don't be alarmed if you see blood in the spit up.

I didn't use shields, or nursing pads, or any thing to collect milk (my let down was never strong enough for that). I did leak a bit with DD1 but never with DD2. I also wasn't a huge fan of breastfeeding pillows, but I think it depends on your body type, preferred hold, etc.

Lay down nursing was a life savor for me.

I found oatmeal for breakfast helped me personally with milk production.

Don't be afraid to supplement if needed. DD1 never had any issues going from formula to breastmilk, bottle to nipple etc.

I did not pump when I went back to work, but my supply never dropped because of it and DD1 still nursed easily on demand before and after work and on weekends etc. Same with DD2. But again, I didn't have to go back to work until 12+ months.

I was afraid of a repeat with DD2 so I started to supplement immediately in the hospital, but my milk did come in immediately with her...so I found a planned CS vs emergency CS to be very different.

Ok. That's all I have right now...

night_nurse · December 2021

@Panaceia I also was on domperidone for very low supply (30mg three times a day I believe) but had to order through an online pharmacy from Canada as it isn’t FDA approved in the US 😞 Made a big difference in helping me catch up though. Only did it for a little bit.

Panaceia · December 2021

@night_nurse I think it is what finally got the milk at least started for me. They tried upping my dosage but it didn't help. I was worried when I stopped taking it my milk would stop, but nope! It was definitely a game changer for me!

appleblossom8317 · December 2021

1) I highly suggest finding a lactation consultant outside of the hospital. You want an IBCLC. The “lactation consultants” in the hospital weren’t that great, and tried to introduce me to a nipple shield for no reason. My insurance paid for 3 appointments. She did weighted feeds and helped me diagnose a lip and tongue tie (I was already on watch for one though bc MH had a terrible tongue tie when he was born).

2) I LOVED my Brest Friend pillow. It made positioning signs easy, and I actually used it until we stopped at 3 years!! I will 100% use one again.

3) I’ve only ever used a spectra pump, but it was so good! I will be getting another one through my insurance again.

3) Hakkas are great, however once baby got a little older, he would kick it off, so this time I got the Elvie curve. It does the same thing (maybe a little less suction) but it will sit inside your bra on the side you aren’t feeding on so baby can’t kick it off. I’m excited to try it.

4) breastfeeding is hard AF. Be prepared for cluster feeding. I think I heard about cluster feeding in my breastfeeding class, but then forgot about it so I was so confused when baby just wanted to nurse constantly the first few weeks. I think it may have been a little easier if I had been more mentally prepared for it. Nipple cream is so good (my IBCLC called in a prescription one for me and it was amazing) as well as those cooking gel pads you can get from walmart, target, etc.

5) before you freeze much milk, thaw some after a few days to check for high lipase. I didn’t realize until too late and it sucks. Scalding your milk is hard work, but it’s better to have the option to do that by knowing you have high lipase than to end up with a bunch of milk that is too late to do anything about.

goldfishcraker · December 2021

Tips I found helpful and others I learned and wished I'd known before:

1. Bring baby to breast, not breast to baby.

2. It shouldn't HURT, or bleed. (Some discomfort/irritation can be expected at the beginning, but if there is pain, something is wrong, and you should seek out a BFing specialist.)

3. Stay hydrated!! Important for so many reasons, especially building and maintaining a supply.

4. I thought my friends app to track feeding was SO silly before I had my first 😅. Then I learned how easy it is to lose track of time and get confused and THINK it's been longer/shorter than it has. I found my free app super useful.

5. Cold medicine will tank your supply.

6. Empty your breast to avoid mastitis/clogs. Massage in hot showers can help ease pain if you get one.

7. Baby's latch should include areola. Not just nipple.

8. Skin to skin nursing is awesome. I'd go topless, get baby into diaper after bath, and cover him with a blanket, and just cuddle while he nursed. Those bedtime nursing sessions were my favourite. He was always so cozy and happy 🥰

Not gonna lie, I went months without a bra. Just wore baggy shirts that I could flip up/ over my head 😂. It was a PITA having to deal with the nursing bras on the few occasions where I left the house 😂.

ETA: I was too fat to use nursing pillows after delivery. It took a month+ before I could. Then they were amazing!! So much easier than fighting to arrange 2 individual pillows haha

goldfishcraker · December 2021

@Panaceia I was also put on domperidone. I didn't think I noticed much of a difference, but every time I tried to wean off, I lost my supply nearly completely. But I never got a decent supply unfortunately. Between the sleep deprivation, dehydration, sick baby and the need to supplement, and then his nursing strike when he was hospitalized, I was never able to get a reasonable supply. Even with the Dom. And even pumping 8-12 times a day between the 10+ nursing sessions most days..
I'm so nervous for this time. I'm hoping it goes better... I'm trying to make sure I keep myself hydrated through L&D and PP recovery this time...

Panaceia · December 2021

@goldfishcraker I never got a decent supply with my first either:/ I say to this day it's the reason DD1 is so skinny and barely eats anything. She lost a ton of weight in the hospital the first few days (we had to stay a week until she started to gain again instead of lose). I was also so scared of the same thing happening with DD2 which is why I started supplementing immediately...but turns out I didn't need it. I still supplemented for a while because I wasn't convinced I had enough milk, but she just started rejecting the formula. I'm hoping this time goes as smoothly as with DD2. FX this time goes smoothly for you and you don't have to deal with the same issues as the first time ❤

morgantu · December 2021

lots of good advice here.. a few to add:
Look for breastfeeding resources in your area. My city has support groups, free IBCLCs that have "clinics" to check out your breastfeeding technique and help you, weighted feeds, etc etc. They were so helpful to me in the beginning.

Remember your own mental health. DD struggled to gain weight in the beginning and i was super stubborn about supplementing. My attitude wasn't helpful to her, or to me. This time i will do my best, but know there's no shame in using formula as a supplement or exclusively, for any reason.

Breastfeeding is a hard but beautiful thing for those that choose it and are able to. I am so glad i breastfed DD for 13 months. It's tedious in the beginning, but there are so many special moments in those feedings. I'm getting all whispy just thinking about it lol.

Pumping (especially at work) suuuuuuucks. I did it for like 4 months and i was really rigid about my timing. If you want to pump and work at a job that it is not super easy to do, make sure you know your state's rights about breastfeeding.

lurvleybunchococonuts · December 2021

My milk took quite a while to come in with my first born. My OB prescribed reglan to try and OMG never again. It gave me terrible anxiety. I vividly recall crying to MH that I'd rather formula feed full time to ever feeling like that again. It was so bad I didn't feel safe holding my NB

Once I stopped fenugreek, accepted that we needed to supplement, and just consistently EP'd on a schedule eventually I was able to give her all BM. It was TOUGH though.

achanceintime · December 2021

I’m debating debating taking my haakaa to the hospital; what do you all think? Worth it? Not?

jenis_fan_for_life · December 2021

@achanceintime I am curious to hear what others may think, but my vote would be no, not worth it. My milk did not come in until several days after I was discharged. The amount you may produce at the beginning could be so small anyway, it may be easier to hand express into a syringe or something the hospital can provide.

morgantu · December 2021

@achanceintime that early, I wouldn't. I loved mine last time but not until my milk was in and a little more predictable.

nursejenn5 · December 2021

@achanceintime I always wouldn’t bring it. My milk didn’t come in for a few days. And you don’t want any “unnecessary suction” during that time because it could lead to an oversupply! (Which may sound nice, but it is truly horrible, I experienced this in the beginnign.)

jennifer_m21 · December 2021

Lots of great advice on here! I also used the Boppy, Hakaa, and tried to say hydrated as much as I can.

+1 for earth mama's nipple butter because that was a huge savior for me! It can also be used on other places where you have dry skin - lips, elbows, etc

A product I recommend for clogs was this breast massager: LaVie Lactation Massager. Def helped get the clogs out! It can also help with breast flow, but I mainly used it to get rid of painful clogs.

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