Before I had Ellie, if you asked me what I was most afraid of, I would have told you “breastfeeding.” The idea of a human being emerging from a crevice that is no bigger than the tip of a Bic pen didn’t really phase me. Sleepless nights? I’d survive. But learning how to breastfeed? It seemed terrifying. The funny thing is, I never really questioned if I would or would not breastfeed Ellie. All of the health benefits combined with this “incredible way to bond with your baby” that all my mama friends raved about made the decision seem like a no brainer to me. I think that the fear of breastfeeding came from a lack of information. People love to share about their favorite brands of diapers, teething remedies, and sleep solutions, but when it comes to ta-tas….all anybody ever says is “you’re going to love it!” or “stick with it. It gets easier.” What I needed was for someone to tell me what kind of bra to buy, how to get her to latch in public without giving everyone a show, and how the heck to purchase a pump using my health insurance. And so, after 8 months of breastfeeding (while I’m certainly no expert), here’s a list of some tips, tricks, and general thoughts and musings about breastfeeding.
- On Nursing Bras – Buy a couple of nursing bras and tanks before baby comes. When Brian and I took our birthing classes a couple of months before Ellie’s debut, the teacher talked a lot about breastfeeding. She recommended that we wait to buy nursing bras until after baby came and our milk supply normalized. She said that if we did want to purchase a few bras pre-baby, to take our fist and fit it into the bra when we were trying it on “because that’s about how big we should expect to be post-baby.” Want to make an already large busted pregnant lady cry? Tell her THAT. I decided to hold off on purchasing anything for fear I’d waste my money on something that wouldn’t fit. About a week before my due date, I started to panic about what I was going to wear at the hospital with so many visitors, so I drove to Target to buy a nursing bra. I had no idea what I was doing, so I called my sister crying from the fitting room {starting to see a pattern here?}. She gave me great advice. Buy sleeping bras. They are sort of like sports bras, but much more comfortable, and they come in sizes that are much easier to swallow (S, M, L) rather than numbers and letters that go well into E, F, and G. About 2-3 days after you have the baby, your milk is going to come in and you’re going to be uncomfortably huge for a few days before things normalize (it’s not horrible, I promise). These wonderfully comfortable sleeping bras kept things where they were supposed to be, but were also comfortable. I still wear one to bed every night. I also recommend going ahead and purchasing a few nursing tank tops as well. Here’s the great thing about nursing tanks – they keep your back and stomach covered when you pull your shirt up to nurse in public.
- On surviving the first few weeks – If you can survive the first 4-6 weeks, you can survive anything. Right after baby is born, it’s going to feel like she’s constantly attached to you. Remember, she’s new to this world and it’s bright and loud and overwhelming. Mama is all she knows, so she’s probably going to use breastfeeding for comfort as much as for sustenance. She’ll fall asleep halfway through a feeding and wake up half an hour later and remember she wasn’t done. After 9 months of sustaining life, it can feel a little exhausting and overwhelming feeling like a human buffet. It gets better, I promise.
- On breastfeeding in public – You might spend the first month or two secluded in your house, healing and protecting baby from the germy world, but eventually you’re going to emerge and at some point, you’re going to have to feed baby in public. I remember feeling so nervous the first time I had to feed Ellie in public. I hid her discreetly under the hooter hider and tried not to make direct eye contact with anyone else at the mall. Nursing covers are a wonderful invention and they come in so many cute patterns and colors – but when your child is born in late spring (which quickly turns into humid summer), your baby might care less about how her mama feels about strangers seeing her ta-ta’s. Ever been in a sauna? Were you craving a nice hot meal while sweating your you know what’s off? I didn’t think so. And so alas, my need to make sure my child was nourished quickly replaced my need to make sure no one saw my boobs in public. After 8 months, dare I say it, but I don’t really care anymore. Ellie hates eating under a cover and will literally rip it off of her, so I’ve become one of those moms I never thought I’d be. If you see a mama feeding her child uncovered in public, please just remember that she’s not trying to gross you out or put on a show. She’s just doing the best she can to feed her child.
- On Pumping – This could (and probably will be) a whole blog post in itself. All I want to include here is how to purchase a pump using health insurance. Under the affordable care act, women are entitled to a free breastpump with their health insurance. People told me that before Ellie was born, but I had absolutely no clue what that meant or how to actually get one. Most retailers have streamlined the process and make it very simple. I got mine from Target (although I’m sure Babies R’ Us and other retailers are probably very similar). If you log on to their website and go to where they sell breast pumps, there will be a link with information about how to order one with insurance. It’s a bit of back and forth through email as they verify your insurance and send you pump options, but from there it’s just a matter of selecting which pump you’d like and placing your order. Mine came straight to my door without ever having to go to a store. I chose a Medela pump, which I’ve been very happy with, but have heard great things about other brands also. Talk to other mamas about what they do and do not like about their pumps before you order. This is something that could be done pre or post baby, just keep in mind that it takes a few weeks (if you’re going back to work and might need it).
- On Asking for Help – We might be naturally designed to breastfeed, but that doesn’t mean that it’s easy. Lots of factors can make breastfeeding a challenge – inverted nipples, poor latch, tongue ties, low milk supply, clogged ducts…. If something doesn’t seem right, listen to your gut and ask for help! There are lactation specialists available at most hospitals whose job is to help you learn how to feed your baby. Most issues are easily resolved, you just have to ask for help. Most cities also have LLL (La Leche Leagues) where breastfeeding mamas get together for fellowship and to learn from one another. Here’s how to find a group in your area: http://www.llli.org/webindex.html Other Thoughts and Tips: Consider purchasing some breast pads before baby comes. Lots of brands make them, but in my humble opinion, they are all pretty much the same, so I buy whatever’s cheapest.
- Breastfeeding should not be painful, but in the beginning, it can take some getting used to. If you need something for cracked nips, think about getting some Earth Mama Angel Baby nipple butter. It smells like chocolate cake and it’s 100% natural so no worries for baby.
- I never liked those breastpads that double as icepacks (who wants to put ice on their nipples….seriously people), but they are GREAT for sitting on post birth! They don’t melt like a bag of ice so it won’t look like you peed your pants.
- If I’m home all day, I pump right before bed (about 2-3 hours after Ellie’s last feeding). It helps with the waking in the middle of the night agony and also helps build up a freezer supply for date nights and such.
- Load up on things to watch on Netflix and download great apps to your phone. It helps if you don’t stare at a clock the entire time.
- Go get a glass of water before you start feeding – or train your husband to bring you one. Trust me.
- Grab a snack while you’re at it. I have trained for a marathon. I’ve been pregnant. I’ve been 13. But never in my life have I ever been as starving as I am as a breastfeeding mama. You’re burning an average of 20 calories for every ounce your little one consumes, so go ahead, dish yourself out a fifth portion of dinner. This is a workout I can get behind.
- Listen to your baby. It’s okay to read books and ask friends, but every baby eats a little bit differently, and your baby probably isn’t going to fit into a perfect mold. Schedules are great if it works for you and your little one. Other mamas prefer to feed on demand. Like in all things baby, I say go with what works for you and tune out the rest.
People ask me a lot how long I plan on breastfeeding. My answer? I have no idea. Sometimes I look down at my sweet darling baby fighting sleep in the crook of my arms and I think “I could do this until she goes to kindergarten” (kidding). Other times she is pulling my hair with one hand and poking my eye out with the other all while showing all my goods to the nice people of Starbucks and I think “That’s it. I’m done.” Honestly? I’m going to do it until both Ellie and I are ready to be done and I have no idea when that will be. Until then, we’re going to boob on.
Got any great breastfeeding tips to share? I’d love to hear them! Send some my way via the comments tab!
Life After Birth 