I've made it through six weeks of breastfeeding. They say if you make it that far, you and baby will settle into a rhythm and have a successful breastfeeding relationship. I definitely feel like I, as well as my baby, have learned a lot in the process. I've read several books, talked other moms, and now had the experience myself. I certainly don't think I'm an expert, but I would like to write about what I've learned that has helped me survive these first few weeks.
1) Read up on breastfeeding BEFORE the baby comes. I thought, "Hey, it's the most natural thing in the world so it can't be that hard!" And yes, it is natural and beautiful, but sometimes there are some issues to work out. So read a couple books.
2) Know what positions to try. Cradle hold is most popular, but it really doesn't work well for me (I have large breasts and that might be why). I like the football hold much better, or laying down. But like I read, the nipple is a circle, so the baby can come to it from any direction, so find a position that helps the baby get the best latch.
3) Get a good latch. When the lactation consultant (LC) came the morning after my baby was born, they told me I had "nipple trauma" already. Babies know how to suckle, but they don't know how to nurse. I really had to help my baby get a deep latch, and that means I had to re-latch him frequently in the first week or so, and sometimes even still.
4) Use a nipple shield. For people who have small nipple buds, inverted nipples, or a barracuda baby, nipple shields can bring great relief and help the baby learn to latch correctly. As a friend told me, "It really takes the edge off" of the pain if the baby has a really hard suckle. I am so glad that the LC recommended this for me right away, or I would have had some serious pain. (I'm not sure if this is connected, but my baby had no problem taking a bottle of breast milk even from two days old, and I think it might be because he was used to the nipple shield. He hasn't refused any type of bottle nipple yet).
5) Get Lansinoh Gel Soothies for relief. What a lifesaver!
6) Your milk production is set in the first weeks. Therefore, you want to nurse or pump as much as possible. I pumped until I was comfortable when my milk first came in, and it helped me to have a good milk supply. Six weeks in, I can still easily pump an extra 10-15 ounces a day, and I've been freezing it for when I got back to work in the fall. I have close to 300 ounces in the freezer now.
7) Everyone has a different milk storage capacity, and it doesn't necessarily correspond with the size of the breast. For example, I can pump about five ounces from each breast. Someone else might only be able to pump two. This means that my baby might only take one breast per feeding, while another child would always take both breasts. Also, one breast may produce more than another, which you can tell when you pump.
8) Fully draining the breast at each feeding will make more milk. It's like supply and demand. If the supply is used up, the body will demand more to be made. That's why it's so important that the baby gets a full feeding each time, because it helps keep the milk supply up. Sometimes, if my baby eats 15 minutes on one breast and only 5 minutes on the other, I will pump the lesser to even it out. Or, I will just start with the lesser at the next feeding. (It depends on if I am trying to store some that day or not. I've started not doing this as much because I have a lot in the freezer already, but it's a great way to keep your milk production up and save some, especially at the beginning if you feel really full if the baby does not eat evenly).
9) Get a full feeding at each feeding. Do whatever you have to do to make sure the baby has a full belly. Tickle their feet, change their diaper, ect. Avoiding a "snack" feeding assures that the baby is getting the hindmilk, the rich fatty milk that comes after the foremilk, which quenches the thirst. Getting a full feeding also means that the baby's metabolism and hunger cycles will begin the regulate. Even if you don't like the idea of scheduling when your baby eats, getting a full feeding will naturally fall into a rhythm of 2-3 hours or so.
10) You can usually increase milk production. To increase milk production, pump after a few feedings a day to give the breast more stimulation. Also, look into what foods do and don't help breastfeeding. For me, oatmeal seems to increase my supply. Severe dieting could hurt it. Do your research on this because I can't possibly go into all those scenarios.
11) Have a flexible routine. There are many different philosophies when it comes to getting baby into a routine. I like Babywise because it encourages full feedings and naturally helps the baby fall into a schedule that you guide. For example, I try to establish the first feeding of the day at 6:30 AM. The rest of the days falls into a 3 hour schedule. However, if baby seems hungry early, I will feed him a half hour early or so. Likewise, if he's napping and I need to finish dinner, I will let him sleep a half hour and feed him when I'm done. So there is a general routine but at the same time it can flex with my day. If I have an appointment, I might move the feeding up a half hour so that I don't have to worry about feeding while I'm out or taking a bottle. The bottom line is that for me, having a routine helps me feel sane!! I remember the first week, when it is important to ignore routine and get make sure the baby gets a full feeding, that I felt like I was going crazy and not getting any rest. Now my baby has settled into a routine and I feel like a person again. I'm not yelling at my husband or emotionally unstable because of exhaustion.
12) Set a goal. I want to breastfeed for six months, or until the baby begins to take solid food. Maybe you want to go a year, or three months, or less, or more. But having a goal will help you see the end of the days where all you feel like you do is breast feed the baby. (Or maybe that's just me).
13) Everyone has a unique breastfeeding rhythm with their baby. What works for me might not work for you, and that's ok! We know that breastfeeding is the best food possible for baby, so as long as the baby is making good growth, we don't have to compare ourselves. Each mother and baby pair is unique and should do what works best for them.
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