August is National Breastfeeding Month! Not only is breastfeeding beneficial for your baby but for mama too. After the first month of having Brookie, I loved breastfeeding and exclusively breastfed her for a year. Now that I have baby #2, I hope to continue breastfeeding him for his first year as well. With baby #2, I thought I had already went through all the challenages the first time with Brookie that the 2nd time would be a breeze. Instead, I found myself experiencing similar problems I had the first time like sore nipples and engorgement. It was not easy and still very painful (oh the struggles we go through as mamas).
So here are a few of my tips from my own personal experience (every mama is different):
My #1 rule (if you're determined to be successful at breastfeeding) - Don't give up, just give it 30 days. After 30 days, you'll find breastfeeding much easier and not painful.
Sore Nipples
- The hospital gave me
Medela softshells to help with the soreness when I had Brookie. These helped because my nipples weren't touching anything and allowed them to breath and heal.
- I didn't find Lanolin to be helpful so for my second baby I used
Earth Mama Angel Baby nipple butter. I loved the smell and felt like it healed my skin better than Lanolin. I barely used the container because after awhile I didn't need it anymore. Plus, I felt the ingredients were safer for my baby.
- Try different positions, like the football hold. You can go to a lactation consultant or Google the ways to hold your baby. If you're in the hospital, ask as many questions as possible and have a nurse or lactation consultant watch you breastfeed to make sure you're doing it correctly. The breastfeeding pillows can be helpful too. The key is getting a good latch. Sometimes a good latch is a learning experience for you and your baby, so be patient.
Engorgement
- Eventually this will pass and your body will understand how much milk you need to produce.
- Pump some of the milk to relieve the pressure. Don't pump until you're empty because that will tell your body to produce even more milk. When you release milk, you're telling your body how much milk your baby wants/needs. If you want to produce more milk so you can store it, then you should definitely pump in between feedings.
- Apply cold compress on your engorged boobs for a few minutes before the next feeding.
- Take a hot shower.
The Bottle (This only applies to stay-at-home mamas)
- Be consistent with giving your baby the bottle. Have your spouse feed your baby once a day or a couple times a week. It's hard to feed your baby the bottle in the beginning because they smell the milk on you and wonder why they're not getting the boob. For Brookie's first year, I exclusively breastfed. Brookie drank milk straight from the tap. This was easier for me except when I wanted to go out for some mama me time. I didn't go out of town without Brookie until after I stopped breastfeeding, which made for a very uneventful first year for me. Experts say to introduce the bottle once breastfeeding is established. I waited too long and by that time, she wouldn't take the bottle, no matter how many times we tried.
- You might have to try different bottles so there's no need to buy a whole set before your baby is born. Some babies prefer certain nipples. It's best to buy one bottle from a couple different companies to see which works best for you and your baby. If you know other mamas, borrow one of their bottles to test it out.
Breastfeeding in Public
- You should never feel uncomfortable breastfeeding in public. Our bodies were made to feed our babies so don't let anyone tell you to not breastfeed in public. It is not illegal to breastfeed in public, we are protected by the law. You should check with the state you live in to make sure, but in California, we can breastfeed anywhere.
- Covering yourself is a debatable topic among other people but I strongly support a mama's choice to not cover herself while breastfeeding in public. Boobs were not made for sexual pleasure, their purpose is to feed our babies. So if someone feels uncomfortable, then they can look away. I personally cover myself, but that's my own preference. Everyone is different and sometimes it can get really hot with the cover.
- I love the
Bebe au Lait breastfeeding covers, I use mine all the time. You can also use the Aden & Anais swaddle blankets as a cover. I take the corners of the blanket and tie it around my neck to create a hole. I leave the hole big enough so I can see my baby while breastfeeding.
- If you're a first time mama and you're hesitant about breastfeeding in public, don't worry, I felt the same way my first time. I was so nervous. But after you do it once, it becomes easier.
Nursing Bras
- Nursing bras are expensive but you can't use normal bras while breastfeeding. You can try (I have tried) but it becomes really frustrating. You just want an easy way to pop your boob out and not have it interfere with your baby's feeding. I found sports bras helpful, I wear
these from Target because skinnier straps look better and it's what I had pre-pregnancy. The material is great because it absorbs any leakage better than regular cotton bras. Plus, you can still use them after you're done breastfeeding. The only downside is you can't wear sports bras with all your tops and they're not attractive.
- If you are buying nursing bras, buy nursing tanks too. They're perfect when you're lounging at home. If you step out of the house, you can wear them as is or throw on a jacket, cardigan or button up shirt over it. Super easy and you don't have to worry about hiding your stomach because you haven't been doing your sit ups every day.
***Don't feel discouraged or disappointed if you can't or decide not to breastfeed. From my experience, it's not for everyone and I contemplated quitting a couple of times. My sister and I were formula fed babies and we came out fine! (Well, I think we're normal)
Here's a funny article about breastfeeding (p.s. it is meant to be a satire):
http://www.momnewsdaily.com/grown-man-who-was-formula-fed-wants-to-know-why/
Happy Breastfeeding Everyone!
