i was planning to bf, if possible, and this is what i did during pregnancy.

Join my local aba group, met the people in it whilst i was pregnant. Listened to their meetings, heard what they went thru (which was a revelation to me) and good education for what i was about to go thru.

Signed up for the 3hour ABA bf-ing class (with your partner) that you do when in your 3rd trimester (that was MUCH more helpful than the hospital bf-ing class).

signed up for ABA subscription which means you get sent their two monthly mag called ESSENCE. i read this from cover to cover each time it arrives - so practical.

From the aba group, and reading posts on bellybelly, i was always warned that the midwife help with bf-ing is very random and inconsistent, so to get around that, i went with the Group Midwifery Practice part of the hospital. That meant i had the same midwife thru pregnancy and for six weeks post natally. I knew she would be there visiting me (home or hospital) so i decided to either ignore or just listen to the midwives in the hospital, and wait for MY midwife to arrive, because i wanted consistent supportive info and i knew she was very positive and pro-bf-ing. In the first few days, she came to see us multiple times a day, it was such a relief to have that continuity. (this is in a public hospital).

we had a complicated labour and i fought after two epidurals (in a breastfeeding friendly hospital) to be allowed to feed my baby 2.5 hours after the complicated c-section. We definately didn't get immediate skin to skin, due to baby being delivered unconscious.

There is SO MUCH mis-information out there, including people you EXPECT would know what to do (medical people working with pregnant women and babies).

Search out private lactation consultants, independent midwives.

online
la leche
australian breastfeeding association

i found in the first two years of my child's life, ANYTHING that went wrong with her, medical people would FIRST say "oh, well stop the breastfeeding and it will be fine". Like it was a stock standard answer, to any baby malady (like reflux, or not sleeping well).

THe WHO reccomendation of feeding until two, and beyond - most medical people i spoke to thought three months or six months was the time to breastfeed for.

Breastfeeding is a time consuming thing to do, although super convenient on many levels, and doing it, made me aware of how UNCHILDFRIENDLY our society is.

There are SO many health benefits to breastfeeding, many that will help my child's future health throughout her life. i reminded myself of that, each time someone tried to talk me out of bf-ing her.

I was pressurised to put her on formula from five months of age (so i coudl have a life apparently). Nevermind that we had actually gotten to a stage where bf-ing was working well for us, my baby was healthy as anything, my supply was fine, no reason to stop at all.

i felt no-one (apart from the ABA) understood how important it was that i keep bf-ing (while i could). i was happy with my choice, but felt pretty alone (in real life) about that choice (everyone else around me ff-ing). Luckily my child's father had gone along to the aba bf0ing class, and has been a good bf-ing cheersquad, you NEED someone in your corner. Our r'ship has dissolved, but at least he has kept supporting the bf-ing r'ship btwn me and my DD. He learnt the benefits and sees them in her heath everyday.

i'm sure i've gone WAY off topic, but by god, this topic gets me fired up. i have no idea why i've had to FIGHT SO HARD to do something positive (bf) my DD.