How to prepare for breastfeeding when pregnant....

[Marley&Me]

I highly recommend breastfeeding singlets! So much easier and convenient than the bra's. For me, I didn't really prepare at all. My first two health nurse visits were from a LC and she really helped me with everything I needed to know. My milk didn't come in for 5 days!! Poor dd was dehydrated, but it worked itself out in a week or so

I will say one thing though, prepare yourself for the pain! It's awful for the first couple of weeks, but after a while you feel like a pro Haha

[PumpkinZulu]

I will say one thing though, prepare yourself for the pain! It's awful for the first couple of weeks, but after a while you feel like a pro Haha

I disagree with this last bit. Don't prepare to feel pain or for it to be a struggle. The only part of feeding a toothless baby that hurt for me were the afterpains, breastfeeding itself never hurt me, it's not a given. Sorry, I just think an open and positive mindset is fairly crucial. Both my girls have been biters durin teething, to the point of drawing blood, and just recently DD2 somehow grazed my nipple overnight, which took a while to heal and was sore...but that was down to lazy toddler attachment. Also, do you have any lactating friends you could spend the morning with, just watching and chatting? If not, hit me up for a coffee! Seriously, being around breastfeeding is the best way to learn.

[Jennifer13]

The ABA groups are great, but if you know a friend who is bfing or has, don't hesitate to ring and ask them for support and advice. Your partner is crucial, but having other support is also helpful. I have several friends who have felt more comfortable talking to me than someone they don't know with bfing qns or concerns (for a while I was the only person who'd bf beyond 12 mths in my group of IRL friends - thankfully, not anymore as several have now done it). I guess you need to bear in mind that a friend is not a trained LC, so consider any advice carefully, but it's far better to turn to someone than suffer or wonder in silence.

[Smoke Jaguar]

Oh em gee, I'm so glad you didn't buy that book! Francesa Naish is hardcore! If you didn't feel guilty about anything you'd done in your pregnancy, a read of this book would have you feel you just weren't up for the job! She's unrepentant and I wouldn't recommend her for a first timer
The ABA classes are your ticket and 30 weeks is perfect. Make the trek if it's a bit further out of your way and you will see someone actually breastfeed I was a demo mum twice and both times my eldest decided to demonstrate 'breastfeeding the older child' (he was well over 3yo then!).
Oh, and I'm in the Breastfeeding...Naturally book! I can't remember where, though...I'll have to find my copy again...

[myturn]

I'm sure Tasha means that the pain is a possibility and it's worth knowing that's a possibility - but it can still happen.

It's okay though PZ I'm feeling positive I've been around a few breast feeders before but will certainly keep coffee in mind. I'm a bit of an independent learner though and I think it will work best for me to just try and see how I go. As long as I remember not to be afraid to ask if I'm unsure.

[HotI]

I have been a demo breastfeeder too! ds demonstrated what a chucky baby does. I have also put my name down to demo in the March class with new baby.

I went to a hospital bf class, but the ABA ones cover so much more. the breastfeeding naturally' book was my bible, and definitely contributed to my relatively easy start to breastfeeding.

pain often indicates something is not quite right. in the early days watch baby s attachment, and take them off if things don't feel good.

to take baby off slide your pinky in to the side . of baby s mouth and break the seal before trying to remove your breast.

[Melbournemumma]

You know what hurt the most for me in the early days, let down. once the milk let down it would stop hurting.

With DS1 as long as he was attached I or up with pain, this meant I ended up with cracked nipples and spent 8 weeks expressing and bottle feeding until he went back to breastfeeding at 10 weeks. With ds2 and Ds3 I made sure that I detached and reattached if it was hurting. It's worth the time to make sure bubs is attached properly even if it's a pain in the neck.

I also second keeping in mind that it takes a long time. I felt like all I was every doing was feeding but once I stopped watching the clock and just feeding when bubs wanted it I want so stressed out. However I did have other people saying to me that Ds3 seemed to be constantly feeding. In the end I pointed out that it doesn't really affect them and he's a baby so that's pretty much all they do anyway, people learnt not to comment :-D

[Frangipani Lou]

For a real confidence boost, invest the $$ in a 2 hour 1:1 session with a brilliant LC like Leonie Maybury. She will come to you. I found my session and follow up support with Leonie really fantastic. She put together a bf plan with me and I was clear and confident about what to do instead of getting 20 different midwives ideas and opinions about how to feed, especially when feeling so vulnerable.

Eta- get thee a series to watch. I fell in love with 7th heaven and recorded it from the tv to watch whenever I was feeding. It became a real treat.

[Smoke Jaguar]

My first and second times had pain involved, but I had great ABA support from the get-go to deal with DS' tongue tie and DD giving me nipple thrush. Being able to talk to someone about having pain meant I had a cheer squad and beautiful people checking in on our progress.
Support is one thing and is great, technical advice from a IBCLC lactation consultant is worth its weight in gold - for around $100 for the first visit it's value for money, considering how much formula (and associated expenses) would cost over a 12 month period. If you can nail it early you're kicking goals in so many ways. But I'm lazy, and that line of reasoning has helped me help other lazy mums in the past

[Marley&Me]

I'm sure Tasha means that the pain is a possibility and it's worth knowing that's a possibility - but it can still happen.

.

Didn't mean to scare you myturn! But yes, if I hadn't have been told that it can be quite painful I would have been in for a very rude shock! I have yet to meet someone who didn't have pain. But you know you are doing it for your bub, so you just get through it, plus it doesn't last forever.

I'm still so excited for you xx

[meow]

It REALLY helped me to have seen the struggle my sister went through with BFing. Loads of pain, supply/attachment issues and weeks of mixed pumping/breastfeeding until it all got worked out. To see that you can go through that, and it's within the realm of normal and you can still successfully feed long term was such a help.

I went an ABA BFing class and it annoyed me because the teacher was of the 'plan for it to be great and have a positive mindset' school. She only told us about how to do it all successfully and I found I had to ask "what do we do if...?" questions and those answers were MUCH more helpful to me when we had attachement/supply issues ourselves.

[onthefly]

As everyone's said, do the class, 30 weeks is perfect, and take your partner if you can - it's easier to remember things if two of you have been there. Understanding how breastfeeding works and who to talk to if you have questions or any issues are really crucial. Sadly a lot of people - even health professionals working with mothers and babies sometimes - don't know much about what is actually normal for babies or how breastfeeding works. This can create all sorts of problems.
Otherwise, I'd also have a think about labour/birth/post-natal care and how this might affect initiation of breastfeeding and what you can do to mitigate any issues that arise.
Get along to your ABA group while still pregnant if you can - it will make it easier to reach out later on. Also maybe find out about what services your hospital has - do they have LCs on staff? what are their feeding/baby care policies etc? If they've no IBCLCs, maybe look a few up in your area so you know who to call if you're stuck.
Some discomfort or sensitivity is quite normal in the early days, but pain is a pretty good sign that something is wrong and you need help. That's good to know, also. Don't wait for things to just get better on their own. Ask for help, and ask the ABA or an LC.
All the best