Breastfeeding in the early days, what do i need to remember?
Well DS is due to arrive any day now and every day that goes past i keep thinking about breastfeeding and to be honest im getting quite anxious about it. I really want it to work out this time (I only breastfed DS1 for about 4 days) so i was wondering, what are some important things to remember about breastfeeding in the early days? I keep remembering all the things that went wrong last time and im so scared that i will let all those things get to me again.
Congratulations on your soon-to-be-new-arrival.
This is roughly in order of importance in my opinion......
1) It will get easier
1a) Initially there may be only a weeny bit of colostrum - this is good for babies, so let him at it!
2) Babies cry for reasons other than hunger - if they are weeing often, pooing daily and growing then they are not lacking milk
3) If it hurts then try putting more nipple in to bubs mouth.
3a) If it still hurts try baby led attachment - put bub in vicinity of nipple and let them attach themselves
3b) the ABA help number is 1800mum2mum
3c) If it still hurts then get professional help
4) If you have to then express and bottle feed for a few weeks while bub grows a bit bigger - larger mouths and less floppy babies are heaps easier to feed.
5) little babies can take ages to feed - an hour a feed is not unusual. Shorter feeds but every hour or 2 is also not unusual.
My BFing guru (a lactation consultant and educator at the hospital) says some of the key points in the early day are:
- attempting the first BF as soon as possible after the birth
- lots of skin to skin contact for the first few days (helps sent the signal to your brain that it's milk producing time)
- feed as often as possble when you are establishing supply
- try to get help with attachment at every feed to try and stop attachment issues early on
If you do have problems with cracked nipples, the BEST thing I found was BM on them and let them air dry - LIFE SAVER.
Also, I heard some one say the other day that the first 6 weeks is hard, and knowing that can be helpful. So when it is hard you can grit your teeth and work through it and know that this is probably the worst it will ever be, after 6 weeks it will get easier - IT WILL GET EASIER!
Good luck x
Last edited by Sagres; October 4th, 2010 at 02:32 PM.
also, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, and express yourself by hand when you can. In the first couple of days even a ml or two here and there is super, as you can use it to stimulate bubba and help encourage him to latch on in those first few days.
even if you're too exhausted, the midwives can help you express a few drops here and there, and you can keep it in a syringe for the next feed.
and lots of lovely skin-to-skin contact is good too, whether just cuddling in bed or in the bath or shower. the more the better
good luck!
and it's easy to say, but try not to get too stressed about it. every little bit helps, and you're going to do a great job, for however long you're able to keep going for. there's lots of great ladies on this site with experience, and lactation consultants from your local council and the ABA call number, etc, all there to give you advice.
Well, it was awhile ago for me now, but just remember that there are lots of different ways to get started. If attachment is an issue, try nipple shields. I ended up using nipple shields while still in hospital, and they worked so well that I kind of just kept on using them... and here we are almost 20 months later still breastfeeding using nipple shields. They were my breastfeeding lifesaver!
I would say from my experience the following is important:
1) Positioning and Attachment. Try to make sure the way you hold your baby to your breast (positioning) and his attachment (how much nipple/breast he gets in his mouth) is as good as it can be for every feed. if it's not right, detach carefully (insert your clean little finger to release the suction) and start again.
2) It shouldn't hurt. it may be uncomfortable as you get used to the new feeling of feeding but if it hurts, something is not right. Generally correct positioning & attachment can resolve many issues.
3) Babies can be quite sleepy when born but then may insist on very frequent feeding on day 2 or more. This is quite normal - and necessarily a reason to top up. Just more time at the breast is required. i WISH i knew this first time round.
4) skin to skin can really help feeding and it's easier when there aren't as much clothes getting in the way. even my DH did skin to skin with DD1 in hospital (tucked into his workshirt!) when i was having a rest.
5) Every midwife can seem to have different advice about breastfeeding - the ABA has a 24/7 helpline that can be very useful. Your midwife may never have breastfed herself but the ABA counsellors have all breastfed and have extensive training.
6) Watch your baby not the clock. DD1 used to take an age feeding - up to an hour. and that's fine. DD2 was done in 10-15 mins. i used to worry she wasn't getting enough, but she was. She was just a fast feeder and I guess i was more confident. DD3 has her own style too!
7) DOn't be afraid to ask for help from a professional and as many times as you need it. There is support available and you probably have a local ABA group near you of new and recent mums who can form part of your new community.
8) Newborns can feed 10 - 12 times in a 24 hr period and that's normal. Some may be shorter feeds, some may be longer. It's all part of your baby helping to set up your supply.
Ditto to what everyone else has said but also, Belly Belly was INVALUABLE to me in the early days. Jump on here if you are unsure about anything. Oh yeah, and trust your own body - you CAN do this!!! xxxx
I think everyone's covered it pretty well.
Most of the time, it works best if you just go with what your baby wants - it's ok to feed them very frequently, especially in the early weeks.
And make sure you have contacts to go to if you run into trouble - the ABA and a good LC. Your average midwife/nurse/GP may not be much help.
Above all, try to relax and enjoy your time with your baby. All the best
Breastfeeding in the early days, what do i need to remember?
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