Breastfeeding Tips...
Since having Skye I have been exclusively breastfeeding, and I'm so glad that I am able to. Breastfeeding is so unbelievably rewarding, for both you and baby! Now don't get me wrong, it's definitely not easy, and I had moments when I really wanted to give up, but I'm honestly so grateful that I stuck with it! I plan on doing a whole different blog post on the benefits or breastfeeding, for both mom and baby, so keep a lookout!
Lanolin
This is going to be your absolute best friend. I'm listing this first because this stuff is a total lifesaver, and I didn't buy nearly enough of this at first. When you first start nursing, or even pumping, your nipples will be so very sore and dry. Applying Lanolin after every time you feed is key to making sure your breastfeeding experience is a good one!
Change Breast Pads Often
When I was first starting to nurse, I changed my breast pads every single time I nursed Skye. Between the loads of lanolin I was using, and the leaking milk, the pads would really start to irritate my nipples, and make nursing just that much harder. Now that I don't have to use lanolin very often, I change my pads every other time I nurse, or as needed. Personally I like to use disposable pads instead of the reusable ones just because I already have a ton of laundry haha. But use whatever you are most comfortable with!
Drink Plenty of Water
Drinking lots of water will help your milk production! It's so important to stay hydrated while nursing, because everything you intake becomes nourishment for your tiny human. I can definitely tell when I haven't been drinking enough water, because my supply really suffers.
Don't Shake Your Breast Milk
It's natural for your milk to separate, but before feeding your baby don't shake it. When you shake the breast milk it beaks up the proteins, when the proteins stay intact, it will protect the lining of your baby's stomach. Swirl your milk instead!
Relax
When your tense, and anxious, it makes nursing a thousand times more difficult. Your baby will pick up on you being anxious and a lot of time they will pickup on your emotions.
Talk To A Lactation Consultant
My hospital that I delivered at had a free lactation consultant, that I could continue to call or meet with after we left the hospital, ABSOLUTELY FREE. Before you are discharged, or even when you are doing your walk through, ask if they will have one available to you. This was super helpful for me. Skye didn't have any issues latching on the right side, but we struggled with nursing on the left. She helped me try different nursing positions, and explained to me how to break the latch if I needed to. Honestly even if my LC wasn't free, I would have paid for it, because it is 100% worth it!
Skin To Skin Contact
Doing skin to skin with your baby not only helps them to nurse better, but it is so comforting to them. There are a ton of benefits to skin to skin, but I'll save that for a later post. When Skye was born, she had a really low temperature, and the nurses had us doing a ton of skin to skin while I was nursing. It makes it so much easier to wear just a robe over your nursing bra, when doing skin to skin. I would just stick Skye in my robe with me, that way I still felt a little covered up, and it got rid of the need to have a blanket over her as well.
Pump After Each Feeding
If you are trying to up your production, pumping after each feed will help a lot. I really wanted to start saving milk, and I still struggle with this to be honest, and this really helped to stabilize my production. An added bonus with pumping is that it can give you a little bit of a break, while someone else feeds baby. This can also help you continue to breast feed, instead of wanting to give up.
Stick With It
Breastfeeding is not easy, but it is so beneficial. I know some women really cannot breastfeed, for very good reasons; but a lot of women have failed breastfeeding attempts because they give up too soon. Don't be afraid to ask for help, whether that be from your partner, or a lactation consultant.
Have Support
Having people around me who understand how difficult, and challenging breastfeeding can be has helped me to continue nursing Skye, as well as answer questions when a lactation consultant isn't available. Andrew was super helpful in the beginning, when I couldn't get up easily, to get Skye when she was hungry.
Right after Skye was born, and cleaned up, they laid her back on my chest for skin to skin time. Almost immediately she was trying to nurse, and my mom was able to help me get her to latch correctly.
Lanolin
This is going to be your absolute best friend. I'm listing this first because this stuff is a total lifesaver, and I didn't buy nearly enough of this at first. When you first start nursing, or even pumping, your nipples will be so very sore and dry. Applying Lanolin after every time you feed is key to making sure your breastfeeding experience is a good one!
Change Breast Pads Often
When I was first starting to nurse, I changed my breast pads every single time I nursed Skye. Between the loads of lanolin I was using, and the leaking milk, the pads would really start to irritate my nipples, and make nursing just that much harder. Now that I don't have to use lanolin very often, I change my pads every other time I nurse, or as needed. Personally I like to use disposable pads instead of the reusable ones just because I already have a ton of laundry haha. But use whatever you are most comfortable with!
Drink Plenty of Water
Drinking lots of water will help your milk production! It's so important to stay hydrated while nursing, because everything you intake becomes nourishment for your tiny human. I can definitely tell when I haven't been drinking enough water, because my supply really suffers.
Don't Shake Your Breast Milk
It's natural for your milk to separate, but before feeding your baby don't shake it. When you shake the breast milk it beaks up the proteins, when the proteins stay intact, it will protect the lining of your baby's stomach. Swirl your milk instead!
Relax
When your tense, and anxious, it makes nursing a thousand times more difficult. Your baby will pick up on you being anxious and a lot of time they will pickup on your emotions.
Talk To A Lactation Consultant
My hospital that I delivered at had a free lactation consultant, that I could continue to call or meet with after we left the hospital, ABSOLUTELY FREE. Before you are discharged, or even when you are doing your walk through, ask if they will have one available to you. This was super helpful for me. Skye didn't have any issues latching on the right side, but we struggled with nursing on the left. She helped me try different nursing positions, and explained to me how to break the latch if I needed to. Honestly even if my LC wasn't free, I would have paid for it, because it is 100% worth it!
Skin To Skin Contact
Doing skin to skin with your baby not only helps them to nurse better, but it is so comforting to them. There are a ton of benefits to skin to skin, but I'll save that for a later post. When Skye was born, she had a really low temperature, and the nurses had us doing a ton of skin to skin while I was nursing. It makes it so much easier to wear just a robe over your nursing bra, when doing skin to skin. I would just stick Skye in my robe with me, that way I still felt a little covered up, and it got rid of the need to have a blanket over her as well.
Pump After Each Feeding
If you are trying to up your production, pumping after each feed will help a lot. I really wanted to start saving milk, and I still struggle with this to be honest, and this really helped to stabilize my production. An added bonus with pumping is that it can give you a little bit of a break, while someone else feeds baby. This can also help you continue to breast feed, instead of wanting to give up.
Stick With It
Breastfeeding is not easy, but it is so beneficial. I know some women really cannot breastfeed, for very good reasons; but a lot of women have failed breastfeeding attempts because they give up too soon. Don't be afraid to ask for help, whether that be from your partner, or a lactation consultant.
Have Support
Having people around me who understand how difficult, and challenging breastfeeding can be has helped me to continue nursing Skye, as well as answer questions when a lactation consultant isn't available. Andrew was super helpful in the beginning, when I couldn't get up easily, to get Skye when she was hungry.
Right after Skye was born, and cleaned up, they laid her back on my chest for skin to skin time. Almost immediately she was trying to nurse, and my mom was able to help me get her to latch correctly.
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