Breastfeeding 101

*This post is not meant to provide medical advice or be a substitute for a medical professional or lactation consultant. These are simply things I have learned after my own breastfeeding experiences. 

Breastfeeding. it's supposed to be the most natural thing in the world. I mean our bodies were perfectly created to grow a baby, deliver it safely into the world, and then continue to nourish it with every single thing it needs. However, for one reason or another, breastfeeding doesn't necessarily come naturally. At least not to everyone. 

​I've written before about my struggles with nursing Caleb, especially at the beginning. I knew from the start of this pregnancy that there were a few things I didn't do correctly the first time around that I needed to correct from day 1 with Chloe. In the post I linked above, I mention how I was determined to make it work, and was able to make it work because of that determination, and in spite of having people doubt me. One of the things I did differently this time was have an in-home consultation with a lactation consultant. She told me, "Breastfeeding is 90% motivation, and only 10% skill." If you truly want to breastfeed, and you are willing to put in the work at first, then you can and you will. 

I'm not going to cover everything about breastfeeding in one post - that's impossible. There's so much to know. But I will tell you the most important things to remember in the first few weeks. 

Breastfeeding is 90% motivation, and only 10% skill.

• Make sure you have a lactation consultant (LC) check baby's latch ASAP. My nipples were bleeding before I left the hospital. I had the hospital LCs see me twice and they were a big help, but the biggest help was having a LC come to the house. She corrected my hold, and gave me a couple of really good tips, as well as weighing Chloe before and after a feeding so I knew exactly how much she was taking in. If you are a nursing momma in Miami you have probably heard of Faith Ploude. She has been helping nursing moms for years and she came to me highly recommended by some friends. She is actually starting to take her practice virtual, so even if you aren't in Miami, you can reach out to her and she can do a phone consult or a consult via Skype. 

• DON'T watch the clock. I cannot stress this enough. I tell this to everyone, and anytime someone tells me, "My baby isn't gaining enough weight," I ask, "Are you on a schedule or are you feeding on demand?" Nearly every time, the response is that they are on a schedule. FORGET what time it is, or what time the baby ate last. Go by baby's hunger cues. Some days Chloe wants to be on every hour and a half. One of my biggest mistakes with Caleb was trying to make him go three hours between feedings, because that's what I had been told was normal. That truly hurt my supply. With Chloe, she's been cluster feeding in the evening but then she sleeps a longer stretch at night, so you might get some relief that way. It's hard, but that's the baby's way of telling your body to make more milk. Don't expect them to be on a schedule for at least the first 6 weeks. That's how long it takes to establish supply.

 

• Eat and hydrate. I know, you want to lose the baby weight. Trust me, I get it. But you need to eat a well-balanced diet. You can eat healthy and still be fine, but don't totally limit your calorie consumption to try to lose a huge amount of weight quickly. 

 

• Get the Hakka pump (or any of the off-brand ones - they work, too). It's a silicone manual pump. Like twice a day, I put it on the opposite breast she's feeding from to catch the milk that leaks. I've been able to collect close to 1.5 oz per feeding just from doing that!


• Breastfeeding is front-loaded. There is a lot of work to be done to establish supply in the first 6 weeks. If you put in the work for those six weeks, you can make it much longer, and it's worth it. Do you know how easy it is to travel or even leave the house with a baby who is exclusively breastfed? One of my biggest motivators for breastfeeding (aside from health benefits for both mom and baby), is the ease with which a baby can be fed, anywhere. This was also why I extended breastfeeding with Caleb - since we travel often, it made travel much simpler. Also, I hate washing dishes, and this eliminates the need for washing bottles and nipples. 

So there you have my biggest tips for the beginning of your breastfeeding journey. Experienced mommas, what else would you add? Leave your tips in the comments! 

xoxo, 

​Jenise

P.S. I get that breastfeeding is not for everyone. This post is not meant to shame those moms who choose to feed their babies formula or expressed milk. A fed baby is a healthy baby. Do what you have to do, ladies! This post is only to tell you that if you truly want to breastfeed, you can!