Breastfeeding hacks & tips for a successful journey
Let me start off by saying that I am a strong believer in the idea that “fed is best”. This post is not to harp on the idea that you must breastfeed or that you are less than if you don’t choose to do so. Seeing that my background is in NICU nursing, I fully understand that breastfeeding is not for everyone. Some people have no interest in breastfeeding and others want to and just can’t. So, my tricks that I list below are in no way advertised as 100% effective for all cases, they just seemed to really help me through my journey.
I breastfed my first for about 3 months and then continued pumping until about 6 months postpartum. My second, we are still trucking along in our breastfeeding journey and he is currently 16 months old. He has yet to take a Paci and we have successfully given him one or two bottles in total. It just worked with him (with the help of the tips and tricks listed below).
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In this post I will cover the following:
What to expect in the beginning of your journey
How fueling your body with nutrients and staying hydrated truly effects your milk production
Best products for breastfeeding
Tips to help you feel more comfortable in your journey
Knowing when to quit
What to expect in the beginning
I am going to be totally honest here: the first few weeks are when most breastfeeding moms decide it isn’t for them. Even the ones who felt they wanted to try. Don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this. I feel that the time and love you put into your newborn is much more important than causing yourself more stress by pushing yourself to do something you don’t enjoy or that just isn’t working. You are the only one who knows best for you and your baby, so listen to your heart Mama. However, someone gave me the best advice while I was pregnant. They said, “if you are truly wanting to breastfeed, do your best to stick it out for the first two weeks, and then it will get easier.” I pushed myself through those two weeks with my first, and she was so right.
Those first few weeks are tough. Your emotions are all over the place, you’ve got all the fun perks of being postpartum (I will assume you know what to expect here and will spare the details for this post at least), little to no sleep AND a crying, hungry newborn just waiting for your milk to come in. If you are lucky, your milk will come in within 24 hours. However, most moms don’t truly get milk in until 72 hours after giving birth (and some even longer than that)! You obviously have this worry that your baby is hungry and that you can’t do anything about it, but in all honesty, the baby’s belly is so tiny at this point, that the tiny drops of colostrum they are getting is enough to hold him or her over. The crazy cool thing about breastfeeding is how your body knows exactly what to do. It starts by making colostrum until your milk fully comes in. Colostrum is this antibody loaded, calorie rich milk that is extremely beneficial to your little one. It has enough calories in a couple little drops to feed your baby just fine (assuming there are no underlying health issues at hand).
Please note that it is 100% expected for your newborn to lose weight the first few days of life. Seeing a weight loss at your first check up appt with baby is not indicative to how well you are doing. Some babies cannot stand to lose any weight (i.e. prematurity, low birth weight, jaundice, etc), so some doctors will suggest you supplement for the time being, but if you are truly wanting to stick with it, do not let this discourage you. Again, this is TOTALLY NORMAL. It is perfectly fine to supplement and also continue to breastfeed. There is also a very slim chance of nipple confusion so do not be concerned with giving the bottle in the meantime.
I strongly suggest you keep this nipple butter on hand because your nips will most likely be in for a rude awakening, especially if this is your first time. This cream is safe. You can put it on right after nursing and let air dry. There is no need to wipe off before feeding again.
Lastly, when your milk does finally come in: wow. I mean WOW. You (and probably your husband) will mostly likely enjoy your new friends (for about 5 minutes until you feel a fullness in your body that you never knew could be possible). I am talking this flat chested, AA size bra wearing girl had boobs that were tight all the way up to my collar bones, no exaggeration. MY COLLAR BONES. It was CRAZY! All that being said, you will most likely wonder, “should I pump to release some of this?” You can, however, you want to be VERY careful with this, as your body figures out how much milk to make by the output you express. So, if you empty your breasts completely when they fill up every time (especially in the first few weeks), they are just going to continue to produce that much milk and you do not want that. You want to only produce enough to feed your little one. So, follow your pediatrician’s guidelines on feeding your newborn and pump as little as possible. Hand expression is also the best method during this time as you are able to express just enough to get some relief without a full on suction, which will release enough to allow your baby to latch properly.
How Food and Water Effect Our Milk Supply
Remember when you were pregnant and growing a human inside your belly? How could you not, right? Well, it was obvious then that you had to increase your calorie intake and water consumption in order to give the baby the nutrients it needs. The same reigns true now, yet even more so because now instead of sharing your intake with the baby directly through an umbilical cord, you are now creating an extra supply of food to which is the only thing nourishing that little one that is growing at a much faster rate now!
Breast milk is made up of mostly water (somewhere around 85-87% to be exact), so of course, your body needs water to replenish the stores it is taking from. If you run continuously dehydrated, you will most certainly not be able to produce enough milk to feed your little one. Same goes with calories. Your body burns calories making milk and in turn they need to be replenished in order to complete the cycle and to continue making more. This definitely isn’t the time to start a hard core weight loss/workout routine. The time will come when you will be fine to start this up and with your doctors’ approval you will be able to exercise.
Having a hard time keeping up with your water intake? I did too (new baby, lack of sleep, a gazillion and one diaper changes, who has time for remembering how much water you had had that day?). Try using this water bottle that helps keep track for you. You should really be drinking around 16 cups (128 oz) a day to keep up with your supply. Now, technically you don’t have to get all of this from straight water. It can come from the foods you eat, also, which if you are trying to eat semi clean, you should be getting naturally. It can also come from coconut water (added bonus as this is a good boost for the supply and naturally healthy). My absolute favorite is the Private Selection brand Sparkling Cocunut Water in either Mango or Watermelon flavors!
The Best products for breastfeeding moms
Earth Mama Nipple Butter: There is a reason this is number one. And as said before (above), I promise you will want to keep this at your bedside for at least the first few weeks. I personally chose and used this nipple butter because it was safe for nursing and had extremely high reviews. And in the end, it did not disappoint.
Lavie Warming Lactation Massager: I experienced multiple bouts of mastitis my second go around and wish I had this warming massager early on to help with clogged ducts. Mastitis is painful and NO JOKE. I didn’t have it a single time with my first, but seemed like every time I turned around I was getting it with my second. I found I would get clogged ducts every time I didn’t drink enough water, which leads us to my third favorite product.
Water Bottle: As discussed before, water is the answer for everything. Tired: drink some water. Feeling run down: drink some water. Stomach ache: drink some water. Clogged ducts: chug water. But, seriously, keep track of how much you are drinking and make sure you are getting enough to stay fully hydrated while pumping out that milk!
Haaka: I personally loved this for help in manual hand expression when super full and for catching dripping milk on the side I was not nursing on, especially in the beginning when I had a very strong let down. Don’t be like me though and not read the directions, because for the longest time, I just assumed you held it to the breast and the milk just dripped in. But, it is actually meant to suction onto your breast and act as a manual pump type of thing. Either way you use it, it is extremely helpful, just make sure you get the one with the lid!
Nursing Pads: If you get your milk in and you continue with breastfeeding, it is inevitable, you will leak. You will leak at the most inopportune times and you will be totally unprepared, unless you use these nursing pads that help catch these leaks!
Boppy: This was one our favorite baby products for both kids, breastfed or not. It is the best assistant when trying to learn the ropes of breastfeeding and learning what position works best for you and baby. It is also great for dads, siblings, visitors, etc. to help in holding your sweet little fragile newborn.
Nursing Tanks: If you’re like me postpartum, you will likely not be showered the majority of the time, will be covered in breast milk (fresh and dried), hair in a crazy bun with pajama pants or leggings (is there a difference?) and these nursing tanks. They are ideal because, well, no added bra needed as it’s a shirt and bra all in one. Whatever saves us time and energy in these crazy days, right?
Prenatal Vitamins: These were my go to because I knew they included all the necessary vitamins (including iron) that I needed to replenish my body and to store enough to pass on the right amount of nutrients to my baby. Prenatal vitamins are meant to be used through pregnancy and breastfeeding as you are still nourishing your baby solely from the vitamins and minerals your body provides, if breastfeeding.
SNACKS. Like all of them. But seriously, you will be so hungry. I was more hungry breastfeeding than I was pregnant. And had more cravings! Have easy to grab snacks handy (think string cheese, muffins, fruit, granola bars, protein shakes, nuts, applesauce pouches).
There are plenty more helpful products out there for breastfeeding, and everyone has something they swear by. I honestly didn’t get too caught up in ordering a ton of things, at least on the second go around. And, honestly, there wasn’t a whole lot I truly needed. The items listed above were what I found to be the most useful in order to create a comfortable nursing environment.
feeling more comfortable in your breastfeeding journey
Some moms are blessed with a personality that can just not give a you know what about what others think. And, wow, do I aspire to be one of those people. I am trying, and working on myself to get closer to this goal, but I am here to tell you that you are here to take care of that sweet baby. Don’t let anyone get in your head. Breastfeed if that’s what feels right, bottle and/or formula feed if that is what feels right. Again, only you know what is best for you and your baby, and your sweet babe is relying on you to make the call.
On a separate note in relation to breastfeeding in public: no, I don’t think I should have to go to the bathroom to feed my infant. But, no I also don’t really want to whip my breast out for everyone around me to see. I just unfortunately don’t have the personality that can turn off all the glares. That being said, I have certainly fed my son in the park, at the doctor’s office, at work, and in multiple other places because he has been exclusively breastfed and I don’t feel I should have to not go somewhere because I have to feed my child. We all are free to eat as we please, so why shouldn’t he? However, every single time, I was discreet. Obviously no one would say anything, but I am fairly certain that not a single person saw my breast while I was breastfeeding. I think this is where the negativity comes from. Some women will just whip the breast out, wave it in the child’s face and never think twice. While you may disagree with me on this, and I am prepared for that, I just don’t find that necessary. I am not saying to cover your kid up, I never did, just barely pulled my shirt aside and let him latch on. If I was unsuccessful with this or my little one wasn’t having it, then yes, I would find an alternate location to nurse because just as no one wants to look at my breast, I don’t really want them to either.
Knowing when to quit
I had a hard time with this with my first child. Now, I already mentioned I only breastfed until about 3 months, but then continued to pump and give her breastmilk from a bottle for about 6 months. It was an accomplishment in my book and was something that was hard to say when enough was enough. However, I realized around the time of quitting that I was spending more time worrying about pumping and/or the amount of milk I was getting, etc. etc, than I was anything else (including mine and my baby’s happiness). And, it was making me feel extremely defeated. It hit me then that that was the time to quit. When the thoughts were intrusive and all consuming, it was no longer worth it. The risks outweighed the benefits, if you will.
Don’t let this be a stressful event. I know that can be easier said than done, but I have been there. I am here. I am currently going through it with you. Do it while it feels right. Quit when it doesn’t. That simple. All that matters is that your baby is fed and loved and the rest is all just details.
That being said, when you have made the decision to quit, please contact your ObGyn for direction as you do not want to quit cold turkey. This is a sure-fire way to cause clogged ducts and mastitis. You will want to skip one feed and/or pump session every few days. The process will take about a week-2 weeks total and then your milk will not be 100% dry by the time you quit, but will be close enough to not cause many, if any symptoms.
Feel free to drop a comment below for any additional products and/or tips/tricks you have found to be helpful in your breastfeeding journey. We are all in this together and should be building each other up. Especially during these pressing times. You got this Mama, you’re doing a great job!