Breastfeeding for the first time can be a scary prospect. It is new, it is unfamiliar, and it is a totally different sensation that you have never felt before.
I can empathise.
But it doesn’t have to be scary.
There are generations of women who have come before you and their experience has led us to have more information and advice than ever before. And we all know that the best advice comes from those who have been in the same position as us at one point in time.
To help you out with this brand new experience, we have collected some of the best advice for breastfeeding moms out there and curated it into this short and sweet blog for you to read.
We’re all in this together moms, we can get through it with a little helping hand from those who have gone before.
Start right away
There is no time like the present when it comes to breastfeeding. Whenever you are expecting your baby, get yourself ready and prepared to begin breastfeeding as soon as they are born. You can talk to your midwife or doctor in advance and make sure that they know you are thinking of breastfeeding if possible. You can also then read up on the subject (like you are doing now, hooray) and get all the equipment you need in advance.
Starting as soon as your baby is born will give you both the best chance of breastfeeding being successful.
Don’t be too hard on yourself
Don’t get too down on yourself if you find breastfeeding difficult at the beginning and your baby has difficulty latching.
Sometimes we have an unrealistic expectation of what breastfeeding is going to be like and we want it to be all sunshine and rainbows right away.
The reality of it can be a little bit trickier.
Try not to get disheartened if things are indeed a little tricky at the beginning and remember that it is normal and happens to millions of women worldwide.
The more you expect it to be a learning curve at the start, the less disappointing it will be when this is the case.
Use both breasts equally
A very practical tip is to use both breasts equally if you can.
This will be easier on your body and will stop any excess chaffing, pain, or breast asymmetry down the line.
You’ve got two, make the most out of each of them.
Look after your body
When you are breastfeeding you are giving some of your nutrients away to your baby. Make sure that you are getting enough food, water, and supplements if you need them to continue to keep yourself healthy during this process.
If you aren’t healthy yourself, the quality of your milk will decline, and so looking after yourself and keeping yourself in good health throughout your time breastfeeding will be good for both you and your baby.
Pump at least once a week
To allow yourself to still have some rest and remanence of a social life when you are breastfeeding, try and pump at least once a week so that you can have some spare breast milk available if your baby needs it and you aren’t there.
This will allow you to take advantage of babysitting offers and go out for the night without feeling tied down too much.
It might also help if you feel your breasts are too full and need a little relief.
Breastfeeding isn’t an easy task but follow this advice and remember why you are doing it, and everything should get a bit easier with time!
