It’s officially 2 weeks since this peanut graced our lives with her snuggles! It’s been a personal goal to #breastfeed her for at least a year. 50 more weeks to go LOL! 🤱🏼
This journey has not been easy. There have been times when I wasn’t sure I was providing enough for her and felt extremely overwhelmed, exhausted and defeated. #babyblues I’m now #exclusivelybreastfeeding and feel like such a rockstar 🤩 #toosoon?
What’s the secret formula?
•Support. Make sure you have a supportive partner who can help you through and support your BF goal. You’re going to need someone to lean on not to mention someone to get you food, drinks, the remote etc. FB groups are also super helpful. It’s nice to know other moms are going through the same thing you are and can offer advice that works!
•Patience. “BF is easy”, said no mom ever and most babies don’t figure it out right away. The first few days are taxing emotionally and physically. You’ve just given birth and now you are immobile and have to care for someone else who is helpless and completely dependent on you. Be patient with yourself and with baby. It gets easier. ⭐️
•Knowledge. Learn as much as you can and ask questions before delivery. Remember that BF is a journey for both you and baby. Baby is learning what to do right along with you but if you prepare for it, you’ll feel much more confident. Take a BF class. Talk to an IBCLC. Join a support group. Most hospitals offer free classes. Take advantage and ask a lot of questions!
•Supply. BF works off of demand and supply. As much as baby demands is how much you’ll supply. The first few days you will not have milk. I repeat, you will not have milk. You’ll have colostrum which isn’t usually enough for baby, but don’t freak out! You can pump to help stimulate your supply and get more out for baby. Colostrum has a thicker consistency so it’s harder for baby to suckle. Pumping is a good way to help both you and baby.
•Confidence. Baby can sense your vibes. If you approach BF with confidence, baby will feel that and react accordingly. She/he feeds off your energy just like in the womb. Stay calm and breastfeed on.
•Products must-haves. Nursing bra, silverette nipple cups, water bottle, food, swaddles, burp cloth, while noise machine, and a night light.
•Nipple pain. Nipple pain is normal. Cuts and sores are not. You’ll learn how to get baby to latch properly at a class or from an IBCLC. The #1 best way to heal your nipples is with your own breast milk. The silverette cups protect your nipples between feeding and help keep the excess milk in the cup which essentially leaves your nipples in a perpetual state of healing. Def get these!
•Pumping. Pumping is breastfeeding. If you have difficulty with baby latching for any reason, pump. Most insurance covers one pump per pregnancy. Do your research on which one to get. Some give you a better yield that others but it all depends on your body. At the hospital, I used their Ameda pump and it didn’t do much for my supply. In its defense, i was only making #colostrum at the time. My milk did come in the next day though 🤷🏼♀️ I personally use a Spectra pump at home when I need to relieve myself because I have an #overactivesupply and it’s too fast for Stella when she latches. I’ll also use this pump to build a stash for when I go back to work.
•Remember, You can do this! You’re doing great! One day at a time ⭐️
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