Sunday, August 14, 2011

Breastfeeding Tips

I've had two friends ask me about pumping in the last few days so I figured I'd share all of my "wisdom" and let others fill in the blanks. Mind you, I didn't enjoy BFing (the logistics of it - i enjoyed the snuggling with my child part) so I don't know if I'm that helpful.

Hints:
- start pumping earlyish (first few weeks) when your supply is not yet regulated by the baby. This should give you a good stash in the freezer for later one plus will keep your supply up.
- drink tons of water (or any fluid, I guess - I have a friend who swears by Gatorade)
- from the lactation consultant - if you're having a tough few days with a fussy baby (usually around 5-6 weeks because they're having a growth spurt and your supply can't keep up), have a "reset day". Don't do ANYTHING - hang out in your pjs so BFing is easy and super-accessible. Watch a ton of tv and let the baby and your supply match up again. I did this a few times and it totally helped.
- this came from a friend and it's more of a sleeping tip but it is helpful for nursing too. During the day, make sure you feed your baby every three hours (like on the dot). At the beginning, do 15 min on each side each time - so yeah, you have to nurse x 30 min every three hours. You have to wake the baby up from naps to do this. It seems crazy but it did work for us. It taught my daughter that the kitchen was not open 24/7 and she started sleeping much better and with greater regularity (this was pre-hip-brace - after that, all bets for sleep were off). Seriously, tickle his/her feet if you need to keep them nursing for that full 30 min. Definitely worth it. Actually, i think this is worth it for bottlefed babies as well. Everyone needs to learn the kitchen is not open at night (but is open every three hours during the day!).

Supplies:
- a good pump (duh)
- if you don't get a hands-free pump, get a pumping bra. You can actually DO stuff while pumping instead of holding on for dear life.
- a second set of tubing/accessories for pumping at work
- sleep bras or nursing tanks for nighttime feedings (or just general "i don't feel like getting dressed today" feedings). I like the Motherwear sleep bras (but not anything else from there) and tanks from anywhere (Target, etc...).
- nice/supportive nursing bras - you're going to be wearing them for a while so they should fit well. I like Bravado.

Help:
- I didn't find La Leche League to be that helpful. It was more of a social support to continue BFing rather than a place to learn the skills. Since most of my friends BF, i didn't need the social support.
- I went to see a lactation consultant a few times (early on when the baby wasn't latching AT ALL and we were feeding her pumped milk with a syringe like a freaking baby bird and again when she got her hip brace and i needed to learn new positions). All the visits were covered by insurance and it was so helpful to get one-on-one help.
- this post is helpful - http://www.bostonmamas.com/2011/07/14_posts_for_breastfeeding_moms.html
- I went to a BFing support group at the local hospital. I really enjoyed it - your mileage may vary.
- This doesn't have too much to do with BFing but the lovely MJ(G) suggested joining a playgroup when my daughter was a newborn. I'm so glad she did! At the time, I was so confused - I mean, MJ's baby was only six months older than my baby - why did I need to meet more women with babies? But these women have babies who are the exact same age as my daughter (all born in May or June of 2010) and it is so helpful to be in the trenches at the exact same time. Even now, more than a year later, i love meeting with them and watching our kids grow! And in terms of BFing support (and any other support), they are a great cheerleading section.

Ok, that's it for my breastfeeding advice. Please offer your own!