World Breastfeeding Week (Part III)
Thank you for reading and sharing my blogs on Tuesday and Wednesday. Hopefully, you have found some information that helps you during your own breastfeeding journey. As promised, the last part of the experiences from the 1400 woman I’ve interviewed concerning breastfeeding, and let me know when you have some experiences yourself that you would like to share. It might be just that tip or experience that helps another breastfeeding mom, dealing with the same thing you have dealt with.
I can’t repeat this enough
After the birth of your baby, everything is new. You are just getting used to all the things that come with being a new mom. One of the most important tips I can give you as a doula is to take the time to do this at your own pace. Especially learning how to breastfeed. It takes time to become a team.
As long as you can or want, keep visitors out of your hospital room and home. Finding the rhythm together with your little one is crucial for making breastfeeding a success. Indulge yourself the first few days after birth with no one around, besides your husband and kids. Everyone else can wait.
A common ‘mistake’ is giving in to the expectancy of others wanting to see your newborn. It’s completely understandable because we don’t want to disappoint others. But this phase is too important to think about anyone else than you and your baby.
New mammas sharing what worked for them
- A natural remedy for nipple cracks is to keep your breasts in direct sunlight after breastfeeding. Nipple cracks are one of the main reasons woman stop breastfeeding.
- Sometimes it can take 6-7 days before your milk kicks in, especially after a C-Section. In the meantime, your baby will receive your colostrum, and this is nothing to worry about. Keep going.
- I’ve been able to feed through my whole pregnancy and thereafter to both my baby and my toddler. This went against all ‘advise’ to stop breastfeeding. I’m still going strong with both kids.
- Breastfeeding is better than pumping, and pumping better than donor milk, and donor milk is better than artificial milk.
- Breastfeeding is possible after a breast reduction!
- I’ve been able to breastfeed my baby for a year. I’m also proud that I have tried right after birth.
- Although you are a first-time mom, you can be respected for your own journey and taking your steps on your own time… no matter what choices you make.
- The consistency of breastfeeding changes based on what your baby needs. When it’s a warm day, your breastmilk contains more water to make sure your baby gets enough hydration.
- When your baby has a fever or a cold, your nipples are getting a sign through the saliva of your baby to create antibodies for fighting of the cold or fever.
- Babies don’t need water when they are exclusively breastfed.
- Breastfeeding is for drinking, eating, comfort, skin-to-skin and sooooo much more. So when your baby is drinking more regularly than usual, keep these things in mind.
- It’s absolutely possible to breastfeed a premature baby. It took me 2.5 weeks between pumping and live feeding but as soon as my baby was able to completely breastfeed, we were home in a bit.
- Babies have days where all they want to do is breastfeed… It can make you unsure, it can make you doubt if your milk supply is still enough… And I can assure you it is. Usually around 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks these cluster feedings kick in. These are phases where your baby discovers that his world is growing and during these changes, mom is the safety anchor.
- When you’ve tried with everything you have and it doesn’t work out, you’re not less of a mom, you didn’t fail. You might be dealing with guilt already, so you don’t need others to judge or encourage you to push past your boundaries.
I hope you enjoyed reading the experiences from other mothers and that they’ve helped to make your journey a bit lighter.
Feel free to share these tips and add your own!
To read the breastfeeding blog Part I, click here . To read the breastfeeding blog part II, click here
