It's time for week two of my contribution posts for Keep Britain Breastfeeding!
This week's focus is on Mum-to-Mum tips. Let's see...What tips do I have that I can share with other mums...
1.) Dress in layers. You could go out and spend money on special nursing tops, but there's really no need. Layer a cami under your shirt, and you'll be able to lift your shirt to nurse while keeping your tummy covered.
2.) Practice "discrete" nursing at home so you feel more comfortable nursing in public. With a little practice, you'll soon be such a pro no one will even know your baby is nursing, they'll just think she's getting a nice little snuggle. There are covers you can purchase to give you and your baby some privacy, but some babies just won't be hidden, and once your baby is older, they will want to see what's going on around them.
3.) Get a good carrier. Not one of those horrible Baby Bjorn things, a good carrier like an Ergo, a Moby wrap or a GypsyMama wrap. This will help you nurse hands free which means you can chase your toddler at the park while your baby gets a mid-morning snack, and hopefully falls asleep for a nice mid-morning nap.
4.) RELAX! Don't stress. Your baby will pick up on the stress and get upset and stressed out too. Take a breath, and be calm. This isn't supposed to be a difficult thing. Yes, there are things that can go wrong, there are hurdles that you may have to maneuver, but over all, it is pretty easy compared to bottles and formula.
5.) Don't let an upcoming trip get in the way of your nursing goals. It's easier to travel while nursing than formula feeding, all you have to pack if you're nursing is your boobs (and I would hope you'd be bringing those anyway). If you're formula feeding, you have to pack bottles, spare nipples, liners, bottle brushes, formula, water to mix the formula, spare bibs and outfits in case the bottle leaks... There's probably more you'd have to bring, but I can't remember ever traveling very far with my oldest because it was too much of a hassle to pack all that stuff.
The best thing about breastfeeding is there are as many different tips as there are breastfeeding mums, because something different works for everyone. Some of these tips might work for you, and some might not. If you'd like to see more tips, check out these blogs:
The lovely folks at Baby Beads are giving away one of their gorgeous nursing necklaces and reminder bracelets. I encourage you to go look at their wearable art:
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My top tip is controversial. At some stage you may want a night off, from breastfeeding to let your hair down. Try introducing some expressed milk via a bottle at about 6 weeks so you can have a little break. I didn't and regretted it as when I did try and give my son a bottle at 6 months he totally refused it!
ReplyDeleteMy top tip is to set yourself up somewere nice and comfy with everthing you are likely to need as especialy in the early days you never know how long you will be feeding for. I always had a muslin, drink and a snack to hand with my little girl and will be doing the same when bump decides to arrive lol : )so then you can just relax and enjoy!
ReplyDeletemy top tip is every time your baby feeds have a snack and drink your self so you build up your calories and energy levels.
ReplyDeleteMy top tip is keep an open mind - I was totally against co-sleeping but it made life so much easier in the early days when breastfeeding (so long as it is done safely).
ReplyDeleteMy top tip would be to find your local support/peer supporters/breastfeeding group before baby is born so you can get to know them, this makes it much easier to contact them after baby is born; faces to names and voices. Its good to know you have support from people who you know and are familiar with and that you trust.
ReplyDeletePersevering in the key! Son give up no matter how hard it gets
ReplyDeleteMy top tip would also be to relax and enjoy it. Not putting too much pressure on yourself and 'going with it' is half the battle :)
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that it's important to relax. There was a while when I wondered why Baby M always took longer to feed if I needed to go out and do something. I realised that the stress I was feeling mentally telling her to hurry up was probably affecting my let down meaning she had to feed longer to get the same amount of milk.
ReplyDeletePut the clock away! Newborns (and toddlers) can feed for hours sometimes looking at a clock can drive you a bit crazy. Grab a book or a box set or a few movies instead.
ReplyDeleteWhat cream would you recommend for really sore crack bledding nipples?
ReplyDeleteSamantha,
DeleteFirst I would like to say, ouch. I have been there.
How long have you been nursing?
When I went through this, I used Lansinoh HPA cream. Here is the link to their website so you can locate a retailer: http://www.lansinoh.co.uk/products
If you are sensitive to wool products, there is a company that I have heard nothing but excellent things about, Earth Mama Angle Baby. They have a natural nipple butter that is hypo-allergenic. Here is their website: http://www.earthmamaangelbaby.com/breastfeeding-support
With the Lasinoh, you put it on after a feeding, and there is no need to wipe it off before the next feeding. I'm not sure about the EMAB nipple butter. Also, breast milk its self is very healing and soothing. Until you are able to get your hands on these products, I would suggest expressing a few drops of milk at each feeding, and rubbing it into your nipple gently, then allowing the nipple to air dry before you put it away. I realize this isn't always possible (imagine the stir you would cause at the local coffee shop) but as often as you possibly can, let them air out.
I also was IN LOVE with gel pads that you put in your bra directly on your breast between feedings. The gel was cooling and soothing, and it was reusable for several days. These are the ones I used: http://www.lansinoh.com/products/soothies-by-lansinoh-gel-pads but There are several options out there including these from Ameda: Ameda ComfortGel™ Extended-Use Hydrogel Pads http://www.amedadirect.com/ameda-comfortgel-hydrogel-pads.html These ones seem nicer because you can rinse and reuse them for 6 days.
I hope these suggestions help you out.
{{{hugs}}}
Shawna