Breastfeeding and surviving the first month…..feeling like a cow (because they graze all day) with no time to do anything else! Relax, this is normal and to be expected!
So, you’ve delivered your baby and have decided to breastfeed, whether it is direct from the tap or pumping and bottle feeding, CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You will be giving your baby the BEST start possible.
Being born is hard work for both mom and baby, you are both exhausted. Some babies will latch right on and nurse perfectly, while others will lick your nipple and think about it and the others are too tired to even try. Either way, keep at it and hold them skin to skin! You both are learning something new and sometimes it takes time to master.
Usually around the 24 hour period of life, most babies wake up and decide they are hungry (which is usually in the middle of the night). As the exhausted mom, TRY to wake up, grab pillows for support and turn some lights on so you can see what you are learning to do. Take a deep breath, relax, make sure baby is tummy to tummy with you, support your breast and bring your baby to your breast, not your breast to the baby! Once they have a big open wide mouth, latch them on. If there is any pinching or pain, put a clean finger in the side of their mouth to break the suction and try again. It only takes one wrong latch to cause nipple soreness and other issues.
Suckling at the breast is work for the baby and they get tired easily. It is common for them to take a couple sucks and then stop, then a couple sucks, then stop again, this can continue for 30-45 minutes at each feeding, which can feel like an eternity with 8-12 feedings a day. Usually a nice stroke on the head or arm reminds baby that they need to keep eating. Breastfeeding takes time and patience! It is not a sprint, but a marathon.
Most hospitals have lactation consultants available, they are the breastfeeding gurus. Ask to see them even if you feel like everything is going great. They are absolutely wonderful at what they do and they share lots of tips and tricks to help your breastfeeding journey be successful. Don’t leave the hospital without speaking to one. Having a support system in place is crucial to your success.
Once you get home and after the nutritious goodness of colostrum transitions into mature milk (this is typically when your breasts get larger and feel much firmer) your baby will want to nurse more and you will oblige to keep your breasts soft. If your baby is having a hard time latching, try some hand expressions to soften them up and allow baby to get a deeper latch. You can also rub some breastmilk on your nipple, it might entice your baby and it’s a great healing product for your nipples.
In the beginning, you will feel like you are nursing ALL the time – this is completely normal! You are helping to build your supply for the future and since breast milk is easily digestible babies need to eat more frequently. Just expect it and accept it, don’t fight it! Nurse them whenever, cuddle, do skin to skin and follow their cues. You are not spoiling them or teaching them bad habits. This doesn’t last forever, feeding times, frequency and duration get better as the baby gets older, I promise!!!
You may also experience a weird tingly sensation that feels like pins and needles shortly after baby latches and begins suckling, or if it is past time to feed or you hear another baby cry. This is called the letdown reflex and it is when the “milk flood gates” open up wide and the milk starts flowing. You should hear a change in your baby’s sucking, they may choke on your milk and your other breast may start leaking or shooting out milk. This too is normal! Don’t be alarmed if this happens a couple times during your feeding session or you do not feel this sensation at all, not everyone does. You may also experience the not so fun after pains in your uterus from fluctuating hormones, but this too goes away in the first few weeks. Again, totally normal and consider yourself blessed if you don’t experience either of these.
Before you deliver or encounter any breastfeeding issues, make a plan. Check to see if your local hospitals have breastfeeding support groups. Google where to find a La Leche League meeting near your house, check to see if you have local breastfeeding support groups, hire a postpartum doula, they usually have breastfeeding knowledge and talk to other moms. If you want to breastfeed, there is support available to help you along your journey. Do NOT be afraid to ask for help, you CAN do this. Breastfeeding is something new for both of you and there is a learning curve.
Your body is so amazing that your milk changes to meet the growing, developmental and nutritional needs of your child throughout your breastfeeding journey. Before you know it, you will be settled into your second month, in a routine and sharing your breastfeeding journey with other moms. You will be closer to an expert and less of a novice. The days of feeling like a cow will be long gone and the only grazing that will be happening is by YOU… to keep up with the growing demands of your baby.
Although not an IBCLC, I am a mom who breastfed my own three kids and have been successfully helping moms breastfeed as a postpartum RN and lactation educator for over 16 years. I’d love to help you on your journey!