I’ve heard a lot of horror stories about how hard breastfeeding can be so I made a point of asking around for tips before the little guy was born. A few of these proved to be life savers so I figured I would share them with you all!
Disclaimer: I’m sure not all of these things will work for everyone; they just seemed to work for us. Also I realize that I am very blessed to not have any supply issues which is one of the most common breastfeeding problems.
· Read a breastfeeding book before the baby is born!
o Waiting until you’re struggling is too late, bad latching causes a lot of nipple pain and is hard to get past once it starts, it’s smart to read up first (when you have time and aren’t exhausted) so that you can start off with a good latch.
o My favorite book was Breastfeeding Made Simple, another option is The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, I’m not a huge fan because they seem to push attachment parenting rather than just being a good breastfeeding reference.
· Meet with the lactation consultant as soon as you can in the hospital
· Try and have breastfeeding figured out before you leave the hospital
o Many women are focused on going home ASAP, but I had lots of women encourage me to stay at the hospital where you have good breastfeeding resources before rushing home. This seemed to work for us.
· If you have large breasts or had a C-section the easiest position is football hold
o The babies legs get tucked under your armpit and they lay on their side. (We still use this hold exclusively.)
· If baby seems to be hungry and is trying to latch on but not actually sucking, put a pinky finger in their mouth and remind them how to suck, then pull it out and try again. (We still have to do this about every other feeding. I would say this is the most important tip I got!)
And now for your viewing pleasure, some precious Marek bath time photos…
