The Early Days of Breastfeeding

There a several myths out there regarding things you can do to get your nipples ready for breastfeeding. Myths are exactly what they are. There is nothing you can or need to do to get your nipples ready for breastfeeding. The only recommended steps are:

1) Wear a supportive bra (nursing or otherwise) without underwire. Bras with underwire have been known to lead to plugged milk ducts and breast infections. I personally found any bra with underwire to be very uncomfortable in the last months of pregnancy anyway and could not imagine having worn one in the early weeks of breastfeeding. I found cotton nursing bras without any bells and whistles to be the most comfortable. As I mentioned in an earlier post, you may want to buy at least one nursing bra ahead of time. It is generally safe to buy one towards the end of your pregnancy because your breast size will not significantly change any more. You will eventually need more than one, but you can hold off buying more until you decided which ones you like.

2) Avoid washing your nipples with soap when you are in the shower as this can dry them out.

That's it! There isn't anything else you can/should do.

One of the most important things you can do to get ready for breastfeeding is educate yourself about what to expect and what is normal and abnormal. The more educated you are, the more enjoyable your breastfeeding experience will be. I highly recommend the book The Nursing Mother's Companion by Kathleen Huggins.

It is also a good idea to attend a prenatal breastfeeding class. I did a lot of reading beforehand so I didn't really learn anything new from the class, but they provide you will a ton of resources in your community that you can access of you have any questions or problems.

Breastfeeding can be one the most amazing experiences of your life. The bond that it creates between you and your baby is incredibly rewarding. I have had a wonderful experience and absolutely love it. That being said, breastfeeding is by no means easy and it requires a huge commitment on your part.

The first few days are particularly hard. Initially, just getting baby to latch on properly is a big challenge. Although babies are born with the rooting reflex, both you and your baby have to learn how to breastfeed. The nurses in the hospital should help you with this because it is really difficult to manage holding your newborn baby and getting him or her to latch on to your nipple all at the same time (I would recommend a Boppy pillow). Don't get frustrated because after only a few nursing, things start to get easier.

As a side note, make sure you let the nurses know that you want to breastfeed for the first time as soon as possible after giving birth. Infants are usually incredibly eager to suck within the first two hours after birth and this is a perfect time to get the learning ball rolling. Studies have shown that the longer you wait, the less successful breastfeeding will be. Also be sure to avoid giving your baby a pacifier in the early days of nursing. This can lead to all kinds of nursing problems such as latching problems and early weaning and ear infections down the road (more on pacifier use later).

Until your milk comes in (generally 3-4 days postpartum), your baby will be drinking colostrum. This is thick and yellow and it is the most important substance you will ever feed your baby. It provides your newborn with all kinds of antibodies, prevents bacteria from entering baby's intestines, stimulates baby's bowels and can reduce jaundice just to name a few of the benefits. It may not seem like your newborn is eating very much, but know that a newborn's stomach is very small and they are getting what they need.

Newborn babies need anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes to complete a feeding. There is a lot of misinformation out there about this topic. Do not restrict your nursing time. Many people believe this helps to reduce nipple soreness, but that is not the case. Sore nipples are caused by improper positioning. There is no truth to the myth that it takes the a certain amount of time for the breast to empty either. You should let your baby nurse for as long as he/she wants. Not doing so will frustrate your baby and can lead to more engorgement down the road. When your baby is finished, he or she will let you know by letting go of your nipple. This is the absolute best way to end a feeding. If you do need to break the suction for some reason, make sure you do it properly by sliding your baby finger into the corner of your baby's mouth until you hear the release. You will be amazed at how strong the latch can be and if you don't break suction properly it will hurt!

Until your milk comes, your newborn will be nursing very frequently. At a minimum you should make sure you are nursing at least 8 times in a 24 hour period. The general rule of thumb is don't let your baby go more than 3 hours between feedings during the day and more than 4 hours during the night. This means you may have to wake your baby if he or she is very sleepy which newborns tend to be in the early days. When your milk comes in it is very important to make sure you are nursing every couple of hours to ensure a good milk supply. When your milk comes in, be prepared. This can be an rough 24-48 hour period. More on that in my next post!