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dont know any thing about breastfeeding Added: 984 days ago. Added by: jamee16 Section: General. Status: This question is Closed. (Questions will be closed after 10 days.)
i dont have any clue about breastfeeding nobody in my family has ever done it can some of you moms tell me any thing would help but like i said i dont know ANYTHING about it
wwatters18
- 980 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes)
it is the BEST gift that only a mother can give to their child! i call it liquid gold and i take pride in giving it to my daughter. i was so dead set on her never having formula touch her lips and having that bond of breasfeeding but unfortunately i have a problem with low supply so im forced to supplement with formula:( and she wouldn't nurse from me after being 3 days old so i have to pump and give it to her in a bottle. i strongly recommend that if you want to breastfeed DO NOT introduce a bottle for a very long time!!! this was my mistake but only b/c i had a plugged duct and she wouldn't nurse from that side so i had to pump and give it to her in a bottle and that ruined her! she never wanted the nipple again, only the bottle!!! i'll not make that mistake again with baby number 2! if you plan on pumping i recommend the medela pump in style. its expensive but well worth its weight in gold. its been a life saver for me and allowed what milk i can get to be given to my baby. my baby has barely ever been sick and i soley attribute it to being healthier b/c of breastmilk. there are soo many good reasons to breastfeed. it takes alot of time and dedication but your child is the one person who deserves your time and dedication!
M2G
- 983 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes)
I would suggest picking up a few books to help you. One woman's experience may not be anothers. The book Brestfeeding Made Simple is really good. Also when you have the baby the staff in the hospital are there to help you get started on BFing and you can also join a few LeLache programs for additional help.
Debra
- 983 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes)
growth spurts occur day 2, day 7-14 and approximately every month around or near the birthdate when they will want to feed more and then sleep more. The 7-14 day growth spurt is often when most women seem to quit or start supplementing and then have to quit soon there after as their milk supply lessens.
Debra
- 983 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes)
have a look at my Vip site where i've posted things that have helped me be successful at it for the past 18 months
a great resource is the la leche league website or book 'the womanly art of breastfeeding' and a website kellymom.com. Feel free to message me if you have any specific questions.
juels101
- 984 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes)
The best advice I can give is don't give up, take your time and ask for help. Nurses can come to your home, the nurses at the hospital can be very helpful. Try any advice you get and stick to what feels best for you. Don't get impatient withthe latching, make sure it is a propper latch or you'll regret it. I've breastfed my last two and plan on my next, it is an amazing bonding experience, and much more convienent that bottle feeding.
CarrieE
- 984 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes)
BF is an amazing bonding experience and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I BF Emma until she was 8 1/2 months (and I went back to work full time when she was 3 months). I simply pumped and stored milk while I was on maternity leave and then would pump each day at work as well. She would get bottles of expressed breast milk while at the sitter's and then I would BF her when I was home with her. It was great! I had to stop at 8 1/2 months because I was getting my period and my supply starting to decrease so much that I couldn't keep up with her demand. I introduced formula at that point and she took to it just fine. Emma is almost a year old now and getting ready to switch to whole milk. Anyway, katiebickell answered most of what you'll need to know. I would add that you should make sure and get the phone number of the lactation consultant at your hospital (they usually give you this info before you leave the hospital). They can answer any questions you have and they are so kind and patient! They are there to help you. Also, don't be afraid to ask for help or advice on BF even after you give birth! Also, just like katiebickell said, don't be afraid to message me if you have questions...I'd be happy to answer anything at all! Good luck!
megandgrace
- 984 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes)
katiebickell pretty much said it all. Since family doesn't know how to help you, if you have problems after leaving the hospital call the lactation specialists and ask them all the questions you have. Sometimes they even come out to see you and the baby or you can go in and see them. Just don't be afraid to get help with it, there are no stupid questions. Also just make sure you do what comes naturally to you. Unlike like katiebickell i had to pump when Grace was a week old because i had to go back to school two days a week and i had no problems with starting so early and giving her a bottle at two weeks. She had no problems going back and forth from the breast to the bottle. And she also took a pacifier that did not interfere with BF. I have friends who didn't BF at all and i couldn't image dealing with bottles 24/7 like that, i hated getting them ready for only two days a week! Let me know if you have any specific questions that i can answer!
katiebickell
- 984 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes)
ps - sorry for all the typos!
katiebickell
- 984 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes)
ok - theres sooo much info on it, but its pretty basic and ntural.
Once you give birth, put the baby on your breast, I mean, lik, with in the hour she's born! if she isnt interested, dont worry, try 15 minutes later. she (i say she out of habit as my baby's a girl) knows what to do! Your first milk, Colostrum,will be there for her. its (or mine was) a bright gold colour. it doesnt matter if there isnt much of it. My real milk didnt come in until 7 days after birth, but my baby was happy and full just from the colostrum because its so high in calories. let your baby suck as often and as much as possible.
WHen your milk comes in (the actual blueish/white milk) you will be engorged (breasts insanely full of milk). It hurts. Sorry hun, it does, but it happens whether you breast of formula feed. let you baby suck as much as possible (it will help you feel better), and take warm baths as some milk will come out just being in the warm water.
Also, cold cabbage leaves in my bra really helped me, and you"ll need to wear breast pads so you dont leak out of your bra and get wet patches on your shirt (I only needed them for the first month though).
Your nipples will hurt! they might blister or crack. It will help if your baby is latched on properly (ask nurses at hospital about proper latch), and some lanolin cream, or simply your own milk will sooth your nipples. But perserve! after 2 - 3 weeks it doesn"t hurt anymore! Promise!
You baby will tell you when she wants to eat. Feed her whenever she's hungry and dont try to put her on a schedule. It will feel like she nurses nonstop, but that will change after the first month. Then, at 6 weeks, she'll have a growth spurt.
Growths spurts can be frusterating because babys are fussy and nursing non stop, which really tires out moms. youll also worry that your baby isnt geting enough milk from you, but she's actually teaching your body to make more milk witha higher calorie content. after about 4 days of your baby pretty much constantly sucking on you, your body will make more milk and she'll eat about every 2-3 hours.
As she gets older she'll eat less often because her tummy will get bigger and able to hold more food. My bab is almost 5 months and breastfeeding is really great. she eats about every 4 hours and sleeps through the night, and breast feeding is soooo much easier than preparing formula! you just have to get through those first weeks...
After about 4 - 6 weeks post partum you can begin pumping your milk into a bottle if you want, them someone else can feed her if your not around. I pump once a day (I get about 2-4 ounces a day) which is nice because my hubby can watch the baby and I can sometimes go out with a friend.
There's so much else to say, but I don't know what you ned to know. Please, ifyou have ANY questions, message me. Don't be embarrassed about anything, you can ask anything you like! Good luck, and well done for looking for breastfeeding answers. It's really the best food you can feed your baby, and has many health benefits for yoursefl as well. Your chances of breast cancer is cut in half and you burn an extra 500 calories a day, so it helps you slim down. Also, when you nurse you release oxytocin (also known as the love hormone) which makes you feel all dreamy and happy :) Oxytocin also causes your uterus to contract and shrink (making a tighter tummy), and slows blood flow (so less chance you"ll hemorage after you give birth). Good luck!
brianjen
- 984 days ago Rating: 0 (0 votes)
Aw. You could take breastfeeding class. I never BF my first and totally regretted it, BF my second and plan to BF this one. :) The OB nurses will help you get started, too and also the hospital you deliver at should have a Lacation Consultant that you can request to see and she can help you, too. But don't let anyone push you or tell you what to do.....There are lots of opinions on using bottles and pacifiers.....Do wat you feel comfortable doing. Oh, and try renting a breastpump first....That way you don't have too much invested if you decided that breastfeeding is not for....and it's okay if it's not. :)