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20-8-2008 - Tips for mommies

My mood while writing this blog: Good

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Hey Ladies,

I'm not on much anymore, but I try to keep up on everyone's posts. I've seen a lot of posts of my due date friends having breastfeeding and sleep issues, which is definitely to be expected. I wanted to share any tips I have learned between my two girls that have made a big difference.

Breastfeeding:

-Lansinoh is your best friend. Use several times a day, especially after showering or bathing. It works, prevents cracking, and heals bleeding/wounded nipples quickly.
-Electric pumps are fantastic, saves a lot of time. Do it at a pace that is comfortable and possibly when it is quiet and you can relax and be calm. To keep up your milk, pump if your baby does not empty your breasts, best in the morning when you are fullest and baby doesn't eat as much because they are usually sleepier in morning hours.
-Try to feed on both breasts each feeding, it helps keep the supply a little more even and kept up. (For me this is true anyway)
-If you have smaller nipples and/or sensitive skin/nipples and are having excruciating pain like I do, get a nipple shield. It is a thin, rubbery shield that goes over the nipple during feeding providing a barrier helping to heal nipples and provide some relief for pain. I could not continue breastfeeding without it, I had mastitis 3 (yes 3) times with my first because I just could not heal-this is a lifesaver. Made by Medela, sold at Target.
-Supplementing will help if your baby is not getting enough-don't beat yourself up about it! Definitely do it if you need to. However, once you start supplementing, start pumping and storing. Otherwise the feedings you are no longer doing yourself will cause your milk to go down, I did this too much in the beginning with my first and never really recovered my original milk production.

Sleeping:
-Try to distinguish day/night as best as possible for baby. Let baby sleep near windows during the day, leave blinds open and walk outside in the daytime, especially when first getting up in the morning. Let there be noises! Let the dog bark, the tv be on, the radio be loud. Let them know it's day. At night, use very dim light and make the sleeping area enclosed if possible. They like shadowy enclosed areas for long sleeping. A bassinet, a foam support side and head pillow, and a swaddle wrap blanket that has velcro closures has been awesome. The swaddle wrap has made a HUGE difference, along with sleeping on her side instead of her back, seems to accidentally wake herself up MUCH less this way.
-My pediatrician said after 2 weeks, if you have established breastfeeding and baby is gaining weight fine, let the baby sleep! If you are full and baby is sleeping, pump. Baby can sleep up to 6 hours and that is okay (I know right? Of course you want 6 hours of uninteruppted sleep!)

And if anyone wants to respond and give me some good tips for entertaining a toddler while breastfeeding-please do so! I feel so bad that she has been cooped up in the house the past 3 weeks now! Love you all, hope any of this info helps, give those babies kisses for me!

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