Labels

Friday, July 14, 2017

Breastfeeding






I was always sure I wanted to breastfeed my baby. Even before I got pregnant. There was no question about it, and it seemed so natural and easy.

Well, it wasn't that easy in the first few weeks so I want to share my experiences with you. 
They might help you in the future or you  may just feel revealed that you are not the only one feeling that way. :)

While I was pregnant one of my collegues used to tell me how wonderful it felt to breastfeed your baby and how much she enjoyed it with her children, so I was really looking forward to breastfeeding.

And then the shock came: My baby just could not latch on my nipple. I asked for help by the nurses at the hospital but we were not really successful.  For this reason I was a bit worried when we came home. Luckily, the district nurse visited us a few hours after we arrived home and she said "Of course, he can latch on" and "grabbed" the baby's head and my breast and connected them. :) I was really happy but then the next shock came. It wasn't a wonderful feeling. In contrary, it was painful.

So  in the first few weeks I kept saying the my collegue was lying and breastfeeding is an awful feeling but after about 7-8 weeks (I know, it is a very-very long time)  I started to feel joy and pride that I can breastfeed my baby.
However, I still felt some pain. I read a lot about this problem and decided to visit a specialist who treats babies with tight muscles. It turned out that my son's muscles in the neck were very tight and that is why I felt pain. 
After only one session with her, breastfeeding wasn't painful at all anymore. :)


I wouldn't call myself an expert but these tips might be helpful for you:

- Find the right positure.
In the first few weeks or even months it might take long for your baby to eat. Try several positures and find the one that is best for your back, otherwise you will feel really bad after each feeding session and we all know that an unhappy mommy means an unhappy baby.



- Try several types of breastfeeding pillows.
I know you acnnot take 10 typs home and bring back the 9 types you did not like but I am sure some friends have breastfeeding pillows and they might be different types. Ask them about their opinions. They might even allow you make a "sit and try".



- Buy a good nursing bra.
It needs to hold the extra weight and it must be easy to use. It is not about the looks this time.



- It is not OK if it still causes pain after 4-6 weeks. Visit a lactation specialist.

- And at last but not least, believe in yourself and your baby. Don't let anyone unsettle you. One of my aunts tried to convince me that I had no milk and my baby was starving. I just asked: If he is starving, how comes that he weighs 230 g more than at birth? Do you think he sneaks out at night and eats sandwiches? She could not answer and never mentioned it again.


I hope you find my article helpful. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions.

Thanks for stopping by.

XX,

Pippi