I went into breastfeeding with a very open mind with both children. If it worked I would do it. If not, then we would figure something else out.
I will discuss some of the topics I think are important.
Producing Milk - I do not struggle in this area, in fact I think my body overachieved in this area with both my children. This seems like a good problem to have but in the beginning it was actually really tough. With my daughter I struggled with engorgement which caused fevers and in turn kept me in the hospital longer than expected. I have a theory about this after having my son. If you are like me and are fortunate enough to have a very healthy milk supply ask the nurse about pumping after nursing. What I found out with my second baby was I could produce 10-12 ounces in one sitting and I would do this every 4-6 hours. This is way too much for a new born baby. I believe if I would have pumped after nursing my daughter it would have relieved my milk makers more efficiently making me more comfortable (also starting the all important stock supply). When my son was born they had hospital grade breast pumps available with the option to rent it after discharge which we did and it was wonderful. If we could have afforded to rent it longer we would have (our lactation consultant said it costs about $1500).
Lactation Consultants: If you have the opportunity to speak to the lactation consultant at the hospital I recommend doing it. It's their job to help mothers and babies be successful at breastfeeding. I know, it's really awkward to have someone in your personal and very private space but let them in. With my son, we regularly had lactation consultants checking on us because he was so small. They gave me tips on how to hold him so I don't get tired, how to help him latch on, they will talk to you about many different things that could be a little uncomfortable but very helpful in making sure your breastfeeding experience is as good as it can be. There was also a lactation support group available through our hospital. All of the resources needed are available so if it's something you want to do - make it happen. It's one of the healthiest things you can do for your baby.
One thing we learned from our lactation consultant is there are two forms of breast milk, foremilk and hindmilk. A brief explanation: foremilk is a thinner milk that supplies babies with the hydration they need. Hindmilk is thicker, almost like cream, and it has the fat and calories babies need. It's important for babies to get both.
More information : https://www.llli.org/faq/foremilk.html
Feeling unprepared? When you and your baby are healthy the hospital and doctors want you in and out quickly. This is a good thing because it's much better to be at home than in the hospital but it leaves you with lots of questions. Write every question down. Record how often you are feeding your baby and how long he nurses at each sitting. If you are bottle feeding write down how much he is eating. When you visit the pediatrician, which you will regularly throughout the first year, they will ask you these questions and it's nice to be able to let them know exactly what your baby is doing so they can give accurate recommendations.
Night Feedings - After multiple months lacking sleep what is an additional six, right? I will admit, it is very tough sometimes because I do love my sleep. I wake up most days feeling sleep deprived but my trade-off is worth it. Once again, my experience with each baby was different. With my daughter we returned home a week after delivery and got started on our routine, well as close to a routine as possible.
With my son, since he was in the hospital for an additional two weeks it was quite different. First of all, the majority of my milk expression was via breast pump. I made sure I was pumping when he was getting fed (he was on a feeding tube). Through the night I would set an alarm to wake up to pump. This seems extreme but it was necessary in order for me to maintain my supply. Remember: This is a basic supply and demand situation. If your body doesn't see the need to produce milk then it will quit producing. Simple as that.
Side Note: Our son's NICU and nurses were amazing. They were supportive and they encouraged my husband and I to do everything we could to be involved with his development. They made numerous comments about breast milk being "liquid gold" and they don't mess around about it. I learned a lot from them about my son and his development and how different it was compared to a term baby.
Daycare and breast milk. What I have found so far is as long as you supply it, the babysitter will feed it to them. I make sure to get all of the bottles prepared and then provide a little extra just in case. Since breast milk handling is very particular I try to provide fresh breast milk as the "extra" and then if it isn't needed I will then freeze it. That way I am not thawing milk and wasting it if it isn't used. There are all kinds of places to look up handling breast milk and I made sure to print a copy of handling instructions to provide to my babysitter.
Stock Up!! Returning to work is hard enough without having to worry about having enough milk for your little one. If there is one piece of advice I can give to everyone breastfeeding and returning to work...stock up early!! With my son I returned to work full time after 12 weeks. He is now five months old so at this point I am fully submerged into my work leaving pumping as an afterthought. Don't get me wrong, I would totally stay home with him if I could but instead I have a very full schedule, projects to complete, deadlines to meet and appointments to attend. I make time right in the middle of the day to pump, basically to relieve myself and of course to contribute to my son's supply. I say contribute because right now I am able to pump about 8-10 oz per day and he is eating close to 20 oz. If I wouldn't have stocked up in the beginning we would be out of milk. This is exactly what happened with my daughter, I didn't stock up and at five months I gave up and we went to formula until she started with cereals and food. So, in the beginning, from day one, start stocking up. Even if it's just a couple ounces. Save it!!!
Embrace food, family and everything else that makes you happy
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