Last month I was a asked by Medela to contribute to their #countto10 campaign, which aimed to give new mums a more realistic view of what to expect when breastfeeding. The idea was to provide a really honest picture and give advice to help mums prepare for breastfeeding.
Here are a few things I wish I’d known about breastfeeding…
Firstly, be prepared! Breastfeeding will (almost) certainly be more painful than you can imagine for the first few weeks.
Once your nipples are over the initial shock, the pain will go away and breastfeeding can become a truly lovely experience.
To help with the pain, numb your nipples with ice cubes before putting your baby on.
If your nipples are cracked and the pain is just too much (as it can be) express your milk for a few days, this will give your body (and nipples) a chance to recover. It’ll also keep your milk supply up and your little one is still getting ‘your milk’.
At the beginning (during the first week) skin to skin feeding will give you the best results. So stay in bed and enjoy the bonding experience. These sessions can be long so get the box sets at the ready!
Try lots of different positions until you find the one that feels right and comfortable for you and your baby. For me that was lying down (in the first few weeks).
Don’t feel like you have to wear a bra in the first few weeks. If your nipples are sore, simply wear a super loose t-shirt. This will help them breath and heal quicker. Also it’s far more comfortable!
If you’re having trouble feeding, make sure you ask for help. Don’t keep it all inside and just hope it’ll go away. Breastfeeding support groups and drop-in centres are invaluable.
Lastly, make sure you always have a large glass of water/ drink with you when you sit down to breastfeed. Feeding is thirsty work and you don’t want to become dehydrated.
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I’m giving away a Medela Harmony Pump and Feed Set. Enter now for your chance of winning!
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I don’t have any children but would love to win this prize to donate to charity, to go to Romania.
Babies always seem to nurse better when their feet are touching something, like your leg, the arm of the chair, or a pillow tucked next to you. It makes them feel more secure.
Always sit down make yourself comfy with the biggest glass of water you can find! 🙂
my little girl like to pull at my necklace so i bought a special baby safe necklace she can fiddle with. it seems to calm her too
I would also like to win this to donate to charity
Amazing tips here Heledd and ones I’ll definitely be coming back to read when baby no. 2 arrives in January. (All being well!) x
i dont have any tips as i dont have any children of my own sadly but my twin sister is expecting at the moment so I have entered for her 🙂
Always have something to nibble on when your feeding, I found it always made me feel hungry
Nipple cream was a life saver for me! Helps ease the pain so much!
dont panic if it doesnt work straight away -persevere
defo nipple cream and express whilst in a warm bath
Relax and definitely purchase Lasinoh nipple cream it really helps.
Due our first baby in December and hope to breats feed so thanks for all the tips. I am open minded about it all. If it is not for me or baby then I am happy to move on to formula x
I’m a bit worried about how painful it will be, especially as I’m already using the Lasinoh nipple cream to deal with dry/cracked skin.
Take your time. For me it worked out in the end, but i would say don’t feel bad if it isn’t all rainbows and unicorns. 😉
Just searching for all the information I can find at this point about finding the right pump!
Definitely worried if its going to hurt!
My top tip would be to feed on demand and trust your baby!