Ready for Breastfeeding

Before I got pregnant, I always wanted to breastfeed my babies if I was able to do it. During Noah's pregnancy, I wondered how this journey will go and try to learn more and more, also with prenatal classes but reality is, you will learn it once you have started the journey and on the way, as there are so many things that they don't tell you and each journey is unique.

I will share some things that I have learned during my breastfeeding journey that hopefully will help some mums to be, or at least give them some real information.

I have breastfeed Noah for 20 months, he stopped by himself once I was already pregnant with Ariana. After a year, he only breastfeed before bed or once he was coming back from daycare. Also, he did when he was sick, and help him to go through it.

1. Don't push or rush yourself in relation to breastfeeding. We tend to push ourselves hard on the first weeks after the birth of our baby and we want to give them the best, and be able to breastfeed. You need to approach it with care and relax, otherwise you will get stress and blame yourself hard, our body did already the best thing, and it brought us our baby! 

2. The first weeks of breastfeeding are the hardest, as your supply will slowly makes an entrance and takes time for your body to produce the milk, so don't stress about supply. In my experience, with Noah was hard because he had tongue tie so I had to use nipple shields in order to protect my nipples as it was really sore(more that usual) because he had trouble to latch properly. After his tongue tie released, I had use the nipple shields some feeds and little by little, I let them go. Be sure that your nipples will be sore and it will be painful at least the first 2 weeks of breastfeeding, so make sure you buy nipple cream and hang on there, it will be pass, and it will get better.

3. Once your milk supply comes, all the suddenly, you will feel your boobs full and sometimes can hurt but your body will adjust it the following months. I used breast pads as long as I needed because I have high milk supply and usually leak during the day and night. Just be careful with the oversupply as it can cause Mastitis so try to feed frequently or pump sometimes if you need, it will help and avoid infections.

4. Don't blame yourself if you cannot breastfeed, your baby will grow healthy and happy rather you breastfeed or bottle feed, so don't stress yourself and enjoy your time with your baby.

On my experience, I have breastfeed both times, and still on it with my second baby, she is almost 6 months old and I am planning to do it until she wants to as I did with my first child. I am happy that I was able to breastfeed my babies but it will be ok if I did bottle feed too. This time, I have issues with fast milk flow and oversupply, ended up with mastitis and antibiotics but I kept going, and learn to overcome any issues. My second breastfeeding journey was better as I had the experience and kept calm, as I knew that things will get better.

Both journeys are different, my first baby was eating every hour and he had the tongue tie issue, and my second baby will go further without eating, and have a mastitis this time. So, each pregnancy is different, each baby is different and each breastfeeding journey is different.

Also, if you need support, please contact a lactation consultant so you can get help and support needed, so you can enjoy your maternity.

Hope that my experience can encourage mom's to be to follow their instincts and do what is best for them and their babies!