Breastfeeding is challenging, ask any mum who does it, but it’s also unbelievably rewarding. The thing is, the early days can be so tough while you’re establishing a routine that it can be so easy to give up and bottle feed. The pain, the cluster feeds, engorgement. Oh, the engorgement.
Like I’ve already talked about on here, I couldn’t breastfeed Lamb, so I didn’t expect breastfeeding to be so successful with BB. You can read about my breastfeeding hopes and fears in a previous post.
I’ve now been successfully breastfeeding BB for 16 weeks and I love it. The early days were tough. The first time I cried after BB was born was because of how engorged and painful my boobs were. I didn’t suffer with baby blues, but the pain of breastfeeding in the first days really got to me.
I knew I would power through but there was a moment on my first day at home with BB when I begged my husband with get the breast pump in the early hours so I could use a bottle for a little relief. He spent 20 minutes downstairs sterilising my Medela Harmony manual pump and a bottle. I tried pumping and managed a to express a couple of ounces. BB took the bottle (as far as I remember) but I knew I really needed to continue to feed him myself if I wanted to establish a routine.
I started reading tips and advice on the internet. A lot of women were saying if it’s super painful then baby probably isn’t latching correctly. As this was my first time breastfeeding I didn’t realise there are techniques to latching and how easy it is to do it wrong.
Luckily my health visitor called me the day after BB was born (earlier than expected). She offered to come over to give me some support and I was so grateful for her help. Immediately she saw I wasn’t holding BB correctly. She must of spent half and hour watching me latch over and over again to make sure we got it right. This sort of support is so crucial in the early days.
It turns out the damage was done and the pain continued even after we established breastfeeding. I remember talking to my neighbour and she said by around 3 weeks everything starts feeling normal again. She she was totally right. By the time BB was 3 weeks old I was starting to actually enjoy breastfeeding. The first few weeks I spent all day dreading the next feed. Hoping he would sleep a little longer.
The only relief I had was that BB fed super quickly. He literally would feed for no more than 5 minutes at a time. My milk flow was so fast he guzzled up the milk and filled up quickly.
16 weeks into our breastfeeding journey and I’m honestly enjoying it more than I thought I would. Ok, I’ll admit, I desperately want him to take a bottle (I’ve tried multiple brands and he’s refusing all of them). It’s my 30th birthday in 2 weeks and I’d like to celebrate a little! But if he doesn’t it’s no biggie.
After getting through those difficult weeks in the beginning I’ve thought of what tips I would give to a new mum who wants to breastfeed…
- Make use of your time hospital going over breastfeeding positions and latching.
- Do not go home until you feel comfortable feeding your baby.
- Be prepared with nipple shields and lanolin nipple cream.
- Use nipple cream before every feed. The Medela Purelan Lanolin Cream is amazing. I still carry it in my changing bag in case I have a day where I feel a little sore.
- Get yourself a breastfeeding cover if you’re feeling a little nervous about feeding in public. My friend has the Milkscarf by Mamamoosh and it’s amazing (I always steal it when I’m with her!)
- Your arms can get pretty achy so make sure you have a breastfeeding pillow to help support the baby during feeds.
- Don’t leave the house until you feel ready. Don’t let anyone pressure you to go out.
- Have a bottle of water within reach at all times. Breastfeeding makes you seriously thirsty, and you can’t produce liquid without drinking it.
- Don’t let yourself get hungry. You are feeding your baby so you need to feed yourself too.
- Look up your local breastfeeding support group.
BB is almost 4 months old so I can say for definite that I will reach my goal of 6 months of breastfeeding. Which I am extremely proud of. Until BB decides to take a bottle I will be stuck breastfeeding but you know what, I’m totally ok with that.
~A~
*Contains affilate links
Did you get my previous comment?
No I didn’t hun. I just found this in spam but can’t see any more from you x
This is such a great post. I hated breastfeeding to start with. It hurt and my whole body hurt and I thought I would be attached to the baby forever! A little overdramatic perhaps but it was horrible! Even if your baby latches properly to begin with, it may still hurt. I had great support in hospital from lactation nurses but I still had red and sore nipples for the first week or two. It was about 3 or 4 weeks in that I suddenly realised I liked it after all. The baby was taking a bottle of expressed milk fine but has suddenly decided he doesn’t want to now! agh!! Good luck with your breastfeeding journey, xx
Thank you! Yes I agree, it can still hurt even if the latch is fine. I’d be shocked to find anyone who doesn’t get sore nipples in breastfeeding! Oh no that’s a shame. I have days where I’m desperate for him to take a bottle, but then I find breastfeeding so easy and convenient on days out etc, I don’t try him with a bottle for ages. So I can’t be that desperate! Good luck with your journey too xx