What I Wish I'd Known About Breastfeeding as a New Mom

It's hard

Breastfeeding came about as naturally to Lily and me as it could. I latched her on immediately without help from anyone - whilst still in a daze from the anesthesia - and she nursed like a champ and had my milk in by day 2. I had attended a breastfeeding class so I sort of knew what I was doing, but I didn't know about feeding patterns of newborns or what cluster feeding would be like or how sore my nipples would be or what a vasospasm was or...the list goes on.  And it was "easy" for me!  God bless the mothers whose babies don't latch or whose babies are in the NICU or the moms who have to use nipple shields or who struggle with supply.  I can't even imagine.

I wish I would have known that it's hard and it takes determination and support.  You can be the strongest breastfeeding advocate in the world, but after 18 hours of cluster feeds that keep you confined to the couch that sample of formula you received in the mail looks pretty tempting.

It gets easier

After awhile the cluster feedings space out and the soreness goes away and you can get baby to latch without a shield or you work out your pumping schedule and one day, you realize that you're kind of a rockstar at this at you wonder what all of the fuss was about in the beginning because it's just feeding your baby.

You make enough milk 

This one is extra big because it needs to be seen.  Unless your baby is losing (or not gaining) weight or is not having adequate urine output or bowel movements, YOU DO NOT HAVE AN UNDERSUPPLY.  About one percent of the population has an undersupply.  ONE PERCENT.  The sad fact is that behaviors of breastfed babies are so misunderstood that pediatricians and uninformed family and the next door neighbor and the lady next to you in line at the grocery store and even the occasional lactation consultant give awful, awful, awful advice.  "Oh, your baby is crying for the breast every hour? You must have an undersupply! You should supplement!"  Excuse me while I go bang my head against the wall.  No! This is not true!!! Go find an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) and get their advice.  Even if baby isn't gaining fast enough or having inadequate output, it may just be a latch/milk removal issue that can be resolved with a few changes and some time.

If you want to increase your supply, just leave your baby at the breast

The human body is amazing.  The fastest, most effective way to bring in your milk and to increase your supply is to nurse your baby.  The empty breast refills the fastest.  If your baby is suckling an empty breast, the brain gets the message and it's response is to tell your body to make more milk and make it in a hurry!  Pumping can help and galactagogues can help, but the absolute best way to up your supply is just to nurse.

Babies don't just nurse for hunger

They nurse for comfort, they nurse to up-regulate your supply, they nurse to fall asleep, and they nurse because there's a boob there so why not.

Cluster feeding sucks and is awesome at the same time

No one wants to be confined to the couch for an 18 hour day of nursing every hour for 30 minutes, but it is your baby's way of telling your body to make more milk because they're going through a growth spurt or a period of mental development.  It is not a sign that you do not make enough milk.  Your body responds by increasing your supply to meet the needs of a baby who is growing at a crazy pace.

If you have to supplement, donor breast milk is readily available - you need only ask

Every organization that deals with breastfeeding recommends feeding options in this order:

1. Breast milk from the mother's breast
2. Breast milk in a bottle pumped by the mother
3. Breast milk in a bottle from a donor
4. Formula

There are a few places you can go to request milk - human milk 4 human babies or eats on feets are great options.  Some people are weirded out by this, but I think it's weirder to give a human baby formula made from milk that is intended for baby cows.  Donating mothers are used to answering very personal questions about their medical histories, diet, etc. to make sure that their milk is acceptable for your baby.  That said, many women feel that if the milk is good enough for that woman's baby, it's good enough for their child too.  Donating milk (in the form of wet nursing) is how countless babies were fed in the centuries and millennia before formula was available.  It is awesome (and free) and one of the greatest gifts you can give or receive!

Side-lying nursing is God's gift to breastfeeding mothers

It's probably the only reason I get sleep.  And naps.  Being able to feed your baby without getting out of bed is the best.

Just looking in your baby's eyes while she's nursing is one of the best moments you'll ever have

Smart phones are great - but when your child looks up at you and her eyes are saying, "thanks mom!" and "this is just the best" and "I love you" and "isn't it so cool that your body is still sustaining my life after you grew me for 9 months?!" and your heart explodes, you would give up all your worldly possessions to have that moment last forever.

Thrush *really* sucks

The stabbing pains and the red nipples that look like Rudolph's nose and the gentian violet that makes it look like your child ate a purple Smurf... yeah, I can't recommend getting thrush.