Must read breastfeeding tips for first time mums

I DIDN'T have a clue about breastfeeding before my first child was born. I went into it with an “I’ll give it a go and see how it works” attitude. I wish I’d done a bit more homework and gone to some breastfeeding classes before she was born so if you can at all, do. It’s not that it’s *that* complicated, but information is power and when you know what to expect and what’s normal, it takes a lot of the worry and insecurities away. Also, I highly recommend reading The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. It’s a wealth of information. And if you remember the following tips, your breastfeeding journey should get off to a wonderful start. I don’t claim to be an expert, but these tips definitely saw me through and I learned more with each baby thanks to tips I picked up along the way.  

• Skin on skin is really important. Make sure you place baby onto your chest straight away (assuming you’ve had a normal delivery and all is well with you and baby). Choose a labour outfit that will have easy access to your tummy and chest. I bought cheap nighties from Dunnes that had buttons all the way down the front. 

• Let the baby find your boob and latch on him or herself. We hear a lot of complicated instructions like holding the baby in your arms, nipple to nose, waiting for them to open wide and shoving your nipple right in, making sure your entire aereola is in there..bring baby to the breast and not breast to baby….The thing is, it doesn’t have to sound so complicated. Babies are like all mammals in that they are born with instincts and know what to do. Your baby didn’t need instructions to move down the birth canal and be born - it made it this far on its own and it will find your boob too. Watching a newborn baby do the ‘breast crawl’ and latch on herself is amazing. In saying that, practice makes perfect - for you and for baby. 

• Going back to my last point: the latch. It’s key to get it right. A good latch will make feeding a dream. A bad one will leave you clenching your ass cheeks, curling your toes and dreading the next feed. Nursing your baby shouldn’t be excruciating. A little pain and sensitivity in the first week or so is pretty normal - your nipples aren’t used to being used in this way. But if you’re experiencing bad pain to the point that it’s giving you nipple damage or making you dread feeds, ask for help. Your hospital should have a lactation consultant on duty. Ring that bell and ask for help. Don’t be afraid to “make a nuisance of yourself”. Lip tie and tongue tie are quite common - get your health care professional to check for it. And if you need to, hire a qualified lactation consultant to come to your home. They’re worth every penny and your private health insurance could cover the cost, or at least some of it. YouTube is also your friend - have a look at things like the ‘flipple technique” such as this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deKN3wJ17Mk

• Your milk will take a few days to come in. Your baby is getting enough from you, please don't worry. Their stomach is minuscule at this point and it doesn't take much to fill it. In the early days, you may wonder if you’re starving your baby as he or she seems to be looking for grub all the time. Don’t worry - it’s their way of building up your supply. You don't have to top up with formula. Things settle down and you don’t have to sit feeding all day every day forever - I promise! There will be days when you’re wondering if your breasts seem ‘empty’, when well-meaning people tell you to give yourself a ‘break’ by offering formula because the baby seems starving…Don’t listen to them. If you want to continue exclusively breastfeeding your baby, introducing formula at this stage could really mess with your supply and do more harm than good. Growth spurts are normal and normally don’t last more than a few days to a week. Take to the bed, settle in with some extra grub and drinks, set yourself up with some box sets on Netflix and just go with it. Before you know it, things will get back to normal and you won’t be feeding around the clock. 

• Follow your baby’s cues. Don’t wait for them to start crying before offering them a feed. You’ll learn to recognise the signs of hunger - licking their lips, rooting around, opening their mouths. Crying is the last thing they do and by that stage they’re usually more frantic and it can be harder to latch them on. Also, watch your baby, not the clock. Don’t bother timing feeds or becoming obsessed with getting a routine established. Just feed when your baby wants it. 

• Drink plenty of water and eat regularly. I clearly remember the thirst in those early days after giving birth. Have a bottle of water with a sports cap to hand for every feed. Snack plenty. In hospital, you’ll get (pretty grim) meals three times per day. You’ll be starving unless you have some snacks to hand for between meals. I recommend chowing on almonds (they help milk production), plenty of fruit, have a few health bars handy and of course whatever tickles your fancy. Breastfeeding doesn’t mean you have to avoid any foods in particular. There are lots of myths out there that make breastfeeding sound very limiting. You don’t have to avoid spicy foods or cabbage or green vegetables or dairy or even alcohol in moderation. You might notice that your baby is sensitive to certain foods - I had to cut out chocolate in the early days, for example, as it gave my babies wind. 

• Drink at least four cups of fennel tea per day. You can get it in your health food shop. It’s great for thirst quenching and making sure you get enough fluids. It also helps reduce instances of wind in your baby and it can help boost your supply. Other good foods for helping your supply include porridge for breakfast or fenugreek in curries and the likes. You could also make a delicious batch of lactation cookies - there are loads of recipes online.

• Mulitmam compresses will be your friend in the early days. If you have sensitive nipples they offer huge relief and quick healing. They’re available from most pharmacies and cost around €14 per box. Pretty steep, but you can make them last by cutting each strip in half and using one for both nipples instead of one on each. Lanolin cream before each feed also helps, and you can get Multimam balm as well. 

• Don’t pump for the first six weeks unless you have to. Your supply is being established. Pumping could over stimulate production and you could end up being engorged. Don’t worry about your partner - they will find other ways to bond with the baby - you don’t have to feed a baby to have a bond with it. Get daddy to do the nappy changes, skin on skin, have a bath with baby and enjoy plenty of cuddles.

• Your baby doesn’t need anything except breast milk for the first six months of their lives. It’s the best thing for them. You don’t need to give water when it’s hot, or if they’re constipated. Your milk has everything they need to quench thirst, hydrate and nourish. It changes with your baby’s needs.  You can feed them when they’re sick. It really is the best thing ever for comforting them, no matter what the problem is. Don’t listen to people who say “your baby is using you as a soother”. Do they really think that soothers existed before breasts?

• If you encounter any issues such as engorgement, mastitis etc, the best thing you can do is feed, feed, feed. There is a breastfeeding solution to every breastfeeding problem, in the vast majority of cases. A lot of Irish health care professionals - wonderful and all as they are - don’t have the most updated information on breastfeeding. Question them. And then question them again. 

• There’s a wealth of information and support out there. Excellent online resources include Dr. Jack Newman’s Facebook page and website and Kellymom.com There are also some excellent private Facebook groups you should seek out. For information on medications and breastfeeding, there’s an app called LactMed, which is available on the iTunes store for free.

• When it comes to feeding in public places, the first time is usually daunting but don’t worry, your confidence will grow and you’ll be more comfortable each time. You can legally breastfeed anywhere you choose so don’t be intimidated. I’ve only ever encountered one negative reaction in the almost five years I’ve been breastfeeding - and that was from a woman who was giving her child Coca Cola from a bottle. The World Health Organisation recommends exclusively breastfeeding to the age of six months and then introducing healthy sold foods, and continuing to breastfeed until your child is at least two. We have a long way to go in this country before it’s seen as the norm but fingers crossed we will get there. 

I'm going to be doing a series of exciting giveaways soon to celebrate the launch of The Baker Farm and one of the prizes up for grabs will be a gorgeous hamper full of breastfeeding-related goodies. Please like my Facebook page to make sure you are notified when the comp is up and running.