Quite frankly, breastfeeding is the most difficult thing I have ever done - yes, even over and above labour! Why? I had to make a conscious decision to do it - with labour my body took over and I had no choice but to go with it (albeit with pain relief in my case) but breastfeeding was a whole different ball game. With breastfeeding it was a battle of wills - one side of me that so wanted to feed her myself, and the other that just want to go the hell to sleep and let someone else do it for a while! In the end it was a compromise - here's what I learned and what nobody bloody-well tells you before you start...
BREASTFEEDING IS REALLY HARD - in those early few weeks I found breastfeeding incredibly hard! I remember sitting feeding for an hour and a half at a time only for her to want to feed again an hour later. After having gone through a 40-odd hour labour I felt like I desperately needed a break. What I know now is that it's totally normal to feel that way and as though you're doing something wrong/failing/don't have enough milk/want to give up.
YOU MIGHT NOT FEEL AS THOUGH YOU HAVE A MUCH SUPPORT AS YOU NEED - when I was pregnant I really remember the midwives pushing the breastfeeding message yet after I'd given birth the professional support for breastfeeding was pretty minimal especially on the hospital ward. I'm not saying we didn't have amazing care - we did. It was just clear that the staff were extremely busy and the support I expected just didn't materialise.
FIND SOMEONE WHO HAS BREASTFED BEFORE & QUIZ THEM ON IT - they probably won't be able to make you feel like everything is rosy all of a sudden but to simply have someone say to you - "I know how hard this is" is invaluable. Thankfully my Mum had breastfed me (albeit thirty years ago) and my sister in law had recently breastfed her little one too. Between then they answered my questions, gave me encouragement and made me believe in myself when I thought I couldn't. That's where Breatsfeeding Groups and mentors come in. Locally we have a fantastic group through our local Action for Children which is a weekly meet up for breastfeeding Mums. They also have breastfeeding mentors available to talk to on the phone if you have questions and need support. There are loads of groups nationwide - the La Leche League website is a fantastic place to start.
YOU NEED TO FEED YOURSELF AS WELL AS THE BABY A.K.A EAT! - I mean a lot! Eat, Eat, Eat! I had night picnics, snacked through the day and ate the biggest meals imaginable. I needed it. After birth your body is exhausted and set on repairing itself - to do that it needs food. Great snacking options for me were bananas, flap-jacks, hard boiled eggs, mini Babybel, dates, smoothies, whole milk porridge and berries. Think minimal prep, maximum nutrition - and always eat through the night.
YOU MIGHT NOT FEEL AS THOUGH YOU HAVE A MUCH SUPPORT AS YOU NEED - when I was pregnant I really remember the midwives pushing the breastfeeding message yet after I'd given birth the professional support for breastfeeding was pretty minimal especially on the hospital ward. I'm not saying we didn't have amazing care - we did. It was just clear that the staff were extremely busy and the support I expected just didn't materialise.
FIND SOMEONE WHO HAS BREASTFED BEFORE & QUIZ THEM ON IT - they probably won't be able to make you feel like everything is rosy all of a sudden but to simply have someone say to you - "I know how hard this is" is invaluable. Thankfully my Mum had breastfed me (albeit thirty years ago) and my sister in law had recently breastfed her little one too. Between then they answered my questions, gave me encouragement and made me believe in myself when I thought I couldn't. That's where Breatsfeeding Groups and mentors come in. Locally we have a fantastic group through our local Action for Children which is a weekly meet up for breastfeeding Mums. They also have breastfeeding mentors available to talk to on the phone if you have questions and need support. There are loads of groups nationwide - the La Leche League website is a fantastic place to start.
YOU NEED TO FEED YOURSELF AS WELL AS THE BABY A.K.A EAT! - I mean a lot! Eat, Eat, Eat! I had night picnics, snacked through the day and ate the biggest meals imaginable. I needed it. After birth your body is exhausted and set on repairing itself - to do that it needs food. Great snacking options for me were bananas, flap-jacks, hard boiled eggs, mini Babybel, dates, smoothies, whole milk porridge and berries. Think minimal prep, maximum nutrition - and always eat through the night.
YOU NEED TO DRINK A TONNE OF WATER TOO - more than you would ever have conceived of before. I had a 2 litre jug of water (with a lid) next to the bed every night which was pretty much gone by the next day. It seems obvious that drinking water helps with milk supply (you are producing a liquid) but more than that I found being hydrated just made me feel better.
IT GETS EASIER - I'm being honest. It does. Once your milk supply really gets established breastfeeding gets so much easier. However, always remember...
ITS'S OK TO GO BOTH WAYS - We did! For a long time (and I mean months) Eva was combination fed having a few bottles during the day and breastmilk the rest of the time. We had no issues with nipple confusion (luckily) and doing it this way allowed me to have a break when I really needed it and let someone else take over for a while.
IT'S NOT THE BE ALL AND END ALL IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT FOR YOU - happy Mum equal happy baby. Find what feels good and go with it!
High-five to ALL of the amazing Mamas out there. X
High-five to ALL of the amazing Mamas out there. X
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