We got a great response from last week's rapid-response nursing tips contest. We can't include all of them in the spring catalog, but I thought it would be a shame not to share these great pieces of advice.
So, here's the first installment of your own advice for nursing mothers. These are on the themes of getting help and the importance of trusting yourself. There are many more to come!
My #1 breastfeeding tip: trust your instincts. Don't worry about what anyone else tells you about how you should be doing things, and just do what feels right to you. That may be really hard, especially with your first baby, because parents, in-laws, doctors, nurses, friends, relatives, authors of parenting books and experts on TV will offer so much advice on what you should be doing or what the baby needs. You know better than ANYONE what your baby needs. So if you feel like putting your fussy baby to the breast even though she nursed just 20 minutes earlier, do it. Don't worry about what the proper feeding schedule, frequency, duration, intervals, etc. should be. Breastfeed with confidence and know that your natural instinct as to what your baby needs trumps everyone else's well-intentioned advice. - Kelly
Don't be embarrassed if you have problems, be persistent. Contact a lactation consultant before you give birth and as soon as possible afterwards. I had trouble for the first 10 weeks, but I kept going back to the lactation consultant. Women have a desire to please and it was really hard to tell the lactation consultant I was still having pain, because I didn't want her to feel as unsuccessful as I did, but I told her because I needed the help. Breastfeeding is a coordinated activity and it just takes time to get in sync with your baby. I didn't think we were going to make it, but by 10 weeks, I had dramatic improvement and by three months I was totally pain-free. My son is now 4 and a half months and we are still breastfeeding. I definitely wouldn't have made it without the reassurance, guidance, and support of my lactation consultant. - Karen, pictured to the right nursing at a temple in Egypt. See her blog for a description of nursing in public in Egypt.
Be sure to find a pediatrician who is 100% supportive of your decision to nurse. When interviewing prospective doctors ask several questions about breastfeeding. Did they (or their spouse) nurse? How often do they recommend supplementing to first time nursing mothers? Under what circumstances would they suggest supplementing or switching to formula? Does the practice have access to any support for nursing mothers (other than your physician)? Be sure to get answers that suit you and your needs (which vary depending on personality, experience, etc.). My pediatrics group has a lactation consultant on staff which is a great benefit; we can see her at the same time we have a well baby visit, we can make an appointment with her separately, or she is available for phone consultation. I have friends who were discouraged and stopped nursing earlier than they had hoped because the pediatrician was not supportive. - Jana
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