Questions on breastfeeding

I have heard from someone who just recently had a baby - don't just think you will figure it out when you come home - read up on it and have them show you in the hospital -
can anyone give me some advise on what to read or are there classes you take? - or who do you ask when you are in the hospital to help you with this?
Thanks!

The nurses at the hospital are all knowledgeable about breastfeeding, some more than others. You will get conflicting advice and it will be very fustrating if that DOES happen...
Try to get in touch with La Leche League (there was another post on this board on BFing, do a search for it, we had tons of info there-topic was breastfeeding forum).

Heres their website
http://www.lalecheleague.org/

Try to go to a meeting before you deliver (what I wish i did!). They will talk about BFing and answer any questions you might have. You dont have to join to attend meetings. When you do have the baby, the LLL has tons of lactation consultants that can help you out, over the phone, or in person (if in person, they charge a fee, UNLESS you contact the person AS A LEADER and they happen to be a consultant also.

I have gone to meetings and have gotten help over the phone. They are very helpful, and they are very GUNG HO breastfeeding, so they will not be very supportive if you mention formula.

I am right now very happily (With NO PAIN !!) breastfeeding AND giving him a bottle of formula here and there. Its what I find suits us, and he is happy. The LLL would try to talk me out of it. As much as they have helped me, I may not go to many more meetings, because I feel they are too strongminded about it all. They make you feel like you are in some way a bad parent if you are not EXCLUSIVELY breasfteeding...

Sorry that I rambled on...
hope that helps :)

They have a good book out, all libraries have it, its called The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.

Good Luck and keep us posted !!

When are you due ??

I have been breastfeeding DD exclusivly for almost 6 months now and I love it. Yes its true that some people have trouble and are in severe pain only because of the baby not latching on properly but the nurses in the hospital are WONDERFUL. After 2 days DD and I were old pros.
Breastfeeding came easily to me, all people are different. Just keep at it no matter how bad it hurts in the beginning (put tea bags on your nips... it makes them feel better and invest in Lanoline). I wouldnt give it up for anything!

Junebride, trust me - whomever told you to read up and get support and advice beforehand is 1,000% RIGHT! Breastfeeding can be wonderful, but it is NOT instinctual for you or the baby - it is learned and you will have to practice, practice, practice to get it right. I am sure our resident (and currently) breastfeeding Mom Anna will weigh in here as well, but I will tell you as much as I can about my experience.

I took a 2 hour breastfeeding seminar during my pregnancy, plus an infant care class where they discussed BFing as part of the class, and a birthing class. I also read the beginning chapters of 'A Nursing Mother's Companion' twice, thinking it would help me know what to do. None of this prepared me for how difficult and frustrating BFing is. I am not trying to discourage, I'm just being direct about my experience.

Looking back, I wish that I had contacted La Leche League earlier than I did, and I wish I would have attended at least one LLL meeting prior to the baby's birth. It probably would have helped me.

Make sure that you contact a certified lactation consultant prior to the baby's birth. Ask your OB if the hospital that you will be giving birth at has a certified lactation consultant on staff, or if you can arrange to have one come visit you as soon as the baby is born.

It is critically important that the lactation consultant comes to visit you within the first 24-48 hours after the baby's birth. It is important that they show you how to get the baby latched properly, and even though your milk probably won't be in yet, the baby latching serves as an indication for your body to produce milk. It all has to do with supply and demand. If you are having difficulty getting the baby to latch, it is important that the hospital supply an electric breast pump for you. The pump will simulate the demand for the baby and get your body to produce milk.

Buy yourself a good supporting and well fitting nursing bra, some absorbant (and breathable) breast pads, Lansinoh (pure lanolin cream), and Soothies gel breast pads to soothe sore nipples. Have these supplies ready for your hospital bag!!!

Remember to pay careful attention to your diet during BFing too. You need to eat balanced meals and drink PLENTY of fluids. You can get easily dehydrated during nursing. You should also avoid caffeine and any foods that are gassy. It will be passed along in the breast milk to the baby. Speak with your OB about the kinds of medications that are okay to take while BFing...you have to consider the baby first with everything you put into your body.

BFing is a lot of work and committment from a Mom, but it is a beautiful bonding experience. Educate yourself as much as possible ahead of time, and remember to give yourself a break if it doesn't work out. It's not for everyone, and unfortunately, you won't know until you try.

Best wishes, and feel free to forum mail me is you have more questions!

pmb - I'm sorry to hear you had such a bad experience with a lactation consultant. That's unfortunate, but not all LC's are the same or have the same techniques and practices. That's why, as you said also, research is critically important for a Mom-to-Be. I had very bad experiences w/the nursing staff at the hospital where Paul was born. For me, the LC was a god-send!

pmb, I also had alot of conflicting and fustrating advice at the hospital. But your SIL's advice is also wrong. The first 3 days, your body produce colostrum, which is extremely important/nutritional to your child, if you plan to breastfeed. and these are the days that you begin to establish a supply-demand schedule for which your body will produce milk..
Anyway, I hope you have a better experience next time if you do want to give it a try !

pmb- i was also told by the nurses that the dont feel hunger, they have to be taught to eat and get into the ritual of it. Thats why they are strict on the newborns eating every 2-3 hours in the hospital.

Now youre question about what if they baby is not getting enough. There is no right or wrong answer to that. How you solve that problem is up to you and depends on how strongly one feels about BFing. Personally, I have gotten into the habit if giving my son both, formula and BF and he takes both with no problem. He does seem to get fuller faster on the formula. Part of the reason is that there is more work involved for them. The bottle has a much faster flow of milk, whereas the breast, they have to work/**** much harder.
Anyway, back to your question. My sister lets say, feels VERY strongly about EXCLUSIVELY breastfeeding, and not a drop of formula ever, so when her milk supply goes down, there are many measures that can be taken to help increase supply, such as : make sure to drink plenty of fluids (thats the solution for everything it seems ! LOL ), oatmeal is known to help increase supply, and theres an herb called fenugreek, that she takes in pill form 3X a day, and these 3 things have worked wonders for her. If she needed to, she would go to a lactation consultant to see what she can do further. So the answer to your question will vary by person, personal choice and situation.

Nina, at the hospital you will tell the nurse if you want your baby 'on demand feeding' (bring baby to mom when he/she cries) or 'scheduled feeding' (bring baby to mom every 3 hours. They monitor the on-demand feedings incase baby goes too long without eating, but beleive me, they will let you know when theyre hungry ! A few moms also put on their baby name tags on the incubator 'I'm a Breastfed baby' and i wish I had done that because every day, EVERY DARN DAY a nurse or 2 asked me if he was bottle or breastfed, and at that time my ultimately goal was exclusively BFing, and the first night, they went 'oh, (as if to say 'oops') oh.. well we have him an ounce of formula because he was crying...' I didnt make a stink about it, as long as the kid ate, but lemme tell you, there are MANY moms out there (like my sister, LOL) who would have raised hell because of that. I told them a gazillion times that he was breastfed, and they kept asking again, WRITE IT DOWN !! I Was actually annoyed, they are nurses, this is their day to day job, you would think there would be a little place on the notecard that simply stated BREAST OR BOTTLE !!!
anyway, you, as the mom, have every right to tell the nurses how you prefer your baby is fed, and when.

Lots of luck !

PS-take home some nursing pads (they come like 6 per box) from the hospital and some little samples of lansinoh...(that stuff is expensive!!)
oh, and pads too, you'll need those !

Let your DH take some home from you, taking home a little each day goes a long way! ONe nurse even went to get me some when DH came for him to take home.
and when you buy nursing pads, i would recommend the fabric/washable ones by Gerber.
I think it was 6 per box, for about $5. this way you dont have that expense to add to your list (if you buy the disposable ones like the ones you'll get at the hospital).

anna, Thanks for the tips about the hospital. I actually just found out that where I'll be, they have a bed for DH to sleep overnight and the baby will never leave the room either!
BTW, what exactly are nursing pads used for?

Hee hee breast pads... well when your milk comes in you have a tendency to leak for a few months until your supply regulates itself. Your baby will determine how much milk you will produce. I use it as to say when DD is hungry. I slept with a towel under me for a couple months because my boobs would leak when I was sleeping. Now its better.

PS. If you are ever out and a boob starts to leak just put some pressure on that nip and the flow will stop!!!