How to Prepare for your Breastfeeding Journey
I think we all know that breastfeeding has incredible health benefits for mum and baby. It is also convenient. Breastfeeding is the most natural way to feed our babies.
BUT
It’s not necessarily easy. It is natural but that doesn’t mean it comes naturally. In our society we are not educated and exposed to women breastfeeding their babies – especially not newborn babies. Initially breastfeeding can be tricky and even painful. So here are some things you can do to make learning to breastfeed a little bit easier.
1) Antenatal Breastfeeding Education
Do an antenatal breastfeeding course! Or at least, some education on breastfeeding.
And I am not talking about the 3-minute spiel from a midwife in one of your appointments. Not that they are wrong, but you can’t learn what you need in 3 minutes. Spend a little bit of time learning all about breastfeeding, positioning and supply.
The Australian Breastfeeding Association runs courses online or in-person. Many other organisations run them too. Find one that suits you and get educated.
2) Antenatal Expressing
Learn to hand express colostrum during the late stages of your pregnancy.
Expressing colostrum has lots of benefits!
Hand expressing is a skill that takes practice. It is much easier to learn this new skill in the comfort and privacy of your own home, without the pressure of a hungry baby.
You can collect and freeze the colostrum to use if your baby needs some extra while your milk is coming in.
For some women it can help increase their supply slightly, so that colostrum is readily available when their baby is born.
Nipple stimulation can also help to promote labour and prepare the body for labour, as oxytocin is released by your body when you express.
Most research says you can hand express from 36 weeks safely – I usually suggest doing it from 37 weeks, as you don’t really need to do it any earlier. Speak to your care provider about antenatal expressing before you start.
3) Learn the Breast Crawl or Baby-Led-Attachment
Your antenatal course might cover this, but make sure you learn about the breast crawl.
Our babies have instincts to breastfeed! This is an incredible way that we can allow our babies to use their instincts to find and attach to the breast and it usually results in better attachment, better milk-transfer and less pain for mum. Plus, it’s a beautiful and amazing experience. It is especially fantastic if you can allow your baby to do this for the first feed after birth, when they are usually very alert.
4) Skin to skin.
Make sure you get uninterrupted skin to skin for at least an hour after birth – unless there is a medical concern with mum or baby. Weight, paediatrician checks, medications, can all wait, bonding between mum and baby is more important.
Don’t stop the skin to skin there though. Next Dad should have skin to skin with baby too. And then continue having regular skin to skin contact with your baby. Especially in the first days and weeks, as often as you can. It is shown to have great benefits for everyone involved.
5) Know normal feeding patterns and behaviours.
Again, this might be covered in an antenatal breastfeeding course.
Demand feeding is recommended for healthy breastfed babies. What is it? It is feeding your baby whenever they want, for as long as they want. Not sticking to a particular schedule.
During the first 24 hours babies often have only a couple of feeds and sleep a lot – being born and learning to breathe are hard work!
Around 48 hours babies often cluster feed, meaning they want to feed All. The. Time! You feed them, they fall asleep, you put them down, they wake up wanting to feed – repeat, repeat, repeat. This is a normal, instinctive behaviour. As your body slowly produces more colostrum baby drinks it. Hormones are also released each time you feed, stimulating your body to produce more milk. But, this can be tiring and it’s often around this time that nipples can get quite sore! (Where a little bit of expressed colostrum from the freezer could be handy).
Once the milk ‘comes in’ feeding usually settles into a more regular pattern of every 2-4 hours, or maybe even longer on occasion. Babies will feed regularly overnight, so make sure you get some rest during the day when you can.
Babies will still cluster feed at times when they want to increase the milk supply.
6) Know where to get support.
If you do have challenges with breastfeeding know who you can ask for support. You may have some family or friends who can offer some tips or advice, but you may need professional support. Some ways to access support:
· Midwife – ask your midwife/hospital for support or referral
· CAFHS – book an appointment with Child and Family Health Service – they have maternal health nurses and lactation consultants
· Australian Breastfeeding Association – free 24/7 helpline to speak to breastfeeding counsellors, online and in person breastfeeding courses and support antenatally and postnatally.
· Private Lactation Consultant – can visit you assist with breastfeeding concerns, often in your home. Charges a fee but this can be very well worth the cost, especially given the cost of formula.
Most women can successfully breastfeed their babies, especially with the right support. Be sure to ask for help when you need to and do what is right for you and your family.
Resources
https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au
https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/resources/baby-led-attachment
https://www.cafhs.sa.gov.au/services/responsive-consultations
