Nursing tips

Myths, truths and everything I've learned about nursing.

Myths

1) nursing doesn't hurt! This is not true. Out of all my friends and most of them nursed their children only one said she never had pain. Most women will experience pain with their nipples for the first week or two. This pain will go away I promise. It was 2 weeks for Mercedes and a week of pain for Isaiah. You typically will have pain with every nursing experience. It takes time for your nipples to get used to it. Do not assume the baby is not latching on correct just because you have pain.

2) my baby is not getting enough milk. This is a common thing that doctors and nurses will tell a nursing mom if your baby is not growing at the pace "they" want to see. Do not give into supplementing right away. If there's one thing I've learned with having a premature child it is that ALL babies grow at different paces and doctors are quick to tell a nursing mom she needs to supplement, but 9 times out of 10 this is not true. You should always give weight gain time. A couple of days of low weight gain is not enough time to make an assessment. In the NICU they looked at a week of grow. THE BEST THING TO DO IF YOU'RE BABY IS NOT GAINING A LOT OF WEIGHT IS TO NURSE MORE, NOT SUPPLEMENT! Nursing baby's can tend to eat as frequently as every hour and a half to every 3 hours.

3) Your baby is fussy a lot so you must not be feeding enough or have enough milk) If your baby is fussy there could be several reasons and the fact that you would not be making enough milk would be last on my list... Breast fed babies tend to like to suck a lot, so I think it's very important to give them a pacifier for none nutrient sucking. (however very important to establish a good breastfeeding and latching on before you give them one) Maybe 5 to 7 days after birth try introducing a pacifier. Another reason for fussiness could be they have gas or that something your eating in your diet is bothering them. dairy, nuts and any foods that cause you gas are the biggest foods that babies can be allergic to or that are causing them gas.

4) Pumping is the same as nursing. This is not true. Pumping is great if you have a situation like I did and had a preemie that couldn't nurse for weeks or you have to go back to work, but it's really important to nurse exclusively for as long as possible. Pumping most of the time will not bring in the full milk supply that your baby needs. Only nursing can. If you have to pump or want to pump wait until you have established a good milk supply and a good breastfeeding experience. About a month!

5) supplementing with formula will make my life easier. It could, but it should only be done after you have established a FULL milk supply. Also I have noticed that the most successful nursing mom's are those that nursed exclusivly. Having to buy formula, mix up bottles, make sure you have formula everytime you go somewhere and having to clean bottles really isn't easy. Several problems that can arise from using formula & bottles- one is that sometimes you can become engorged and develop things like mastitis, your baby can become lazy and prefer bottle over breast.

6) I don't need help to learn how to nurse. Even if you've nursed before every baby can have it's own difficulties with nursing. There are SO many lactation consultants and nursing pro's out there that can help you. Ask for help if you need it. They are at most hospitals and can figure out what the problem is.

Nursing is one of the BEST ways to bond with your baby. It's an amazing feeling to know that your body is making all the nutrient to grow your baby. Once you get over the painful first couple of weeks and establish a full milk supply it's really an AMAZING experience. Even if you can only nurse for a month make the effort. It's the best start you can give your baby. God designed our bodies to provide all that our babies need in our milk. Studies have proven over and over that breast is BEST! In studies babies who are breastfed are typically healthier, smarter and have less ear infections. Also mom's who breastfeed reduce their risk of developing breast cancer. There's lots more benefits, but I don't have time to write them all down. Do your research and learn for yourself all the benefits.

This is not meant to make anyone feel bad for not breastfeeding, but is meant to encourage those who are having a baby and want to breastfeed. I want women to have the best breastfeeding experience. Unfortunately, I had to learn the hard way with my first. I spent a lot of time with the lactation consultants (two and a half months to be exact) with Mercedes being in the NICU and learned a lot. Breastfeeding takes some time to learn, but it's the best thing for your baby. It's worth all the hard work.