"Give it Another Try!" -- Best Breastfeeding Tips I Received

Some of the best breastfeeding advice I have ever gotten was, "give it another try!" My first breastfeeding experience, I wish I could do a do-over. I did not have the opportunity to take a breastfeeding class, I had a horrible experience with a couple of nurses within the hospital after giving birth to my first baby., and didn't find the support I needed to get a positive start or sustain a successful breastfeeding journey. Nevertheless, I did try and I tried for 4 months without much success, and a lot of tears, and pain. I also heard all the negative stories about breastfeeding, and I'm sure that didn't help my outcome either.

"Give it another try!" was the best advice I got from our then HypnoBirthing instructor, now long-time friend. And since then, I have had two successful breastfeeding journeys - both extending just over a year. I'm just about to slowly wean my 3rd child, she is almost 14 months.

After the great advice of giving it another try, I now knew that breastfeeding was NOT supposed to hurt, that if it hurt, your baby was not latching on correctly. I think I heard every scary story in the book about this side of the fence on breastfeeding. If you are having to pierce your lips shut from yelling out profanities because you are hurting, get some help and don't give up! Get more educated! This is not how breastfeeding should be, despite the many stories out there that breastfeeding hurts - keep in mind that it is not supposed to hurt! 

I learned all that I could, because it simply does not come naturally, for you or baby and patience for yourself and baby are key. The more prepared you are, the less frustrating it'll be and the more likelihood you'll have a successful breastfeeding experience.

Another great tid bit of advice was not getting underwire nursing bras, because it can cause clogged milk ducts (and that HURTS) a lot!

Having a good pillow support for your little one is helpful too.. before I had the Boppy's, but I found that I wasn't getting the back support I needed, as well as the support I needed for my baby as well. Someone recommended to me the "My Breast Friend" pillow. That was one of the best purchases I had ever made!

Drink at least 64 oz of water a day, more if you can. The more water you drink, the better your milk supply is, and the better hydrated you are as well.

Just because baby has teeth doesn't mean that you cannot nurse anymore. Oh, I always thought that once a baby got teeth that was the end of breastfeeding. But someone once told me, if you think about how you drink through a straw, you don't use your teeth to suck. The breast for baby is the same way. The only times I ever experienced biting was once on purpose - but quickly taken off, a firm "no" - it never happened again. The other time would be when I let my babies a few months after birth fall asleep while nursing. I would not recommend that though, unless you are okay with it. I wouldn't recommend it simply because you might have issues with weaning later on due to your baby making you the pacifier. Neither of my fully successful breastfed babies (the 2nd and 3rd) ever took a pacifier. One of the things that is recommended for your birth plan is to let the nursery know ahead of time that you do not want your baby to have any pacifiers. I personally didn't care that they had a pacifier or not, they just chose not to have one on their own.

Other advice that was so helpful was the use of Lansinoh

Air dry nipples after each feeding. 

Detach suction with your finger. 

In the beginning, I had one nurse show me with my first breastfeeding experience, which I had to do once with my 2nd child for maybe just a day or so. But it works wonders to get the "training" going with your baby to latch on correctly - esp before your milk comes in. The hospital has bottles of sugar water, drop a couple of drops of the sugar water on your nipple and baby will find and latch on in those beginning days.



Try new breastfeeding positions. Some work better for you and baby than others.



Nursing pads are very helpful. You might have to try a few different brands out, or you might be able to get the ones that you can wash and reuse. I personally loved the Johnson & Johnson disposable nursing pads. The pad itself didn't stick to you (which hurts if it does) and protected your skin. If you leak a lot, it will protect you from leakage as well.

Above all, ASK QUESTIONS. Get into a class if you can, hands-on experience with a supportive nurse goes a long way too! That was the best experience and support I had - was through some incredible nurses. Other support is great at La Leche League, a breastfeeding forum, help from your pediatrician etc.