Hoping I Can BF This One

When my sister was breastfeeding, she attended la leche group meetings. They were great!

First, they were free. Secondly, moms got to meet other moms and had a chance to have adult conversations, support, and company. Third, every question imaginable came up. It didn't matter if a mama was feeling intimidated, guilty, embarrassed, frustrated, exhilarated, or exhausted - all were understood and accepted. The whole thing was facilitated by a skilled lactation consultant.

I was lucky enough to go to some of those meetings before I ever dreamed I'd become a mother. When I started breastfeeding, it really helped. If I run into issues down the road, that's where I'll go.

Good luck!

Nipple shields are a gift from god.

I didn't breastfeed (couldn't,) but I do agree with a lactation consultant. You can actually meet with them before baby is here, and continue to meet with them after the baby is here...if you have problems. You definitely want to know that they are kind and understanding, so meeting them prior helps with that. I had a REALLY mean consultant come into my room. She berated me for not producing milk...as if I was doing something to make my boobs not work!!

There will be those people who tell you not to be self conscious and your baby needs to eat, so you should feed him/her in front of others on demand. That's simply not true. If you aren't comfortable with it, then excuse yourself to another room. Have a cover. Ask for privacy. Whatever you need to do. Not everyone feels OK with having other people see their breasts, or see them feeding their baby...and that is perfectly OK!!!

Ditto what Ephie said. And be so happy that you can pump. I couldn't pump with any success. The toe curling pain you had nursing is what I had pumping, and no real milk came out. I hope you can do this, but if you can't and can only pump, at least your baby can drink your breastmilk.

Also, try to relax. My mom told me about her struggle with her first, and her doctor asked her about what things were like "at home". She was living with my dad's family, and they were very "loud" LOL! Grandma's sister thought that nursing was "nasty" and Grandma was a little jealous because she wanted to give the baby a bottle. So my mom was pretty stressed. (Nowadays, breastfeeding is MUCH more in vogue, keep in mind, so hopefully you don't have people giving you static for nursing.) Anyway, he told my mom to go in the bedroom, turn on some soft music on the radio, lay down with the baby and nurse. It worked. She could say to the family that the doctor said to and they stopped giving her a hard time. (That particular doctor was their recommendation and they liked him, so they didn't argue with him telling her to go in the bedroom.)

You know, you don't have to nurse in front of anyone if you don't want to, regardless of what anyone else does. Your baby is who is important, not your visitors. You can turn on the tv for them while you go nurse the baby.

Don't know if this helps, but try not to stress.

Dawn

I second a good lactation consultant. I used the ones in the hospital and needed my own after (and it was my third rodeo!!). My last on had a bad latch....come to find out, she was *slightly* tongue tied...not enough to snip, but something we had to work with and we are still nursing at 15 months.

I wouldn't hesitate to ask visitors to give you a little privacy maybe say you need the lactation consultant to come in? I can't imagine people would stay when you say oh looks like i need to feed baby. My last one we had just moved and didn't know anyone so had no visitors...i thought i would be sad about that, but i actually loved it.

Congrats on baby!!

ETA: on the toe curling pain...was it nipple, milk let down or after pains? My aunt gave me some advice....before baby is born to "rough" up the nipples....i would take a rough, old washcloth and wipe my nipples after shower and that's supposed to help toughen them up. A bad latch will cause nipple pain as well. When my milk let down, it hurt....like bite my lip hurt. It gets better. The thing i didn't know was the after pains/contractions after each baby gets worse. My third I about went through the roof...i had all natural labor and wanted drugs after it was all said and done, and every time you nurse, the get worse.

You can get super cute covers on etsy, just put in nursing covers. I wasn't able to nurse with my first one, and my lactation consultant was worthless, but since then I've done research and plan on taking a class and I have friends who have volunteered to help (one who managed to help with another friend's stubborn little boy just when she was getting ready to give up.) so I hope l'll be able to. But I know that if I can't, it doesn't mean I'm a bad mom. And you aren't either, but the more resources you have at your disposal, the better, as far as I'm concerned.

Lactation consultant, one who is pro BFing but not anti formula. I got shingles right after being released from the hospital, and treatment messed up the feeding. With help, I was able to fully BF and continued till my son was 2-1/2. Lactation consultants have tools to help, and they can figure out why the latch is bad and work with you and the baby to make it work. 95% of the time it is the baby's mouth or something that is making things difficult. Shop around till you find someone you click with. Ask your OB/Gyn and the hospital for referrals.

I recall that toe-curling pain before my nipples toughened up. Nipple shields for a few days gave the bleeding cracks a chance to heal, then nursing was a sweet experience for both me and my baby daughter.

A lactation consultant is a great idea, too.

Wishing you success.

I had that horrible pain with all three of mine. The first two lasted for 5 weeks before it was completely comfortable. My third hurt horribly for five full weeks but by the sixth week when my mom asked if it was feeling better I had completely forgotten I had had such a hard time since it was so easy and painless. I had gone to lactation consultants who said their latches were good. For some unknown reason those first few weeks were excruciating for me. Once I got past that it was super easy.

Did you have toe curling pain from the latch or from BF contractions? The contractions with the 3rd will be excruciating pain for about 3 days.

Advice is talk to a lactation consultant. As for visitors, either try to get over it or ask them to come when baby is fed.

See a lactation consultant at the hospital, and then again right away after you're home if anything is off. An IBCLC (board certified) is best. You can even look up ones in your area now and plan ahead. And go to La Leche League for help - even now you could attend meetings and get advice. You're not alone in this, and many moms have struggles to work through. Reach out for advice and help right away if you need it; moms love sharing experiences and help, and that's what IBCLCs are for. Good luck!

1. Get a Hooter Hider or Bebe au Lait cover for times you want to nurse but don't want looks. Some people feel it says "Nursing here!" but I found it to be a confidence booster with me and DD in public. I also have stepkids and felt awkward nursing around my teen stepson without it. Buy two, accept no imitations, wash on on delicate and hang dry. I used them all the way to weaning.

2. Take a class. Find a good lactation center and either make an appointment with the LCs there or attend a class. Or find your local La Leache League. Talking to other women was really helpful for me. Remember that every baby is different. I talked to a mom just last night about trouble she had with 1 baby but not another - and she thinks it's because one baby was born earlier than the other. The later term baby latched like a pro. I said I had similar problems with DD and she was also 10 days "early". Even so, with the support I had, I was able to nurse her til toddlerhood.

Think positive.

I didn't have pain except with my first daughter because I had such poor supply no matter what I did, and she ate literally nonstop for weeks on end and I had broken blistered nipples that bled.

ANYWAY initial pain shouldn't occur unless you have latch problems and/or contractions from your uterus shrinking. You should have the help of someone in La Leche League, which your local hospital can put you in touch with.

As for being self conscious about it, it's natural. There are some lightweight cover ups but my children hated having to cover their heads to eat. I would too. If they needed to eat they ate. I just wore loose enough tops for it to be comfortable to lift them just enough to nurse.

My doctor had me do exercises to toughen up my nipples during the last few months of pregnancy. Basically rubbing the nipples between my thumb and forefingers three times a day to toughen them up. I did not have pain when nursing, so I think it helped. I would talk to the lactation consultant before you give birth to see what tips are suggested. La Leche League is great too!