I am starting to put together handouts and materials for a Breastfeeding 101 type class.
Hopefully, I can find people to take it. But that's a separate issue.
Obviously, I'm planning to cover things like latch, positioning, nursing on cue, supply and demand, why breast is best, etc..
The basic, obvious stuff. But, what else do you think is a "must have" for an introduction to breastfeeding class.
What do you wish you'd known?
the "ugly" side: geysering, leaking throughout the night, leaking through your shirt during the day, let down when thinking of baby, the sometimes seclusion (like when you are first getting the hang of it and don't want to flash your FIL or grandfather)
ReplyDeleteWhen milk comes in it feels like "hot rocks and boulders"
ReplyDeleteDo not rely on a CLOCK, rely on your BABY. If your baby is acting hungry FEED HIM.
Find a friend who breastfeeds or has breastfed for support (even with pumping)
Snacks, Snacks, Snacks
Water, Water, Water (no substitutions, just water)
Nursing laying down might not work right away. Give yourself and your baby some time and by 2 months you'll be pros at it.
Learn different positions.
Breastfeeding is easy and difficult and frustrating and sweet and wonderful all at the same time. I wish I knew that baby cycles through phases, learning what to do, getting a little too excited so they pop off, then learning how not to be too excited and the finally settling into a groove.
ReplyDeleteGood nursing bras (even just one) make you feel like a woman and not just a dairy farm.
Long sleeve nursing shirts are a dream in the winter time!
Smart phones have nursing apps to track which side and how long you nurse.
Make breastfeeding friends, online or better, IRL.
Will you blog about how the class goes? It's all so exciting!!
OH gosh, GOOD nursing bras!!!!!!! They help to support the tatas so your back doesn't kill you (for those of us that have been, uh, well endowed to the point of feeling as if we need a mechanical device just to keep the gals in place)
ReplyDeleteThat oatmeal and beer are ok to have if you notice your supply getting low (some of us just don't have the time to "nursenursenursenursenurse!" kwim?)
Totally agree with Tam about not watching the clock but to pay attention to baby and for goodness sakes, don't worry about trying to keep an exact schedule.
I wish I knew you back when I had #1. I could have used a good class like yours!
Not necessarily things that I didn't know, but things that definitely are not mentioned enough in general judging by conversations I've had with people...
ReplyDelete1. BF may be 'natural' but it does not always come naturally to mama or baby - it takes work and time to do this together.
2. Your baby will not necessarily be as good a student at different positions as the doll you practice with at BF class.
3. YES you CAN get pregnant while nursing... cannot be emphasized enough.... (do you know how many people asked how I was pregnant since they knew I was still pumping???)
4. That you cannot nurse 'too much' even if your son looks like a porker... that's called healthy in a breastfed baby!
5. That breastmilk stains do not come out of all fabrics very easily (that shirt... or your couch....)
6. A good nursing bra for daytime AND at night make life a lot more comfortable (at least for us well-endowed girls).
7. If you are going to be pumping regularly (like for work) and hope for multiple kids invest in a good, efficient pump - saving time, effort, and your comfort is totally worth the investment. And keep in mind portability if you are going to be taking this thing to work everyday or to other outings - I love my Medela Freestyle because it's not attached to a bag and can hold a charge FOREVER so no need for an electric outlet!
8. It does not make you a bad mother if you get 'touched out' sometimes.... or a bad wife if the whole new 'usuage' of the tatas takes a little getting used to.
I'm sure I'll think of more....
Everything they said. Great stuff!
ReplyDeleteIt's a tricky balance between wanting to tell the truth and not scaring people out of it, you know?
I've had people read my stuff about BFing and say, "Wow. That seems like too much work. I'm not going to." BUT, there are more people who say, "I just had a baby and your BFing posts are getting me through the tough part!"
Its not always easy, but its SO worth it for a million reasons!
ReplyDeleteTwo wish-I-had-known things come to mind...
ReplyDeleteThe first is hindmilk vs foremilk. Due to my oversupply (like whoa), G was getting much more foremilk than hindmilk for the first few months- cue gas, green poops, etc. A little research on kellymom did the trick.
The second is that BF is not *always* a challenge. The education I received about BF was about all of the things that can go wrong. "BF is hard, and that is that." But both G and A took to it easily, so for the first few months after I had G, I thought I was doing something wrong because it was going so well. It sounds silly to me now, but nobody ever said "none of these things may happen to you or your baby."
I totally ditto the importance of a great nursing bra and not relying on the clock. And the best shirts to nurse in are not necessarily "nursing shirts".
So glad you're teaching a class! You'll do a terrific job.
It's seems obvious, but not all babies have the same nursing style. For example, my son would nurse for an hour straight and then cry when I tried to unplug him. He wanted to nurse all. the. time. My daughter was totally different. She would nurse from anywhere from 5-10 minutes and be done. She was just a more efficient nurser. She was actually chubbier than my son! I think new moms should be prepared for the spectrum. This should also help when inevitable comparisons happen. Your baby's nursing norm is not another baby's, and that's ok. There is nothing wrong with you or your baby.
ReplyDeleteI've come across a lot of misinformation that the breast is "emptied" in 20 minutes. A lot of doctors and nurses are taught this. I wish I had known this was only an approximation. Also, the breasts are never empty, and that there are several "let-downs" during a feeding, not just one.
I really like the idea of having a nursing wardrobe section to the class! Wouldn't it be fun to have a fashion show as part of it? Well, not for the bras ;) Just the nursing tops, dresses, and covers, etc.