Hiiiiii! If you are new around here, welcome! I am a 3x girl mama and I am a huge advocate for breastfeeding. I have successfully breastfed all three of my girls to at least 18M and coming to a slow end with baby E as we approach her 18M as well as her self weaning. I am not forcing her to stop BUT she is down to nursing once or twice a day and I know our time is slowly dwindling.
BUT when I started my breastfeeding journey with my oldest, I had NO idea what I was getting myself into. I knew I wanted to breastfeed because it was soo good for my baby but also because it was “free” and I didn’t have to buy formula. However, there are SO many things THEY don’t tell you about when you choose to breastfeed so here are a few things I learned that hopefully can help another mama.
Your milk does not fully come in for at least 3 days! You read that right, it is not something wrong with you, you are not “not producing” but your milk takes about 3 - 5 days to fully come in. And when it does, your baby can have a difficult time learning to latch because your breast is a different shape or your letdown could be too strong for them.
It isnt painful but it is uncomfortable. Like anything, any constant pulling or tugging takes a minute to get adjusted to that movement. It takes about a week or 2 for your nipples to adjust to the feeling of a baby nursing.
Your letdown can “hurt” and its a weird feeling the first time you have one. Your let down happens within the first minute or so of your baby nursing. Its a point during their nursing session where your body just eliminates ALL the milk, really quick (there is not a better way to describe it). If you have a strong let down, your baby can start to gag or choke trying to keep up with your let down. THIS IS NORMAL. And all you need to do is unlatch baby, allow your let down to do its thing, and relatch baby once your letdown is finished. (You can even catch the milk in a haaka or a clean bottle.
You should not bleed from your nipples. If you are bleeding from your nipples or baby’s latch is super painful, baby could have a lip or tongue tie or both. Your pediatrician or a ped dentist can diagnose them for you. I think even some IBCLCs can as well and will recommend a ped dentist for revision.
ASK FOR HELP! Breastfeeding is just as much mental as it is physical. Some babies will nurse every 2-3 hours for 30-45 minutes and some babies will nurse every hour for 10-15 minutes. There is nothing wrong with either way a baby nurses however, it can be stressful and feel like you have so many things to do. Ask for someone to help clean your house, bring you food or just watch baby so you can nap or take a shower.
Society still has not caught up with the times and your pediatrician cares more about the growth of your baby to determine if they are healthy and not how your baby is actually doing. Your baby can be small and not growing quickly but healthy. As long as baby is producing enough poopy and pee filled diapers, there is not reason to supplement just based on weight gain.
Finally for now, it is okay to stop if your mental health is taking a toll. Yes breastfeeding statistically can help with hormone balancing and connecting with baby BUT if you feel like your mental health is taking a toll because you are stressed or overwhelmed or have a lack of support in your breastfeeding journey, do not feel like you cannot supplement or stop breastfeeding.
I am by NO means an expert just some of the things I have encountered in the past 6 years of nursing and having babies. :) If you have any questions for me, feel free to ask. I am an open book when it comes to breastfeeding support and my birth experiences.
Heres to you and your breastfeeding journey, whatever that may look like for you!
Photos by Erin Ryall Photography / edit by myself
xoxoxoxox,
Nina.