Hi Friends!
I can’t believe my itty bitty is almost 6 months already! In the past almost 6 months I have learned SO much about breastfeeding so I wanted to do a post for any new mamas or soon-to-be mamas out there and share some of the tidbits I have picked up so far!
If you’ve followed our journey here on the blog or through social media you know Snow’s first 19 days were in the NICU so she was fed through a feeding tube and then a bottle until we were finally able to give breastfeeding a try.
We worked with several lactation consultants and then went a few times to mom’s group at the hospital that was hosted by LC’s after she came home.
This is not a post to “judge” formula, but for me it wasn’t an option. I pray everyday and thank the sweet Lord for letting me be able to nurse my little nursling, and I pray it can continue for quite a bit longer. 🙂
Alyce French Photography: Kerrington at 6 weeks old!
Get plugged into a breastfeeding support group!Â
This will be your best friend! No joke. In the wee hours of the morning when you have a question, you can ask it, and most likely there’s another mama up feeding her little who can answer your question! I am in two breastfeeding groups on Facebook, and they have helped me SO much! So before you do anything else, find one and join it! You’ll thank me later.
On to the facts:
It hurts!
Mercy, I can’t tell you how bad it hurt for about the first 8 weeks. When my milk would let down it felt like a million fire ants chewing on me for about 20 seconds then it would subside. It also hurt to actually nurse baby Snow. This is normal! I always heard if it hurts you’re not doing it right! Ugh! So I worried and worried, but everything was correct, (make sure there isn’t a latch problem with a LC) I just had to get used to it. It no longer hurts, but I do still feel my milk let down, where some women don’t. Lucky girls.
You will worry, a lot!
If breastfeeding is as important to you as it is was and still is to me you will most likely worry about a million different things during your breastfeeding journey. It’s totally normal! Just remember whatever you are worried about, some other mama (and probably me included) has worried about it sometime too. Ask questions and try oh so hard not to stress out!
Around 6-12 weeks your body regulates how much milk to make:
This means that up until this point you may over produce on milk causing soreness, your breasts to become engorged, feel full, etc. If you are pumping you may be able to pump quite a bit. Whenever your supply does regulate however, you no longer feel sore, engorged, and you most likely will pump less. This DOES NOT mean your milk is “drying up”. I flipped out right at 12 weeks because I have heard so many women say that they had to stop nursing their babies because their supply dried up, when it really didn’t.
Which brings me to the next topic:
Your milk doesn’t just dry up!
As long as there is stimulation you will continue to make milk! Most women wean their babies around 3-4 months simply because they feel as though their milk dried up when in reality their bodies 1. got better at storing the milk and 2. they are now only making enough for what baby is taking in. It’s really cool how God made our bodies work!
It’s ok if you don’t love it at first!
Stick with it friend! I didn’t hate breastfeeding when we started, but I didn’t feel that it was doing anything to bond us. However, I absolutely love it now! Now she looks up at me and it seems like she is memorizing my face and telling me how much she loves with her eyes. She also recently started playing with hand and touching my face. It’s the best. ever.
Growth spurts makes us stronger 🙂
There are several growth spurts that baby hits during the first year, and trust me when I say they are rough; on mama and baby. You will feel like baby eats all day long. It’s exhausting and you will think, “there’s no way there is any milk left in there!”. You will worry that baby isn’t getting full and question whether or not you are making enough to satisfy them. You are mama, I promise. They usually only last a day or two, just get really comfy on the couch, and stay hydrated!!
Pumping isn’t a good indicator of milk supply
I always hear mamas say, “I wasn’t making enough milk, when I pumped I only got half an ounce.” Some women simply don’t respond to a pump, meaning there could be a gallon of milk in the “girls”, but you just might not be able to get any out with the way the pump suctions. Baby pulls milk out much differently and more efficiently than any pump.
Foremilk vs. Hindmilk
Basically, foremilk is the milk at the beginning of a feeding that you can think of more as “skim” milk, it has more water and it helps to “quench” baby’s thirst. Hindmilk is the milk towards the end of a feeding that has a higher fat content and can be thought of as “whole” milk, and gives baby more calories. I’ve learned to let Kerrington empty one side before switching sides to ensure she gets as much hindmilk as possible. Also, a side note I learned from our pediatrician: if baby is getting mostly foremilk their poop will have more of a green tint to it, if they are getting the richer and fattier hindmilk it will be the yellow mustard-y type of poop. In case you were wondering. 🙂
Listen to your baby!
The only real way to know whether or not your baby is getting enough milk is to watch for diaper count (at least 6-8 per 24 hours) and weight gain. The “books” will tell you baby should east every 3 hours, but remember most of these resources are based on “averages”, Kerrington still nurses on demand, and its usually closer to every 2 hours. So in the early days I may have worried she was eating too much or not getting enough to keep her content until 3 hours later. Every baby is different and will create their own schedule.
And last, but not least…
Baby communicates to mama’s body to make antibodies
This is by far one of the coolest things I have learned about how our bodies work. I always knew my body would make antibodies, etc to protect my baby, but I never knew how. Basically, as baby nurses some baby backwash goes back into mama, and tells her body if there is any infection or “red flags” and then mama’s body makes the appropriate germ fighters to target baby’s potential ailment and travels back through breastmilk to baby. How crazy cool is that?!
Well, there ya have it. I pray at least one of the things I have learned the past 6 months helps just one mama out there!
What was your favorite thing about breastfeeding or the best lesson you learned? We’d love to hear it!
xoxo, Tamara
Miss Adelyn Mae was a 2 hr feeder foreveeeeeer. She just constantly liked to snack. (And still does just on food now!) it worried me to and was exhausting but I barely remember those days now!!!