Congratulations! If you’re reading this you’re probably pregnant and intending to breastfeed your baby. Breastfeeding is hugely beneficial – not just for your baby, but for you too. The reasons why some women breastfeed and some don’t are deeply personal but just some of the benefits are that it’s great for your baby, it’s good for you, it’s free (always a plus these days!) and, once you’re through the very early difficult days, it’s also good for your mental health. As any of the mums I work with will tell you, your mental health is always the priority!
- LEARN HOW BREASTFEEDING WORKS
Many new mums are very surprised to find out that breastfeeding, something that they assumed would be natural and instinctive, takes some time to learn. You and your baby are both new at this and it’s sometimes tricky at the beginning. During pregnancy, take some time to learn the anatomy and facts of how breastfeeding works. There are some fantastic resources out there which I highly recommend, here are a few to consider:
The Positive Breastfeeding Book by Amy Brown.
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by La Leche League International
KellyMom - FIND YOUR SUPPORT TEAM
If you’re intending on breastfeeding, you’ll probably already have realised that there’s a huge amount of pressure and advice out there, lots of which is outdated and some of which is seriously misguided. Finding qualified professionals in your area before your baby is born is a great idea so you’re not tearfully panicking and searching online at 3am when your nipples are sore and you’ve not had enough sleep. If you have a doula she might be qualified to help, and she will certainly have a list of Lactation Consultants, Breastfeeding Councellors and Peer Supporters that she has worked with. We know that mums who are supported in their breastfeeding manage to breastfeed for much longer than mums who don’t get any support. - PREPARE YOUR PARTNER
Partner support is so important for breastfeeding success. If this is your first baby it’s more than likely that your partner doesn’t know anything at all about breastfeeding. If this is the case, including them in your learning, making sure they know what the early weeks will look like, and pinning your support team list up on the fridge will help them be able to feel prepared, involved and ready to support you. - INVEST
I am not referring to spending loads of money on the latest breastfeeding gadget, apps that track your feeding schedule, gear that promises to make it easier to know what to do…
I AM talking about investing in basic things that can help you through this period of learning and adjustment. My breastfeeding essentials list is pretty basic, but as with anything – you’ll realise more what you need once you’re in it.
– A prenatal breastfeeding class for you and your partner
– A lactation consultant consultation in the first few days postpartum
– Comfy nursing bras. I like these.
– Re-usable bamboo or cotton breast pads like these. You can use them as makeup removers when you’ve finished breastfeeding!
– A water bottle with a straw that goes to the bottom of the bottle. You are going to be very thirsty while breastfeeding in the early days. Make your water as accessible as possible.
On top of these four steps for preparing to breastfeed, an independent study has found that families who had Doula support postnatally, had a 98.2% breastfeeding rate compared to 78.7% for those without Doula support. If you’re considering hiring a doula, please visit my Services page to find out more about how I can help support you postnatally.