31 weeks - so I guess I can start counting down, although I still feel like my due date is never going to get here. I'm sure most women have felt the same way. I am considering breast feeding, but have many questions like: (1) how do you know when the baby gets enough to eat, (2)how long should I keep doing it - especially since I'll be going back to work (3) Which pump is the best, (4) and is it hard to get used to? I love hearing from everyone - since I'm a rookie at motherhood.
posted by Wendy @ 2:12 PM
8 Comments:
DEFINITELY breastfeed -- it is well worth it. I too am a working mom and I breastfed my first child till he was a year old! I dont regret a minute of it. I used a medela double pump (small - think it costs like $70). They say the bigger, more expenisve ones pump faster, but this one did the trick for me and was inexpensive. It took me about 20 min mid morning and 20 min mid afternoon to pump enough milk for my child for the following day. Towards end of first year, I could pump at lunch and have enough. STRIVE for a year! Its the best food you can give your baby. Also, you will know when baby has enough. If shes fussy, she may be hungry. As a mom, you'll figure it out very quickly. Just don't doubt yourself and trust your instincts! AGAIN by all means, breastfeed.
Hey Wendy,
Congratulations on having a baby. I have 2 girls. I tried to breastfeed with my first one when she was first born, but I didn't have enough milk. I did use a breastpump, but I don't think it was a very good one. Also, you might want to watch on The learning channel "A Baby Story". It comes on every morning at 8:00am and also another one at 8:30am. Another show is at 9:00am on the same channel called "Bringing Home Baby". It is a great show also. Alot of the mothers will tell you on that show that breastfeeding isn't easy, but don't give up. My girls are now ages 10 and 8. I watch your show everyday. Those shows also come on in the afternoons on The Learning Channel starting at 1:00pm in the afternoon. Even though my girls are older now, I still enjoy watching those shows. Again, congratulations on having a baby. They are very precious and also enjoy them while they are babies. They grow up so fast.
I agree too!
Breastfeeding is a wonderful way to give your child the nutrients you need. Formula is expensive, although we do supplement from time to time.
They will let you know when they are finished or full. Usually they will come off to burp etc. At first I fed my baby for at least 30 mintues now he is 8 weeks old and he finishes usually within 15 to 20.
Breastfeeding will really make you bond with your baby.
It is hard at first and it hurts! Especially when your milk comes in. No one really told me that. I was really surprised at how much it hurt but there are tricks to help your self out. If you become engorged you can take a warm shower or put a hot towel on to make your milk loosen.
Get a breast feeding book for sure to help along the way. The consultants at St. Bernards are wonderful and you can meet with them or call anytime with questions!
Good luck with the breastfeeding!
It's a wonderful experience.
Hey Wendy! I'm a rookie too. I breast fed for 8 weeks. I wanted to make sure I could do it before investing in an expensive pump, so I rented one from a local pharmacy (the hospital will give you all of the attachments - it's basically just the motor you rent). As it turned out, the rental worked out well for me - my son was not patient enough to get all he needed from me so I started supplementing with formula and eventually transitioned to all formula before returning to work. The consultants at SBRMC are great - Sherry and Roxanne. We talked several times during the 8 weeks. ANY breastmilk is better than none at all. You'll do great!
Would just like to start out by saying that it's great that you are going to have a baby! brestfeeding is great it is the best thing that you can do for you and your baby not is it only good for baby in health issues and it is very good to help you loose the weight that you gained during pregnancy also it helps you get back to normal with your uterus, overall it is great in many ways no matter if you do it a day or a year any is better than none... wish you the best.
Wendy,
I too breastfed my son (now 15.5 mths old). I used a Medula double pump but it cost like 200.00 (@ K's Merchandise in Cape). It was a great investment. I don't know what I would have done without it. For medical reasons my son was flown to St. Louis when he was born. In turn, I had to start pumping immediately to try to get some milk for when I was released to take to him. The pump I had was amazing. It was very easy to use and was very "gentle"...Which is very important.
As far as when to wean---You will know when you feel comfortable putting your child on formula or whole milk (if baby is a yr old). Your mommy instincts will kick in, mind you mine took a while...LOL. I was told by my son's first ped. that he could only have "x" amt of milk during "x" amount of hrs. My son was extremely hungry and would cry 2 hrs after taking meal...I finally realized when the ped told me to just let him cry (when my son was 3mths old) that I knew what he wanted. We started going with our "gut" and our baby was a new baby. You will know if your little one is still hungry. If you are worried that your child will not be getting enough of breastmilk for a few wks (til you get use to things), go by your babies signs and weight. You can ck to make sure "she" is going through enough diapers, gulping while feeding, etc. All this adds up and will tell you along with instincts what is best to do. Your baby will be fine. Listen to your mommy instincts (which like I mentioned, I don't know about others, but mine didn't just hit me when out popped my son...So, if you are worried...always call ped. they are usually very willing to help us first time mom's through our first child). You can also find a first time mommy board to help you through rough times also. I highly recommend What to Expect when you are expecting (for basic baby needs) and The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding--La Leche League International. These two books helped me through everything from latching on to diaper rash.
Good luck! I would really look into the Medela brand of pumps though. They are great!! (There are many different kinds and many different prices).
Take care!
My daughter breast fed her son for five months--the best. I wish it had been emphasized more when I had her 25 years ago!
Wendy, go to Woodsprings Pharmacy and look over their selection of breast pumps. I believe they have a rental program, too in case you don't want to buy one. They are extremely helpful.
Hi Wendy! I'm a first-time reader finding you from Ryan's blog. I'm expecting my 5th child and breastfed each one of my first 4 for varying lengths of time (4 months, 7 months, 2 years, 2.5 years) It is soooooooo worth it.
Main things you need:
Supportive Dad/Husband
Supportive Female Friend (preferrably with bf experience)
PATIENCE
Knowledge (Dr. Jack Newman on internet & "Ultimate Book Of Breastfeeding Answers")
Perserverance
Confidence
A sturdy (and kinda noisy) double-pump. Medela is a great brand.
La Leche League leader's phone number (search internet)
Please remember this advice about pumping: A pump is a TERRIBLE indicator of how much milk you supply. A baby is WAY more efficient at getting milk out of the breast than a pump is. Therefore, do not be surprised or worried if you only get a few drops of milk for a while. First, feed your baby and then pump when you're done. Baby will get the bulk and the pump will get little bit of the leftover (because it just doesn't work like a baby's jaws!). The body will then think it needs to produce more milk so the next time you nurse, there will be more milk.
For Moms who do NOT pump, they still have enough milk. You do NOT HAVE to pump to get enough milk. Also, just because a baby wants to nurse "all the time" doesn't mean that you're not producing enough milk. Some of my babies wanted to nurse ALL THE TIME (for short intervals) and the others wanted to nurse at "normal" amounts of time but nursed "forever" (long intervals). The key is to make sure baby is satisfied and growing.
If you fear low milk supply, there is an AWESOME sports drink called "Empact" made by Mannatech that does wonders for increasing milk supply and tastes MUCHO BETTER than some of the cheap herbal teas you can get at drug and health food stores.
Also, true "problems" can be addressed by a qualified Lactation Consultant or often by searching reputable breastfeeding sites online (Newman & LLL again are good examples)
I hope this helps! I will be back to your blog again soon!
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