Preparing to Breastfeed
Brussels-based mum of teenage boys, Jane Piot is an experienced birth doula, certified breastfeeding specialist, La Leche League Leader and infant massage instructor. Here she explains the importance of preparing for your breastfeeding journey before the arrival of your baby.
Very first breastfeed, skin to skin during the golden hour after birth💗
You’re preparing for your big day. Your maternity bag is packed, your spare room is full of baby paraphernalia, changing table, car seat, stroller, nappies… the list goes on and on and you are quietly asking yourself how can a little person possibly need all of this?!! You’re doing some or all of the following; counting kicks, meditating, practicing relaxation, prenatal yoga, breathing techniques and in between all this going through your birth plan, cleaning out cupboards, writing lists of who to contact once your little one arrives and stocking up your freezer with meals. Phew!!
If you are wishing to breastfeed and haven’t prepared for this already, I’d like to add one more thing to your to-do list :) Towards the end of your third trimester is the perfect time to get ready for nursing your baby. I would suggest that you invest some time in learning what to expect with breastfeeding and how to get it off to the best start. I also recommend that you join a breastfeeding support group for nursing mums.
Why is this important?
Multiple studies show that a high percentage of women decide during pregnancy that they wish to breastfeed. By 6-8 weeks however, up to 50% of new mothers have stopped breastfeeding, the vast majority of whom say that they stopped before they wanted to. There can be multiple reasons for mothers stopping breastfeeding but very common ones include fear of not producing enough milk, pain when breastfeeding, sore or cracked nipples, mastitis or returning to work and not knowing how to manage.
It’s important to remember that although breastfeeding is often described as “natural,” it is also an art that has to be learned by both the mother and the newborn. The mother needs to learn how to hold and position her baby at the breast and how to achieve and maintain an effective latch. The baby, after 9 months receiving all of its nutrition through the umbilical cord, needs to learn how to coordinate sucking, breathing and swallowing (no mean feat!!). The incongruity between expectations about breastfeeding and the reality of the mother’s early experiences with breastfeeding her infant has been identified as a key reason that many mothers stop breastfeeding within the first two weeks postpartum.
Learning about breastfeeding during pregnancy has been shown to improve breastfeeding self-confidence and improve the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the short and long term. When I work with parents I aim to instill in them some solid knowledge around how milk is made and how to build up their supply from day one and to bust some of the myths. As a breastfeeding counsellor, one of the most common fears that I hear new mums voicing is that they don’t have enough milk and this may have been exacerbated by a well-meaning partner/mother/mother-in-law/health care provider suggesting giving formula to ‘top up’. This can actually lead to a drop in supply which is not what we want, especially in the early days. It is important to give women and their partners the confidence to believe in the magical processes going on in their body and to confidently decline any suggestion of giving formula unless medically indicated. Remember: a woman’s body knows exactly how much milk to provide for her growing baby.
Top Tips for Preparing for Your Breastfeeding Journey
Take time to learn about breastfeeding
This includes the mechanics of milk production, the importance of skin to skin, how to give breastfeeding the best chance of success, what positions to use, how to get a good latch, how to tackle breastfeeding challenges, how to avoid sore nipples, how to be reassured that you are making enough milk etc. There are plenty of online resources for this and trusted websites such as La Leche League. If you would like to attend face to face sessions then you could also join one of my breastfeeding preparation classes - see more information below.
Think about your support network.
Who will be there to help you at home after the birth? Nothing can quite prepare you for how much energy goes into having a newborn. You will probably find yourself still in your PJs at 4pm and will wonder where the day has gone. Just know that this is totally OK. Enlist help from family and friends, accept support from everyone who offers. If friends ask what they can bring, don’t feel shy to ask for a cooked meal! Accept offers of tidying the house/doing the washing/packing the dishwasher. Consider support from a postnatal doula/ lactation consultant.
Talk with your partner about your breastfeeding goals and how they can support you
During the early days, weeks and months, a lot of your time will be spent in a state of undress, nursing your baby. Whilst not able to nurse the baby themselves, partners can give so much support with changing nappies, bath time, caring for older children, bringing you healthy snacks and keeping you hydrated, cuddling and bonding with your baby.
Get your freezer stocked with lovely home-cooked meals
Believe me, you will be so glad that you did :) The last thing that you and your partner will be feeling like doing is cooking every day.
Find a support group
I cannot stress the importance of this enough. Breastfeeding can be wonderful but it can also be overwhelming, lonely, stressful and isolating. Meeting with other mums going through the same experiences as you can really help you to feel like you can cope better. You may find that you make lasting friendships with other mums and that your babies become friends too! I have run breastfeeding support groups for the past couple of years and many pregnant women participated in their third trimester. They all said how much it benefited them to see women breastfeeding with confidence and just knowing that the support would be there for them after the birth.
Learn how to hand express breastmilk before your baby arrives
Hand expression is a fantastic thing to have in your toolbox. In the early days when your milk comes in, it is a great way to relieve engorgement and is less intense than pumping. You might also want to harvest colostrum before your due date to have a little stock in your freezer that you can take with you to hospital just in case of any issues after the birth.
And finally …
Preparation really is key and it can make a HUGE difference, especially to those very critical first days postpartum of establishing breastfeeding. It can enhance your confidence to trust in the magical processes taking place in your body and in the innate instincts of your baby, allowing you both to tap into your inner wisdom. Having a support network around you will help you to nest with your baby, build your milk supply and get your breastfeeding journey off to the best start possible.
Some information about my breastfeeding preparation classes
You might be surprised to find out what those marble sizes refer to!
I hold breastfeeding preparation sessions for first time mums and breastfeeding refresher sessions for mums who have already breastfed before. My aim is to build confidence and also to bust a number of myths around breastfeeding (especially the one about not having enough milk!) My 2-3 hour sessions include:
The benefits of breastfeeding
How to get breastfeeding off to a good start
What to expect in the early days (how to know if my baby is getting enough milk, hunger cues, satiety cues, poo talk, sleep patterns, crying (what is normal), baby blues, engorgement, etc
Importance of a good latch and common positions for breastfeeding
How to prevent and treat common breastfeeding issues/problems
Pumping
and more…!
Jane Piot: Birth Doula and Breastfeeding Counsellor
If you would like to find out more my services, please get in touch! Click here: Doula Jane
