Tips and tricks for breastfeeding

In total, I have breastfed for over a year and will continue for a few more months. I have had good days and bad. I have had every issue under the sun, so I want to share my tips and tricks to make it a little easier on you! All links to amazon are affiliate links in which I earn commission.

1. The lactation consultant in the hospital truly wants to help
   • I did not want anyone telling me what to do when it came to breastfeeding MY baby – I thought it would come easy. The lactation consultants have so much knowledge that is free for you. Let them help! They do this all day every day. Most of them also have Facebook groups to connect you to other breastfeeding moms and answer your questions.
2. Your nipples will dry out. It is painful. It is temporary.
   • The hospital should have nipple cream – I put it on right before I pushed so that I would be ready to latch as soon as possible. With my first, I didn’t use the cream at all and my nipples were cracked so badly I cried while I breastfed. I almost gave up, but I’m glad I didn’t. If your nipples crack, as long as they aren’t bleeding too bad, it is still safe to breastfeed. They will heal, your nipples should adjust within a week or two and the pain will go away!
3. Your milk will not come in for a few days.
   • I had no idea the milk didn’t come in immediately. I was a little concerned. When the milk comes in, you will know. I like to pump IMMEDIATELY if I can, it will help get the flow going. It is really hard to pump and breastfeed those first few weeks, but it is so crucial to your supply. I got a haaka to put on one side and fed on the other every feed, and did a manual pump right after to make sure I was empty.
   • Fully emptying after every feed stimulates your supply!
4. Mastitis HURTS and can get bad quickly.
   • Mastitis is an infection that is caused by a clog in your duct. I got mastitis four times with my first. With my second, I have not missed a single pumping session and I have not gotten it (yet). You can also take sunflower lecithin, but consult your doctor or lactation consultant first. If you feel a pain in your breast and start running a high fever, call your doctor immediately. This type of infection can easily become septic.
   • If you get mastitis, take hot baths and use epsom salt in your haaka with warm water to try and get that clog out. This is probably the most painful thing with breastfeeding so take some tylenol. If you have someone who can help with the baby, this is the time to call them. Typically, it clears up pretty quickly after you start the antibiotic, but it can feel like forever.
5. If you start to feel that burning dry feeling you felt at the very beginning, its probably thrush.
   • If your child is in daycare, it is very likely they will get thrush at some point. The most obvious sign is white dots on the child’s tongue, but you will also start to get dry nipples if they pass it over to you. Your baby will need to go to the pediatrician to get it cleared up, but you will also need to start a cream. When I got this, I called my OBGYN and they got me a prescription same day.
6. Your supply will dip when your period comes back.
   • Your supply will have its highs and lows. When you hit a dip like this, try to really focus on your diet. There are lots of suppliments and snacks marketed towards improving supply – I never tried anything that worked too great. My mother in law made lactation cookies from scratch and used brewers yeast (here is a good recipe I found) and that worked wonders. It is also so much cheaper to make them yourself.
   • I also used quinoa – not sure why this worked but it WORKED. I actually got mastitis after using this because I missed a pump and didn’t realize how much milk I was producing. My record pump was 19 ounces in one session. My average was 6 ounces. Woah.

I have so much more where this came from – if you are struggling please reach out! If I don’t have advice, I can help you find a good resource to get you on the right track.