I am really excited to learn as much as possible about being a mother BEFORE little Pooh Bear actually arrives. I know most of the lessons will be in vain, since the baby will decide for himself how he wants to behave, as well as it will take him being here to know how I will want to react…but it’s still good to be as prepared as you can be. Therefore, I was super excited when I won a FREE breastfeeding class through my favorite pregnancy board on Long Island Families. The class was held at the The New Baby Belly facility, and although I still have a ways to go, I figured why not take the class! It can’t hurt right?
I gotta say I found the class to be extremely inspiring. I have always known that I want to breast feed my child, and this class sealed the deal. We met with a lactation consultant who was great. I have heard that many consultants push and push their own ideals. That wasn’t the case with this woman. The first thing she said is that everyone is going to have their own ideas about breastfeeding, and that we should go into it as educated as possible and do what works for us, because a happy mom leads to a happy baby. I thought that was really great. Why? Well because I have heard stories from all sides…from women to take to breastfeeding extremely easily, to those that wanted it so bad but their bodies didn’t cooperate. So it was good to know that she realized how everyone is different.
Lesson one was about the importance of skin to skin contact right when the baby was born. I found this amazing, and beautiful. She spoke of how a woman’s body is designed to be the perfect temperature to keep a baby warm when skin to skin contact is initiated. How beautiful is that? Listening to it made this pregnant woman almost cry!
Next she taught us that our babies tummies are about the size of a marble when they are born, and that my colostrum will be enough to feed the baby till my milk comes in. She also reminded us to be our babies advocate, and to speak up with what we want. The biggest lesson that was taught about feeding was that my body will make all the milk and nourishment my baby needs. Again I found this to be amazing and beautiful. How natural it all can be? I say CAN be, because I am well aware that it doesn’t always go as planned.
A big question I had was if it all was supposed to be as natural as she makes it sound…why do women have so much trouble? I mean she even showed a video about how a baby will naturally try to find the breast and latch on. So what’s all this about women having trouble with their baby latching? What about women who’s milk doesn’t come in? She said it’s hard because it’s inconvenient. It’s not easy, but if you ask for help, give it time, and persevere that you will eventually have an amazing experience. She said give it 3 weeks….I can do anything for 3 weeks right?
Ok…right about now I am sure those of you who tried to breast feed and couldn’t, or found that it wasn’t for you, or are laughing at how naive I sound are ready to chime in…well to be honest I welcome it! I plan to go into it knowing how hard it can be, but I also know that I will do everything in my power to make it work. I have a great support system, and plan to make them all remind me of how much I want to breastfeed after the baby is here.
I will be taking another breastfeeding class in October. I hope I find that one just as inspiring! Let’s hope little Pooh Bear is like most of the men I know and likes the boob! If he could make the process easier on me that would be just great…I’ll start having talks with him now to get him prepared!
It is nerve wrecking and as beautiful & as natural as it is…the only way to find out how it is going to be is to give it a go. Sounds like you have the perfect foundation being built for a good breastfeeding relationship with your baby.
My only piece of advice and the only unsolicited breastfeeding advice you will receive from me is this:
Trust yourself and your body. It will do what it needs to do. Give yourself the time and space to figure it out.
It is actually a very small percentage of women who cannot produce milk effectively and an even smaller number of babies who will be unable to nurse successfully. There are many booby traps out there and as long as you remember to trust yourself, trust your body you can get past most of them.
In the end what matters is that the choice you make is what you feel is best for yourself and your baby.
You should know-full disclosure- that I am a huge lactavist (kind of comes with being an IBLCE) and have been accused of being a boob nazi (which is funny to me considering I support formula feeding to a certain extent). You already know this from my updates on FB and Twitter and well from knowing me in real life. If you ever feel like I am overstepping boundaries due to my over passionate ways when it comes to breastfeeding please do not hesitate to let me know ?
I am sure you will help me should I need it! I count you in my support group! lol
I definitely approached breastfeeding with an open mind, well aware that it might be difficult. And it was. Sometimes it really sucked. It hurt at first and I wasn’t sure that we were doing it right and I had mastitis three times! But we figured it out, Molly grew and continued to nurse, and I got the hang of it. And it stopped hurting. ? We made it one year and I must say, although I was ready in a lot of ways to be finished, I was sad, too.
Good luck!
3 times!! Yikes! I can imagine how frustrating that would be! I’m glad you gave it time..that’s what I heard I need to do.
I have nothing to add as you know I’m a few weeks behind you. ? But I have a breastfeeding class next month and I’m definitely looking forward to it as well. Although it’s only one class. Hmm. Let us know what you learn at your next class! ?
Let me know how you like your class! I really found it great!
The best thing you can do (Imo) is to have all the information you can going into it, and to know that it can be rough. I was ready to quit soo many times, but I had sworn I would do the first 3 weeks. There really is something to that! Once I got to 6 weeks, it really was smooth sailing. I was lucky and able to pump, so there were times I could catch a break, but I ended up nursing my daughter until nearly 15 months. I didn’t know I could do it for one! LOL!
Good luck I’m sure it will be great!
I think it’s about pushing through…I’m glad you stuck it out. I really want to do the same no matter what!
You know my story, but just let me say that is good you have such an open mind.
I thought that it would be easier, and honestly i thought i would love feeding, but with all the pain i endured, i just couldnt stick it out for three weeks – i was too scared that i would end up hating my child due to frustration, and that i would look back and regret wasting / hating these precious first few weeks of my miracles life…
So i have resorted to pumping and feeding… Works for me…
So i guess my advise is, try not to be sucked in by the pressures of society, do what makes you and baby most happy, and most importantly: remember that it is about a happy healthy baby – i know MANY women who have bottle feed due to circumstances beyond their control, and they have very strong bonds with their babies, and as i said, most importantly – they are happy.
Also… My baby NEVER found the boob like in those movies – maybe she is geographically challenged!
wouldn’t it be great if all babies found the boob like in the movies?? lol
I REALLY want to do this…so I am hoping it all works out. I am determined…so I am hoping that I can look back and remind myself of that if it gets hard lol
It sounds like it was a great class. I am glad they offer more than one. I left the class I took with lots of questions.
Ya it will be good to go to a 2nd one. I guess it all doesn’t matter till baby comes. I hope to meet with a lactation consultant when the baby arrives. That will be VERY helpful.
I’m pregnant with my 3rd baby right now. First baby I never attempted to breastfeed, 2nd baby I decided to breastfeed after 3 days of her being on this earth and then she ended up being mediflighted w/heart problems and breastfeeding ended up not working out for us.
This baby I am having the attitude of I’m breastfeeding and that’s my only option at this point. I really want to try this and I hope that I have a successful 12 months of breastfeeding… crossing my fingers!
Good luck!!
My fingers crossed for you too! For now I am going in that breastfeeding is the only option also..lol I figure if I have that go get em attitude it will help…i hope …
Great post and information. I’ve had four babes and breastfed them all. It is just such a personal choice, and so many of my friends had problems and could not breast feed… all you can do is do your best and go with what makes you most comfortable. We’re all just mom’s trying to do what we can and trying to make the best choices for a families. Good luck! I’m so excited for you!
It’s true…everyone had their own experiences. I just hope and pray that mine turns out to be a good one!
It can be easy and it can be hard… each of my children nursed differently. Maybe it’s because he was my first and I was a new mom, but it took weeks before nursing Noah became comfortable. I won’t go into too much detail (if you want to know I’ll gladly tell you), but there were times where he would latch on and I would just cry in pain. I kept going though and once the first 6 weeks were over it was better… the difference was like night and day.
Abby on the other hand was a champion nurser from the moment she was born… so much so that at times I wonder if she wanted out early just so she could nurse! ha!
My advice… give yourself time… lots of time… don’t be afraid to try different positions/holds, take advantage of the lactation consultants while in the hospital and if you’re having problems don’t be afraid to talk to others and find support.
Thanks for the comment! I have heard so many different stories. I am very not afraid to ask for help..so I am hoping that will help me succeed. If I need a lactation consultant I will get one…I hope it doesn’t come to that..
Breastfeeding is an amazing process and a wonderful thing for the health of both mommy and baby, but it’s heartbreaking when women beat themselves up over it not working out. There is the pain factor, plus some babies just latch differently. Some of my friends had difficulty with their milk supply – their milk came in, it just wasn’t enough for their baby’s nutritional needs, especially after the first few weeks. Another friend never had her milk come in at all. Neither did my mother’s milk, and she persisted at the advice of her La Leche consultant, to the point where I went back an 8 pound baby to a six pound baby.
I hope it works out for you!
My question is what did people do back in the day if it “didn’t work out”? i always ask myself that. Before the days of formula and stuff….I really have no idea?
Wet nurses have been around for a long, long time. Even animal wet nurses. And frankly, sometimes babies didn’t survive. Sad, but that knowledge makes me grateful to live in an era, a place, and a socioeconomic status where we do have the option of formula. I personally would probably not be here if it were not for formula.