To celebrate National Breastfeeding week, I thought it would be great to share my personal story, tips, and tricks that worked for me being a mum of 2 little girls who are now 6 and 2.
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Breastfeeding isn?t something that I was widely educated on, and it wasn?t until after I had stopped breastfeeding my 1st born that I realised how much more I could have known and done to help the breastfeeding journey. I really assumed that it was something natural and easy to do but I couldn?t have been more wrong.
My 1st breastfeeding journey didn?t last more than 3 months and I wasn?t solely breastfeeding either from the beginning because my daughter was born with an 80% tongue tie which wasn?t spotted at the hospital. 10 days after being born her tongue tie was finally cut but by this point, we had been dealing with another issue too? My daughter had severe acid reflux so everything she ate came up.
We still bought an electric pump and continued trying to breastfeed and provide breast milk but at this point, I just felt like giving up because of how much she threw up. It felt so much easier to just provide formula milk instead of having the milk go to waste. I wish I knew what I know now back then but that is also the beauty of the journey.
Anyways, fast forward a few years, and my 2nd born was born and this time I felt so much more prepared. I knew what to check for before we left the hospital and had everything ready back home to help my breastfeeding journey (electric breast pump, milk storage bags, medela cream to prevent sore nipples, and nipple caps to help baby when latching on). I was so ready that I had already bought some fenu Greek tablets that would apparently help me maintain my milk supply when I got given the green light to start working out again at 6 weeks postpartum and they really did help!
WOW! This time around, everything felt so much easier, and I too felt so much happier knowing that I was able to provide my baby with the best milk that I could provide ? breastmilk. Plus, I also noticed a massive difference in the money that was spent as I didn?t have to buy any formula.
There are lots of benefits to breastfeeding including:
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- Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for most babies because as the babies grow, the mother?s breast milk will change to meet her baby?s nutritional needs.
- Breastfeeding can help protect babies against some short-term and long-term illnesses and diseases. Breastfed babies have a lower risk of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). They Are also less likely to have ear infections and stomach bugs.
- Breast milk shares antibodies from the mother with her baby and these antibodies help develop a strong immune system and protect them from illnesses.
- Mothers can breastfeed anytime and anywhere without having to mix formula or prepare bottles.
- Breastfeeding can reduce the mother?s risk of breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.
The medical recommendation is exclusive breastfeeding for about 6 months and then to continue whilst introducing complementary foods until a child is 12 months or older.
However, don?t forget that feeding is best and if your child has situations like my 1st born where their reflux or tongue tie gets in the way then it?s ok to feed your child with formula milk. Most of the time, your paediatrician will provide prescription formula milk to help with reflux if that?s the case. 
It?s not always easy so here are my tips for success:
- Stay together after birth if possible and let your baby latch on a straightaway
- Get your position and attachment right in the first few days to avoid problems down the line
- Be patient with yourself and your baby as it takes time and patience
- Feed on demand whilst you are establishing your breastfeeding as feeding frequently and effectively will help you to make enough milk for your baby.
- Keep the baby in the room with you for the first 6 months to make it easier for you to know when your baby is ready to feed.
- Breast milk only for the first 6 months if possible
- Buy a cover-up to use outdoors if it makes you more comfortable as babies can sense when their mothers are uncomfortable which will make them feel uneasy
- Express milk and have your partner or another family member provide a bottled breast milk feed once a day from a few days after birth to get the baby used to use both bottle and breast. It will be important to read about Paced Bottle-Feeding here.
The most important thing is to understand that you are not alone and there are so many women who have gone through the journey and are still going through it so when in doubt reach out to those around you and good luck on your beautiful journey ?.
We are Supporting women all the way to success.