How to Prepare for Breastfeeding

So if you aren't aware, I have a youtube channel where I do daily vlogs, beauty and mommy-related stuff. I have a segment called Mommy Mondays where I tackle about mommy issues (what else?! duh! hehe)

I thought of writing a blog post as well for one of the topics I discussed a couple of weeks back. If you don't want to watch me rambling for 25 minutes then here's a quick summary for you.

With my first born Zeb, I was able to exclusively breastfeed him for exactly 13 months. My first goal was to breastfeed him for AT LEAST 1 whole year but then with my pregnancy, it was getting tough to be honest. I was 11 weeks pregnant at that time.

Anyway, let share with you what I learned about breastfeeding and how you can prepare for it especially if you're a first-time mom.

KNOWLEDGE IS KEY!

- READ! READ! READ! Make yourself informed on proper latching because the success of your breastfeeding journey heavily relies on it. If the baby is not properly latched, it will be difficult for both you and the baby which may end up making you decide to stop nursing. There are a lot of videos on the web on how to properly latch the baby. Here are a couple of links that might help:

http://www.breastfeedingmadesimple.com/animatedlatch.html
http://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=videos

- Learn about the different breastfeeding positions that you can do as well especially if you will be undergoing CS. There are certain positions you can do so as to not put pressure on your belly. Luckily for me, with the help of a good quality binder, I didn't experience any pain even when I do the traditional cradle position. I also loved the side-lying position because not only baby got to sleep, mommy too! :)

- Join a breastfeeding support group such as Breastfeeding Pinays on Facebook. Not only will you learn a lot from other mom's experience, you can also post your own questions and concerns and mommies will gladly give you their two cents.

- Breastfeed immediately after birth! Our Department of Health has this Unang Yakap campaign which I'm sure your OB is well aware of but still, mention it to him/her that you want to do it when you deliver. If you cannot breastfeed immediately after birth, at least try to have it done it in the first two hours.

GET YOU PARAPHERNALIA READY!

- Nipple Cream or Extra Virgin Coconut Oil - you can start applying them on your 36th week to prep them. I experienced having cracked nipples because I think Zeb was not properly latched on the first few days and let me tell you - IT WAS PAINFUL!!! I almost dread every single time that I had to go to the nursery and nurse him. I had to close my eyes and bite my lips when I latch him on. Do not underestimate a baby's sucking power!

-Nursing Pillow - this will be your best friend! It definitely makes a lot of difference when you breastfeed with a nursing pillow. Babies tend to feed around 30-45 minutes each time so you can just imagine how sore your arms will be right after. This also gives support and protection and your belly especially if you undergo CS. 

-Nursing Bras/Nursing-friendly Clothes - invest at least in a couple of nursing bras for when you go out. You can forget about it when you're at home hehe :P There aren't a lot of good selections out there so sometimes if both of my bras are in the laundry, I just use a bandeau type of bra. It's as convenient as a nursing bra for me.

-Nursing pads - be prepared for leaks! Haha! At first I thought this was unnecessary but when I experienced it myself, I had to go and get one! I only use it when I go out and when I'm at home I just use the handy dandy lampin. Saved me some moolah!

-Breastpump and breast milk storage bags - It is advisable though not to pump until baby is 6 weeks old because this is the time that you are establishing your milk supply. Pumping might cause an oversupply which in turn may cause breast engorgement which is painful! Try to feed on demand on the first 6 weeks and let your body take its natural course and after that you can start building your stash.

SET YOUR EXPECTATION!

-BREASTFEEDING WILL BE CHALLENGING. It's not gonna be a piece of cake. Keeping that in mind will at least somehow lessen the disappointment if you fail on your first few tries. Do not lose hope and fall into the trap of the common mistake that moms make - "I don't have milk!". This is what happened to both my mom and my sister who never got to experience breastfeeding. I thought I will have the same fate as them but I refused to believe that I won't produce milk so I just kept on nursing Zeb. When I finally pumped and saw the liquid gold, it was as if the heavens opened up and the angels were sang "Hallelujah!" It was really a life-changing moment for me. So never ever doubt your milk supply! 

BONUS TIP:

Try to avoid introducing pacifiers and bottles at least for the first 4 weeks as it may cause nipple confusion. Zeb actually never used a pacifier although I bought one for him when he was 4 months old. My cousin discouraged me to introduce it because she had a hard time weaning his 3-yr old son off of it so I decided not to give him at all and save me the trouble :P

So I hope you enjoy reading through this lengthy blog. Breastfeeding is such a broad topic but I hope I was able to somehow help you prepare for it. If you do have any questions, don't hesitate to leave 'em down below and I will try my best to get back to you ASAP.

Ciao and happy breastfeeding!