So I did a thing… I started coursework towards becoming an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)! I think it’s just a small step toward broadening my career toward women’s health, and I am learning through courses and personal experience on what works for myself and mommas. You would think that breastfeeding comes easy because so many healthcare providers will say things like, “it’s natural” or “it’s our innate ability” or even “you’re born to do this!”
But the truth is, breastfeeding is a working relationship between a mother and her baby.
I know one thing, most of the time the issue with breastfeeding is due to a lack of knowledge about how to start or how to keep going. So I’m going to just go over how I started breastfeeding and what I did to make sure that when my supply regulated, it would be enough to feed Mav every day + more for a freezer stash.
But first, disclaimer: The content on my website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Related Readings: A Mom’s Review of the Spectra S1 | Make pumping more comfortable | My breastfeeding journey at 3 weeks
The Q&A
How did you even start breastfeeding? Is there a right way or any recommendations for the first latch?
Get that baby skin-to-skin as soon as they’re delivered! Your hospital team will most likely do this anyways because it helps calm baby and regulate the temperature as soon as baby hits that cold, out-of-the-womb fresh air. This will start the sensitive period with the baby, which is also sometimes known as the Golden Hour. (I personally don’t like calling it that because the Golden Hour has a different meaning in the military when it comes to medical attention). The sensitive period includes a few steps to include the birth cry, a quiet alert state, body stability, and the initiation of the first feeding. You’ll want to be patient with baby during this first hour. Give baby all the “welcome to the world” cuddles. Holding baby and allowing baby to wake up and take in all of the senses of your body will help prepare baby for the first latch. Once baby starts showing the cues such as stepping or crawling toward your breast, rooting or suckling on their hands, then they’re ready to try and feed. Making sure you’re in a good position to support baby’s head correctly, and the body so you don’t get tired is important.
What are some of the benefits of breastfeeding right away after delivery?
There are many benefits that come along with breastfeeding right after delivery to include: oxytocin release, stable blood sugars for baby, colonization of good bacteria between mom and baby, and limiting cold stress. Oxytocin is good for momma because that’s what helps the uterine contract in order to deliver the placenta and to contract the uterus after delivery. This is important because having a boggy (soft) uterus can lead to bleeding, which can be life threatening. Most hospitals have a standard protocol for running Pitocin after delivery to help with this process, but it’s always better to get it naturally by cuddling baby! Colostrum is great for helping with baby’s blood sugar because it’s so packed with all the nutrients baby needs. Babies tend to be pretty sleepy and calm after delivery, as you are going to be after laboring all day! Remember that baby worked hard too, so the colostrum is perfect for filling their little tummies so they can continue to sleep.
Skin-to-skin promotes good bacteria growth between the momma and baby which helps with keeping baby safe and helping fight infection. It also gets baby to be familiar with who momma is by the smell of your skin. This also helps regulate their temperature more effectively than the warmers. Babies still have trouble regulating their temperature even months after birth, so it’s important that they have you help them maintain it.
When did you start pumping or expressing milk for baby?
I started right away. I asked to be with baby for at least an hour, and they let me stay with him until he was done feeding. This is because my baby had to go to the NICU to be monitored for his respiration. Once I was transferred to the postpartum unit, I was given a hand pump to help express colostrum to give Maverick through the night. Colostrum is like a shot of nutrients for baby. It may not be a lot, but know that it is enough for baby!
I started pumping as soon as my milk came in a few days later. In the first few weeks, your supply hasn’t regulated yet. Your body works off of supply & demand, so if you’re not removing that milk enough either by pumping or by nursing baby, then you will likely notice a decrease in your supply. The problem that some women can run into if they’re choosing to breastfeed and pump is an over supply of milk. I’ll admit that I was very paranoid about having a low supply and then returning to work struggling to keep Maverick fed, which is why I started pumping 1-2 times a day in the beginning.
Mav wanted to eat at White Sands and I mean… I couldn’t say no
Do you feed on demand or on a set schedule?
I feed on demand when I am with Maverick. Every day I’m with him, I really try to hone in on his hunger, elimination, and sleepy cues. It may seem like I feed on a set schedule because Mav is like clockwork and feeds every 1.5-2 hours. Now at night, he’ll have a 5-6 hour stretch of sleep, but by then my boobs are so full I wake him up and make him feed. Feeding on demand is the best way to regulate your milk supply. If I miss a feeding with him because he’s napping, I will pump with my Spectra S1, which I’ve reviewed in a blog. But remember, your baby is your best pump. So if you can manage to wake baby up enough to feed, try that (unless you need sleeps too, then pump and sleep girl.)
Do you recommend sleeping or waking up to pump at night?
You’ll read a lot about “MOTN pump sessions”. MOTN stands for Middle Of The Night. In the first 2 months before Maverick slept longer stretches, I would be up every 2 hours to feed him anyway. Now that he sleeps longer stretches, I try to feed him right before I go to sleep and then he wakes up around 2-3 to have a sleepy feed session. If he doesn’t wake up, my boobs will be aching enough to wake me up to pump, so I’ll pump. If your milk hasn’t regulated yet, I would recommend doing a MOTN pump to keep your supply up. The longest most IBCLCs recommend for not pumping or nursing is no longer than 5 hours. With that being said, the best time to pump is in the early, early morning. After a few weeks of pumping, you may notice that your breast feel fuller in the morning, and this is due to a higher prolactin level at that time. So if you’re trying to build a stash, it’s best if you do force yourself awake to get that milk, girl!
What would you recommend if I don’t want to start pumping that early, but still want to make bottles just in case?
Bottles are great for those times where you’re on the go and you really can’t feed baby, or if your partner wants a turn to bond with baby through a feeding. If you aren’t wanting to start pumping early on, you can always catch your letdown from the other breast while baby feeds. This can be done using breast cups or the infamous Haakaa. The Haakaa is a non-electric, hands-free way to catch your letdown. It’s a silicone breast pump that uses suction as it’s method to draw out milk as baby is feeding. I’ve been able to catch up to 4 oz in a Haakaa in the early morning.
When would you seek help from a lactation consultant or certified lactation educator?
BEFORE YOU DISCHARGE THE HOSPITAL. It’s so important that you go home feeling confident in starting your breastfeeding journey, even if this is going to be your fourth kid. You want to make sure your baby is latching correctly so both of you are comfortable and you save your nipples from a whole lot of pain. You want to know the different positions. You want to know the importance of skin to skin. All of these questions can be answered by your healthcare providers, to include your OBGYN/midwife, RN, and lactation specialists. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER in breastfeeding, and you can never have enough.
That’s all folks ~
… for now! Like I said, there’s so much to breastfeeding that you’ll always have something new to learn. I’m working on making a printable for pumping sessions and tracking baby’s daily stats of diapers and feedings. I’m also making a few graphics for how to store your pumped breast milk.