What You NEED to know about Breastfeeding

Before I get started, I need to add a few notes. I am not a medical or lactation professional – I am simply a mom that knows how scary it is to go into your breastfeeding journey. I think this goes without saying, but I also want to mention that this is not a post that is bashing formula or exclusively pumping moms. Each method is a hardship and a blessing all on it’s own. Go with what feels right for you! This is only to inform you on what I know from my experience with pumping and breastfeeding. And remember, “Fed is Best”!

1. Join a group

The first thing I can recommend is to join a group. Even if it’s a local Facebook group or your favorite breastfeeding youtuber. They can offer support, tips, and great advice to help keep you going. And the great thing is, even if you’re not planning on exclusively breastfeeding, you can still join the group to get help with exclusive pumping and formula use!

Side note: Groups often use codes such as EBF or EP. Eventually you’ll get the hang of it but even the code words can be daunting at first. EBF = exclusively breastfeeding. EP = exclusively pumping.

2. The Golden Hour

Ah, yes, the “Golden Hour”. Have you heard of it? It’s believed that if you get skin-to-skin or latch the baby within the first hour after delivery, it helps you get your milk in faster! Talk to your doctor about your options after delivery to add in the golden hour.

3. Colostrum v. Milk

If you read # 2, then you may be confused. What do I mean by getting in the milk faster? The first few days after birth, you will have what is called colostrum. It is legitimately liquid gold because it has a gold coloring to it. It is nutrient dense and high in antibodies to help the baby adjust to their new environment.

During this time, baby will only eat about 5-7ml of milk. If they’re not eating 2oz immediately don’t freak out! It’s completely normal! Once your milk comes in, baby will slowly start to drink more.

4. Don’t panic if your milk still hasn’t come in

As mentioned in #3, it takes your milk a few days to come in and that is OKAY. Make sure your baby is latching every two hours and suckling correctly. Skin-to-skin (AKA cuddling) and smelling baby will help! Also, drink plenty of water. I cannot stress this enough.

Every time the baby latches, make sure to drink water and always have a snack on hand. You can’t produce milk if you are dehydrated and not reaching the same caloric input as you had when pregnant!

5. It may hurt

It may hurt, but only for a short span of time. Now, before other moms come after me, let me be more specific. The baby latching SHOULD NOT HURT. If it hurts when the baby latches, then they are not latching correctly.

What I mean when I say that it may hurt is this: Your nipples are not used to having that much stimulation. Because of the constant contact and moisture, they may get cracked and dry. I promise you it gets better. If you can just get through that pain for the first two weeks, you will no longer feel the pain after (at least until they get teeth!). To combat this type of pain, make sure you are using a nipple cream or butter (but make sure it is safe for baby to consume).

I recommend Earth Mama’s Organic Nipple Butter. And no, this is not a sponsored post nor am I getting any affiliate funds from this.

6. The nights are long

7. Cluster Feeding is OKAY

I’ll say it again for the moms in the back. Cluster feeding is OKAY! Don’t let it scare you. There is nothing wrong with your baby. Cluster feeding is perfectly normal. It’s when the baby feeds constantly or takes very short breaks between feedings. You may feel like the baby is never leaving your breast, but I promise it gets better and they are doing this to benefit both of you! The baby is cluster feeding to help your milk come in, increase your supply, or to gain comfort. It typically only lasts a few days to a week.

8. The first month is IMPORTANT

The first month is incredibly important for your breastfeeding journey. It may be the hardest, most exhausting, and painful time in your entire journey but if you don’t establish (or regulate) your milk supply now, it is harder to get it up in the future. It’s not impossible but it is harder.

9. It’s OKAY to not like breastfeeding

Yes, it is okay. Breastfeeding is not always easy. It’s time consuming. You can get “touched out”. And more-so, you may feel like your body is no longer yours. That is all okay. What is most important during your journey, is that you and baby’s mental and physical health comes first. There are other options to feed the baby, and if breastfeeding isn’t working for you – here is the validation that you may or may not need. It’s okay!

10. It can be hard when you can’t breastfeed

There was a few day period where my baby refused to breastfeed. She would ONLY take a bottle. And this is embarrassing to admit, but I cried. I didn’t just cry, I wailed at the thought that just after a few short months our breastfeeding journey came to an end. Sometimes baby just doesn’t want to latch. And sometimes babies get nipple preference to a bottle. It’s okay – it happens. Feed baby however they need. You can still try and practice breastfeeding. Eventually, they may take back to the breast.

Mine did, and I cried all the more! But this time in happiness.

11. Going back to work is hard on your supply

At least for me it was. I went back to work after a 3 month hiatus. My supply probably would have been fine; however, I found myself thrown into chaos upon my return and was often so busy that I would forget to pump! Please, mama, do not forget to pump. If you stop pumping, you are essentially cutting off your supply and also putting yourself at risk for mastitis.

12. What on earth is mastitis?!?

Oh, mastitis. You, bugger, you! It certainly isn’t a fun experience. Mastitis is when you get a clogged milk duct that turns into an infection. It causes swelling, hot spots on your breast, pain, fever, and chills. If you think you have mastitis, call your doctor so they can give you antibiotics to treat it!

And yes, clogged ducts are also a thing. If you think you have a clogged duct (which feels like a lump in your breast and includes painful burning) try latching the baby chin facing the clog, pumping, or even find a willing adult to suck it out! And before you say EW to the latter, just know that when you experience the pain from a clogged duct, you tend to get desperate when all other options aren’t working!

13. Boosting Your Supply

Don’t give up hope! You can absolutely boost your supply. Many mama’s try coconut milk and Oreos to boost it but, honestly, the reality is this: You need to stay hydrated and increase your caloric intake! Oreos and body armors just happen to be a way to do that!

Note: I have a severe wheat allergy, so for those of us that can’t have Oreos, I recommend you check out my Recipe Section for my no bake Milk Supply Granola Bars! They’re gluten free but so quick and easy to make… even better, I can gobble them down like they’re nothing. They are that good!

14. Follow Your Instincts

I’m a firm believer that mom instincts are real. Listen to them! If you think your baby isn’t getting enough milk, follow your gut and contact the pediatrician. If you think your baby is getting enough milk, but the doctor is saying otherwise, ask for a second opinion. It never hurts and sometimes you just have a small baby.

Disclaimer: This is not validation to NOT feed your baby. If the second or third medical opinion agree that your baby is not getting enough food, please follow medical advice.

15. Breastmilk is MAGIC

Have a burn? An earache? Fussy baby? Breastmilk. It’s magic. No – it’s a miracle. You can literally use it for SO many things. Many moms use breastmilk in the bath, for fevers, or on rashy/dry skin because it is so healing and moisturizing! Don’t knock it ’till you try it!

16. Night feeds are normal – even when they’re older

Night time. No sleep. Yuck.

But it happens. As a first time mom, I thought that once my baby was a few months old, she would start to sleep through the night. And, oh, how I was wrong!

It is completely normal for babies to wake 1-3 times a night for the first year of their life! She may randomly sleep through and it’s always a nice surprise when she does, but it’s not an expectation.

17. Comfort feeding is OKAY

Have you ever been in a weird mood and just absolutely craved a good pint of ice cream or some other yummy thing? That’s comforting to you isn’t it? It’s the same concept for babies. Sometimes babies just need comfort food and their mamas! And that is OKAY!

18. You leak milk – everywhere – all the time

It’s true. I had to wear pads in my bra at night because I would wake up soaked in milk. It doesn’t make for nice smelling sheets, believe me. Eventually, my milk flow evened out and I stopped leaking at night, but that doesn’t mean you won’t leak in public.

I was out shopping with Eleanor and she started to cry. To my horror, I immediately started lactating and had huge milk rings on my bright blue shirt. Even worse, someone came up to me and asked if I was breastfeeding – while staring my breasts down.

Can we take a second to reflect on that? Like, how RUDE?!

I left immediately and without purchasing a thing.

Just know it’s a possibility and to keep an extra pair of clothes on hand, just in case!

19. Milk Methods Matter

I had to learn this on my own and it’s a lesson I wish I figured out earlier on.

If you have an oversupply, feed the baby from one breast each feed until your supply regulates. If you are a just enough-er, feed the baby from both breasts each feed. If you have an undersupply, feed the baby from both breasts and POWER PUMP.

Power pump?! What’s that? Well, I’ll tell you!

If you need to increase your supply, latch the baby and once fed, pump using the following method: Pump 20 minutes. Rest 10 minutes. Pump 10 minutes. Rest 10 minutes. You can do this up to three or four times a day. It essentially tricks your body into thinking baby is cluster feeding and to give you another “let down”.

Disclaimer: I’m not a lactation consultant, so be sure to consult a professional before trying this!

20. Feeding Positions

I’m going to shout this out: YOUR BABY MAY NOT LIKE ALL FEEDING POSITIONS.

Some babies like the cradle hold, the football hold, side-lying, upright, laid back, dangling (oh, yes, it’s a thing – look it up!), and more. Some even have a preference for one breast or the other. If one feeding position doesn’t work, try another! Some positions cause the baby to suck in more air… meaning more gas in their upset tummies… meaning different preferred positions.

21. Expect. Milk. Everywhere. AKA “The Let Down”

This never fails. I’ll be feeding my daughter and she’ll look up at me, unlatch, and give a big milky smile… while my breast is shooting milk everywhere. It’s normal and it’s called the let down. The let down is what helps the milk flow and at first it will be very strong!

Side note: If you have a heavy letdown, it can cause the baby to choke, cough, or intake a lot of air. If this happens, try pumping or using a haaka, before latching the baby, to catch the heaviest part of your let down.

22. Breast… Holes???

If you happen to squeeze your boob and notice that there is milk coming out from several holes… know that is normal! I always thought there was one tiny microscopic hole the milk came out of but it actually comes out of several!

And just a Fun Fact: You can have milk ducts in your breast that go all the way up to your armpit!

23. Allergies

This is fairly rare, however, it does happen. There is a chance that your baby could be allergic to your milk. Well, not your milk but the proteins in your milk from the food YOU are eating.

For example, around two months old, I noticed Eleanor was extremely fussy, having a hard time sleeping, had a very upset/gassy tummy, and would have bleeding spots on her behind. After eliminating dairy and then consulting her doctor, we discovered that she has a dairy allergy.

If you notice your baby has any of the above symptoms (or you have a gut feeling) ask your doctor for an allergy test! The main allergies a baby may have are to dairy, soy, and eggs!

For all you know, your baby’s fussiness could be caused from everyday food!

24. You can mix it up!

There is no shame in exclusively breastfeeding just like there is no shame in breastfeeding, AND pumping, AND formula feeding or choosing to do one over the other. Again, as long as baby is fed, that is all that matters!

25. Your milk changes

Seriously. Every time you sniff, snuggle, or latch your baby, your milk is changing. Don’t believe me? Compare a bag of breastmilk from the morning to night or from one week to another.

Your body can adjust the milk that is being produced to the needs of the baby. Baby needs more calories? UP the hindmilk! Baby needs more hydration? Increased foremilk.

It’s seriously miraculous!

26. Foremilk v. Hindmilk

It’s easy.

Foremilk is more water based, comes first, and hydrates the baby. Hindmilk follows and is very fatty.

27. Let’s Talk FAT PLUGS

We all love a good fat plug. When you put breastmilk in the fridge or leave it on the counter, you may notice what looks like water on the bottom and a thick layer of yogurt on top. The separation is normal and that yogurt looking thing is a fat plug.

Don’t be alarmed if you have a very thick or very thin fat plug. Your body produces exactly what your baby needs!

28. Breastmilk Storage

According to CDC guidelines, freshly pumped breastmilk can be left out in room temp for up to four hours. Keep in the refrigerator for up to four days. And keep in the freezer for up to six months!

BONUS: Last minute advice – YOU CAN DO IT!

I know there are A LOT of things to know when it comes to breastfeeding, and it seems almost impossible. I promise you, it is not! You can ABSOLUTELY do it!

Just have faith! And if you ever need any support, feel free to subscribe to my blog for more advice or reach out to connect!

Did I forget something? If so, add it in the comments!

If you want to read more about motherhood, feel free to check out more of my blog!

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“If God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you.” —Matthew 6:30