How to Survive the First Week of Breastfeeding

The first week of breastfeeding can feel too overwhelming to continue. I remember feeling unprepared despite taking a class on breastfeeding. Don't let that discourage you. Many times women face challenges with breastfeeding that we can overcome with the right support.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• books
• big comfortable pillows, many of them!
• Lansinoh
• healthy pre-prepared food
• juice boxes or water bottle
• baskets
• a glider or comfy couch
• nursing stool
• straws
• a support system on speed dial

1. Before your baby comes, make time to watch a mother nurse in person. Sure, you can watch tons of instructional videos, but there's nothing like watching a mother feed her baby for real. Try and do this before baby is born because that first week you will want to rest and stay in bed. La Leche League meetings is a great place to go if you do not personally know any mother's who nurse.

2. Be prepared for the pain. At times it will be sharp and toe curling. It is a common misconception that since breastfeeding is natural, it will come easily. It won't. The first week that you and your little one try to get accustomed to this, there will be times when baby is not latched on correctly and it will feel like your nipple is being ripped from your body. Breathing exercises help. Also, learn to unlatch your baby by inserting your little finger next to your nipple and breaking the suction so you can try the latch again.

3. Expect severe sleep deprivation. Your baby is going to want to eat every other hour. Even though I was told repeatedly that I would not get any sleep, I had no other life experience that I could compare that to. The actual experience of sleep deprivation is grueling and a true test of your sanity. Learning to breastfeed while lying down helps. Consider safely sleeping in the same room or bed as your baby. To avoid having to get up or walk too far.

4. Do your research. Just hearing about and reading about all the benefits of breastfeeding in comparison to formula will reinforce your decision. Tackle books, websites, pamphlets, mothers who had experience nursing -- be frank, ask every question you need to. Refer back to this valuable information when you feel you cannot continue.

5. Find a support system. Let the people closest to you know about your decision to breastfeed, educate them on the benefits of breastfeeding, and ask them to encourage you. Know there are doulas and lactation consultants who can talk you through rough times if you feel you are not getting the right support from loved ones. I do not encourage finding a breastfeeding support group the first week because I believe women should rest and recover from childbirth, but finding one later on would be a helpful thing.

6. Create nursing stations. Beside your bed, by your glider, near a couch, keep little baskets with things that you would like to have while nursing so you do not have to get up. Good things to put in there are healthy foods like fruit, juice boxes or water bottle, books to read, an MP3 player, though you may be quite content watching your newborn's face.

7. Find relief for swollen breasts. Somewhere between the second and third day after your baby is born, your breasts will swell like balloons. They will feel significantly heavier and will be uncomfortable. If you are still having trouble after your baby nurses, try taking a warm shower or putting warm washcloths on your breasts to reduce the swelling. Also, you can hand express your milk or use a breast pump to empty them a little more.

Tips & Warnings

• When you first breastfeed, you will only produce a small amount of colostrum, which is more than enough to keep your baby happy and healthy.
• Try to feed your baby soon after the little one is born, skin to skin time with mommy is important.
• Be prepared for severe sleep deprivation, which will severely alter your mood. Make sure your support system is there to back you up.
• Your nipples may bleed and crack. This is normal. Carry a tube of Lansinoh with you or try herbal baths with calendula!
• Avoid taking antibiotics. It can lead to thrush, which is a very painful condition that passes from mother to baby and I've heard it feels like glass cutting the inside of your breasts. If antibiotics are necessary, supplement with pro-biotics to keep good bacteria in your system.

Resources

• La Leche League International

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on 9/1/2009 Breast Feed Your Babies at Evade and Survive: Information for the modern day worrier. Everyday is a survival situation for most, yet most don't find
Inorder to Evade digestive issues and promote Survival, Breastfeed. Your Breastmilk contains all the nutrients required by your newborn baby. It also contains non-nutritional components that may promote infant health, growth, and development, such as antimicrobial factors, digestive enzymes, hormones, trophic factors, and growth modulators.

http://www.evadeandsurvive.com/breastmilk

http://www.EvadeAndSurvive.com researched breastfeeding and learned breastmilk may also contain harmful components, such as pollutants, drugs, allergens, and viruses. Human milk has a unique composition, which differs from that of other mammals in its ingredients and their concentrations. Breastmilk composition is not constant and varies with stage of lacta...