Planning While Pregnant
If you are pregnant with your first baby, you might be wondering what to expect from the breastfeeding experience. In this section we will cover how to maximize your chances of successful breastfeeding before your child even arrives.
First of all, get a good book on breastfeeding early in your pregnancy. Just sit and read through as much as you can and think about holding your baby for the first time. Don’t put high expectations on yourself. Breastfeeding is a learning experience. Some babies are good nursers the moment they are born, and others can take weeks to get it right. The important thing is that you don’t give up, and that you are prepared for whatever difficulties may come your way.
Second, get a good breast pump as early as you can. If you can’t afford it, then you can skip it, but I strongly recommend that you get one, in case your baby comes early. Should your baby be sick (and one in 10 babies are premature) you will need to pump to keep up your milk supply and feed your baby in the nursery. Preemies don’t have to live on formula while they are in the hospital. In fact, they usually do better with mommy’s milk. We’ll cover how to select the breastpump that’s right for you in another section.
Third, join a breastfeeding support group. At the very least, you can talk to women in online breastfeeding forums, or better yet, find an experienced, friendly midwife who is willing to help you establish a good breastfeeding relationship with your baby.
Finally, stay healthy during your pregnancy. By gaining the proper amount of weight and getting plenty of high quality nutrients, your body will be ready to feed your baby when he or she is born.
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Great points. We ended up in the NICU for the first week (due to overreactive doctors) and I had to fight to keep the nurses from supplementing with formula. It was like they had never had a mom in the NICU who demanded her child was only breastfed.
I would say the one thing I wish I had done more before my baby was born would be going to more La Leche League meetings. It would have been nice to have a little more real world experience with breastfeeding. Although the leaders were great when I called bawling from the hospital. :) They walked me through some things and helped me feel much better.
Jackie