[Kiwi]

Is there anything I can do to prepare my boobs for breastfeeding?

I'm totally happy with the idea of a home birth, but am really worried about not having the support to learn how to breastfeed easily. We had a women bring her new baby into our antenatal class last night, and although she had a great birth, she really struggled with breastfeeding and was saying she wishes she'd stayed in hospital longer. Now I'm starting to freak out

[Frozendesire]

I was the opposite. I had so many tips and tricks thrown at me it was horrible. We never got it "right" until it was just me and Curtis alone in my own bed cuddling and snuggling... things just clicked.

I'm sure you'll do fine. Do you have a health unit you can call upon?

As far as preparing your breasts, there isn't much you can do. My mom did suggest rubbing them after showers/baths a bit rougher then usual with a towel. I don't know if it helped much lol.

[**jessie**]

The help is handy. Are you having a midwife attend your home birth? I delivered at the hospital, but I had a midwife that would come to my house (she came twice the first week home, then once per week for the next few weeks) to try to help with bf'ing, questions, weigh the baby, pretty much everything.

[Resi]

There is really no way to prep your nipples for BF. It will all come together when you and baby are figuring it out. If you have a hard time with it maybe you can have a lactation nurse come help you out at home?

[~*sierra*~]

ok i know i dont have any btdt advice, but maybe apply the same hypnobirthing stuff to BF? like BF is as natural as giving birth itself, so maybe just relax as much as you can, breathe etc? i find myself often thinking of my MIL's dog who somehow knew how to nurse her puppy and that gives me hope (i'm so wierd!).
also a good book to read before bubs arrives is Dr. Jack Newman's Guide to Breastfeeding, but its a big book so don't leave it till you are trying to get him on the boob, look at it before hes born if u can. it has pictures and all kinds of great info.

also are there any post partum doulas in your area? they can help with BF

[Mars]

I don't think there's any real way to prepare them for breastfeeding but some persons suggest rubbing them with the nipple cream before the baby comes.

I think honestly that it's about the latch, the shape of the person's breast and how the milk comes in.

[**Jenn**]

Originally Posted by Mars

I don't think there's any real way to prepare them for breastfeeding but some persons suggest rubbing them with the nipple cream before the baby comes.

I think honestly that it's about the latch, the shape of the person's breast and how the milk comes in.

I agree with this!

There isn't anything you can do to prepare your nipples for breastfeeding. There is nothing like a newborn suck, they just have to toughen up when the time comes. It might be good for you to go on youtube and watch latching so you have a good idea of what to do/expect when your little guy gets here. I was so so so lucky in that all three of my kids latched perfectly from the very first time. Now I was always led to believe that if the latch was correct it shouldn't hurt, well that's really not true. My nipples cracked and bled the first 2 weeks with both boys (didn't have any pain with Lila--I think because Lochy had only weaned a few months before she was born) and it was just my nipples toughening up. Had to be done and we got through it fine. Try not to stress out over it, chances are everything will go smoothly. Just stay relaxed, that will be huge when you're actually breastfeeding--if you're tense and frustrated then your baby will be less likely to take to it. You're going to do great!

One thing no one told me about breastfeeding is that every time you breastfeed for the day or two after you give birth you get contractions (your uterus going back down) and they can get pretty intense (like labor). Now it wasn't so bad after I had Liam, only had them the day after I had him and never needed any motrin or anything. But after Lochy they lasted a whole week and were awful! I think though that's because I hemorrhaged and my uterus was "lazy" and really had to do some work. I had them pretty bad the 12 hours after I had Lila but once I started taking my encapsulated placenta it completely went away! I will definitely do that again with our next even if just for that reason!

[ShannonMVT]

Do you have LLL over there? Along with the other's suggestions, they can also help you out with BFing.

[*krista*]

I didn't get to read all the responses, so I might just be repeating info here... but I don't think there is any way to prepare your nipples for BF. However, you can learn BFing techniques to make things easier on yourself. I wished I had done that. There really is a technique to it that will make things easier. It is all in the way you latch. Also, I never thought I would need a BFing pillow. I thought, why can't I use a regular pillow? But when I had so many problems I ended up getting one and it helped a lot.

[JediRach]

I had the worst advice at the hospital. I don't think we really got it right until I just let Harper do her thing and figure it out.

[Oriyan]

I think the one thing i didn't prepare myself for was well what if my child just outright refuses the breast?

Cause that is what J.J did. After multiple LC's and people helping he just did NOT want my boob.

I was not prepared for pumping. I felt like a cow always a slave to the pump.

After 5 weeks of that, J.J could not have my milk, anyway.

[Kiwi]

Thanks ladies. I am having a midwife attend our homebirth, but the last few meetings I've had with her, I haven't been very happy with the way she has treated me.

Yesterday when I saw her, I asked her how often she'll be coming out to see me after the birth and what sort of support I'll be getting with breastfeeding... and her answer... "Because you live so far out of town, you can't expect us to drop everything and come out there whenever you are having trouble with something".

That comment has me so upset - I thought that was her job to help me get the hang of things, especially in those first few days. We only live 15 minutes out of town!

I don't know... I'm just having an emotional, preggo day

[soImarriedAnerd]

the LLL over here has a 24 hr phone! Get skype or google voice and you can call for free. Nothing you can do but stay hydrated. The rubbing things to toughen them up...nothing proven there just what our moms told us to do. I don't think it would really work because I have tough nips when it comes to tugging and sexy roughness on them but the on/off/bad latch pain toughness is WAY different.
And you can always pm me day or night

[Bre*n*Will=Reid]

Don't freak out

Just to give you encouragement, breastfeeding was extremely easy for me. I had two visits with a lactation consultant while I was still in the hospital and then I had another one for after I was discharged. I really didn't NEED any of them - they were just good for teaching me new positions to nurse in and how to unlatch him when he fell asleep on the boob. lol. I loved breastfeeding, it was honestly my favorite part of Reid being a newborn. We never had any problems and I learned to do what was natural for us (nursing on one side at a time). I know some women have problems with it, but not everyone! My first two friends that had kids had a wonderfully easy time with BFing too.

[~*sierra*~]

omg tash i cant believe your midwife said that to you! *hugs* that IS her job, imo.
Does your midwife have a backup or someone you could talk to?

also, maybe i somehow totally missed this but i thought you guys had originally arranged a birth centre birth? when did it switch to home?

[Kiwi]

Sarah - We looked at a hospital birth (10 minutes down the road), a birth centre birth (1.5 hours away from us) or a home birth, and the home birth option was the best for us. The hospital here isn't very nice, and the birthing centre is to far away (DF is convinced I'm going to give birth in the car and he HATES the hospital so wants me at home). I'm so happy with the decision to have a home birth, but am just concerned I'm going to make things hard on myself by staying at home afterwards. The birth centre said I could transfer there after the birth but I'm not so sure about getting in a car after going through labour and driving that far.

I've looked up the LLL number in the city I live in and there is a couple of contacts there, so I might contact them next week and find out what sort of support they offer.

Thanks for the words of encouragement ladies

[JediRach]

Also, I can't believe that your midwife said that!

[alicenwonderland]

maybe read some breastfeeding books. We just learned by ourselves. Teddy was an awesome nurser from the beginning.

[ShannonMVT]

Wanted to add, def. read some books, watch some videos online. If your LLL has meetings, you can go while pregnant (wish I had) the leaders here are super nice and if you ask they will even come to your house if you are having trouble BFing your newborn, it doesn't hurt to ask. Sounds like your midwife is being not so great but if she won't come to you, can you go to her? Or a lactation consultant? That way you have an option if you are having trouble.