Breastfeeding is natural...and unnatural at the same time. Here are a few essential things you need for a successful breastfeeding journey.
Do you have a baby registry? Do you have a ton of items that you aren't even sure are necessary? Items you want but probably don't need? Did you happen to include things for breastfeeding or maybe those are personal purchases that you prefer to keep private? Regardless, every mother that plans to breastfeed wants a successful experience (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong here). This list is not extensive, but there are some things that are often overlooked when it comes to preparing to breastfeed.
Breastfeeding is 10% milk production and 90% determination.
4 Essentials
Education You'd be surprised how many women do not take a breastfeeding class. It's just as important as a childbirth class! It's more important than a baby shower if you ask me. Skipping a breastfeeding class is like going straight into the 5th grade when you're supposed to be in Kindergarten...you miss the entire foundation and struggle to understand the work being presented to you. Breastfeeding takes a bit of work and a class can help you learn what to expect, as well as the ins and outs of how breastfeeding works. This also means it can help your partner and baby's caregivers as well, so encourage them to take the class with you! Your cheerleaders need to know how to cheer you on.
Determination There's a saying in the lactation world that breastfeeding is 10% milk supply and 90% determination. It is generally unlikely you will have a supply issue. I'm not saying it's impossible but most women that think they have a supply issue really just lack breastfeeding education (take. a. class. sis). Your success (by your own definition) comes from your determination. I've seen and heard of women pushing past cracked nipples, flat/inverted nipples, engorgement, pain, premature baby issues, lack of support, working full-time, etc. Moms that decide to exclusively pump and even moms that stop breastfeeding all together still feel their journeys were successful because they were determined to try every avenue they could. They didn't give up at the first sign of trouble...they just kept going.
Patience Breastfeeding is natural and unnatural at the same time. Those first babies can really bamboozle mothers sometime. But even if you've breastfed before, you haven't breastfed this baby. There's an entire learning curve that comes with each baby. The first might be easy going; the second might have a tongue or lip tie and issues with milk transfer; the third might be premature and in the NICU for two weeks. Every situation will require patience...and consistency. Patience is defined as "the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset." (Oxford Languages). A synonym is endurance. It will all eventually make sense and fall into place...be patient and endure.
Help There are many resources to assist along your breastfeeding journey: virtual support groups, Facebook support groups, Google (tread lightly). The keyword here, though, will be professional. A lactation professional has studied and trained to assist breastfeeding moms. They take into account many factors that could be related to your specific issue. It's not enough to ask a friend or make a social media post asking for help. One person's recommendation could be detrimental to your journey because they aren't trained to look at all factors of the situation. The most common one I've seen is recommending Mother's Milk Tea to increase supply but using these types of supplements often has the exact opposite effect and decreases supply over time with continued use. So have a lactational professional lined up that you can reach out to if needed. Your pediatrician is also not enough, as many are not trained lactation professionals and not versed in breastfeeding matters.
To schedule your virtual consultation or quick q&a session, click here and choose Melanin Milk Lactation Support. To register for the Melanin Milk Breastfeeding Prep Class, visit melaninmilk.teachable.com for more info.
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