Beginners Guide to Motherhood: Planning to Breastfeed

Deciding to breastfeed your child is a wonderful step in the right direction when it comes to the health of you and your baby. Before you go into labor, you will need to find out what kind of help is available to you in the hospital and in the community after you have left the hospital. Make sure you learn about breastfeeding before you give birth since you will be tired and frustrated at first. Some hospitals offer breastfeeding courses that you and your spouse can attend together before or even during your inpatient stay. Ask your doctor about any medications you take and call them before you take anything new since it could cut down your milk supply or make it into your milk. Discuss with your doctor any concerns you have about breastfeeding and ask them if they know of any local groups that provide support for mothers. At your six-week check up after labor, make sure you talk to them about starting on a birth control method that will not dry up your milk. Most doctors will suggest the POP, a progesterone only pill.

You may need to invest in a breast pump if you plan on going back to work or having some time away from the baby. Hospital grade pumps are the best, can be rented out, and are a good idea if you are worried about establishing your milk supply. Have the lactation consultant write an Rx for it so that you can submit it to your insurance company as a claim. Many mothers become engorged (your breasts swell up with to much milk) with in the first few weeks of starting to produce milk. You can freeze the milk for about four months and thaw it out when you are not around to feed the baby. There are many companies that make electric pumps and I do suggest you get one. The hospital that I went to suggested I get a Medela pump in style. You should always research which one you want to buy before you get it since they are non-refundable and only meant to be used for one person.

You will want to ask for as much help as you can get during your stay at the hospital so your insurance will pick up the bill for any lactation consults you need. If you start getting to frustrated you can ask your nurse for a breast pump. They will show you how to use it. Many states including Ohio offer a visit from a public health nurse a few weeks after you come back home. They can help you by providing you with a phone number you can call with any questions you might have.

Finding support during the first six to ten weeks is extremely important. It is exhausting and hard to get the proper latch every time so you get blisters. During the first few minutes of a feeding you will feel like you are going to fall asleep, this is from the hormones that your body is releasing to open up your milk ducts. You may also start to feel hungry or thirsty do not be alarmed since it is normal to feel this way. Before you start a feeding you should make sure that you have a glass of water near you and something that you can snack on. Of course since you will be holding and supporting your baby it is always a good idea to have someone near by so that they can lift the cup up where you can sip from it.