Hi mommas! Needing tips on breastfeeding and pumping! Thank you
4 Likes
Ariel Nicole Stevens
Breast feeding requires less effort. Clean your nipple and go. But both mom and baby have to get it and if it doesn’t “work” there’s no blame to be had. Stay hydrated. Get comfy. Enjoy the time. Pumping every 3 hours while awake for 15 minutes or until you run dry keeps supply flowing.
Going on 13m on breastfeeding and all I can say is stay hydrated!! Anything with coconut milk helps too! If you’re just starting out, try making lactation smoothies in the morning, drink lactation teas at night!! Eat healthy snacks like oats!! Fed on demand as much as a possible!
Always have drinks and snacks my biggest issue was stress it caused some havok for us the other suggestion for pumping is to cover the bottles up so you can’t see how much is going in and be proud of however much your able to collect 
1 Like
Starbucks pink drink— super hydrating!
Drink tons of water, cluster feed, feed on demand, eat allllllll the food, drink dark beer if your supply tanks.
Stay hydrated. Mother’s Milk tea is a good one. Feed on demand. If you drink alcohol you’ll need to pump and dump.
I second Mother’s milk tea. My best advice is to see a lactation consultant. Most insurance cover this 100%. Breastfeeding is not the same for everyone and they will tailor their tips/tricks to you and your baby.
Mariah Montana Rose Thompson
Hard to give tips without knowing exactly if there are challenges etc.
Most babies seem to do fine nursing with little guidance. Some babies need a little extra help because their latch isn’t great for whatever reason. If you are struggling make sure your baby is checked for tongue/lip ties. Both of my children had tongue ties and we had the tie corrected for our second child and it made such a difference. My first child did well enough without correction but nursing was always extremely painful for me with her. I would recommend having a tie corrected if you run into that.
Best thing for supply is to be well hydrated, I like to drink Body Armor for that. Also I know the myth is that you will lose weight nursing but some women (like me) gain weight because it makes me so hungry. Just something to consider.
Pumping is much harder than nursing and I never get as much as I need from pumping where my baby can nurse and get happy just from that. It’s hard to find the exact right pump, they can be extremely uncomfortable, and you may still end up supplementing with formula. So I recommend nursing as much as possible but don’t be discouraged if you struggle with pumping, it may just take some extra effort or supplementing to get what you need. Some milk is better than no milk imho. I’ve had to start supplementing for both of my babies once they started daycare.
Stay hydrated!!! Don’t expect to get tons right at first. I solely pumped and personally it was easier for me and helped me increase production because I pumped until I was empty so my body kept making more (I donated 700 ounces!!) it will get hard and you will be frustrated but it will get better!!! I don’t want to say not to give up because honestly some people cannot produce so I don’t want to give a false sense of hope. But if you start pumping and are getting some then that is generally a good sign and your production will increase as baby grows. Hang in there and good luck!!!
We had specialists at the hospital that would help. Believe they automatically stopped in after delivery to check and see if you needed help. No matter how difficult at first dont give up! The colostrum that is what the beginning milk is that the baby eats is the most important.
1 Like
It is difficult at first, so try not to give up! (Though don’t beat yourself up if you must) Feeding on demand will help your supply a lot…every baby is different, so try not to worry about the timing as much. Get as much of the areola in there as you can. Don’t start pumping immediately, and don’t introduce a pacifier immediately. Drink lots of water! 
1 Like
Fed is best. Mental and emotional health are just as important as physical health. Don’t beat yourself up about it if you’re not able to pump or breast feed. I gave up after 2 weeks. Pumping was causing so much stress, and was very time consuming. My baby wouldn’t latch either. Super frustrating. I gave up and decided that I’d rather have him fed than me crying all the time.
4 Likes
Get sized for your flanges!!!
2 Likes
Breast to baby is best pumping to often can lead to decrease in milk supply skin to skin is always best for a great bond with baby and for milk supply in all honesty do what your comfortable with both breast and formula fed babies are happy babies
1 Like
It’s really rough at first even for veteran breastfeeding mamas. I just had another baby, it’s been over 10 years since I’ve breastfeed. Cracked really sore nipples for the first week or so. But it gets better. But a lactation specialist for a first time mom would be great and can help identify is baby has latch issues that might be causing additional issues. Lanolin cream helps a lot too. Just nurse on demand, don’t let Drs stress you out about timing and everything. Drink lots of water. Oatmeal is your friend and will help with supply.
Try wic. Google. My tip is to freeze them in ice cube trays then put them in gallon ziplocs so u can warm up 1, 2 or more as needes. Oh and it hurts no matter what. Power through the first 6 weeks and youll be golden.
2 Likes
If you’re having difficulty you should consult a lactation specialist
1 Like
Limit feed to ten minutes per breast if using both. Have a picture of them nearby and make sure you drink lots! Avoid garlic and alcohol for a couple of hours before feeding. Pumping does not produce as much milk as feeding and you don’t need as much as you do formula so don’t worry about supply. Make sure your baby’s nose isn’t pressed into your breast by moving them back slightly to tilt their chin into your boob (this helps them get the hind milk and ensures a good latch). Don’t trust people who say you’re perfect at it from Day 1 - it took five weeks and a visit to a Breastfeeding Clinic for me to find this out! But decent nursing bras and tops so you can feed without having to flop your boob out. Mine had a faux vest part so you could just shift part of your top and barely have anything showing (requirement to avoid Bottle is Best crew). A baby doesn’t need formula or bottles (use a little cup for pumped feeds) to survive, they won’t get sick or starve. Don’t give them water as they don’t need it. Have confidence you are amazing and know what you want for your baby (19 mths of bf, a poor start and a wonderful finish). You’re baby weight will also disappear and bf also releases hormones to help get your uterus and tummy back in shape.
I had a hard time keeping up with pumping unless I was at work and engorged. Stay hydrated. I drank body armor and ate MilkyMama treats to help my production. Self expressing while pumping or feeding also helps your let down. Teeth hurt sometimes but really it isn’t that bad especially if your baby doesnt bite you all the time. We went up to a year then I stopped producing. Making sure you get a good latch helps as well. So many mamas aren’t able to breast feed because their baby is unable to get a proper latch. Good luck. 
Lanolin will be your best friend for cracked nipples
Pumping works better if you have a chair you can relax into
Mother’s Milk tea will increase your supply, but it gave mine a bit of a yellow tint.
If you or baby are not happy, definitely talk to a lactation consultant or your doctor.
It took me trying over a month to get my baby to latch good! I had to supplement and pump my butt off. Don’t give up! I bought a hakka nipple and that helped
Don’t over stress and don’t be afraid to switch specialists! I had a nurse who spent 45 minutes critiquing EVERYTHING we did during feeding time. It was stressful enough to spend even 4 days in the NICU, let alone not feeling like you’re doing a good job at one of the 1st things a mother takes on. I wanted to switch after she made an appointment for us with her for “extra help” but I wasn’t sure how to say it. Thankfully the doctor who released our daughter saw a look on my face, did some gentle prying, and switched me to an appointment time/ other nurse that was “more convenient for my schedule.” My supply never came in fully, but I will never forget that pediatrician and how she stood up for us as a family without being unprofessional.
If it is not a happy and successful experience for you and your child, there’s no shame in formula. An older nurse told me this after several nurses shamed me on my last of many trips to the BF clinic over the first 3 weeks. We came home, my husband ran me a bath, poured me a glass of wine and stuck a bottle in my hungry baby. We then all slept 6 hours. It’s been 23 years, and I still remember the nurse like she was my guardian angel.
I’ve heard aloe vera it will massively help but speak with docs make sure it’s ok for your bubba but correct me if I’m wrong I’ve known mums use it and also we did on our dog when she had puppys