From Barb, Choice Mom to a 3-month-old

Hey all, just thought I'd share a few tips for anyone who plans to
breastfeed. I really had no idea what I was getting into when I
decided to nurse, and I really had no idea how hard it would be, so I
thought I'd pass on a few things that I've learned that I wish I'd
have known ahead of time.

1. Get a good pump. I have the Medela In-Style Advanced Professional and it's wonderful. Chances are very good that you'll need a pump sooner than you think. My sister strongly encouraged me to buy mine before my son was born, and she was right. When my milk supply wasn't coming in and when I needed to encourage my milk supply to increase, pumping was the key. There were days in the early weeks when I was pumping 8-10 times a day to try to increase my milk supply. And if you have a lazy nurser who falls asleep before completely emptying the breast, a pump is necessary to express the hind-milk so the highest fat food isn't being wasted.

2. Don't expect to sleep. A newborn's stomach is the size of a marble and can only take in a little milk at a time... which means that in order to grow your baby needs to eat frequently. I was nursing every two hours for several weeks. And if the little peanut is slow to gain weight, you'll be on this feeding schedule for longer. Everyone thinks those first few weeks at home are the hardest, but honestly, the 3rd, 4th, and 5th week are harder because of the cumulative effects of sleep deprivation plus everyone who came to help has gone home. Make sure you line up some help during those weeks too... just a day or two for someone to come in and hold the baby so you can take a nap. Weeks 3, 4 and 5 are grueling.

3. Eat oatmeal every day. I have always been a big oatmeal eater, and I
have noticed the difference in my milk supply between days when I eat
oatmeal and days when I don't.

4. Take fenugreek capsules or drink Mother's Milk fennel and fenugreek tea. These are other things that can help with milk supply.

5. Pumping will not always express as much milk as your baby would
express at the breast, so stock up on frozen supply before going back
to work. One of the biggest stresses for me this week has been trying
to stockpile breastmilk when I go back to work. Though I'll be
feeding my son on my lunch hour, he'll likely need to eat two other times during the day. Sometimes when I pump I easily get 4 ounces in the bottle, but other times I may get as little as 1/2 ounce. From what I've read on the internet, 1/2 oz to 2 ounces is pretty common.

6. Get support. These online groups are great places to ask questions and have people say "You can do this" and "It will get easier." But finding a local nurse or support person is important. It took me several attempts with several "lactation consultants" that made me feel worse rather than better, but I finally found a pediatrics nurse who was helpful and supportive and recognized how hard I was trying despite the toll nursing was taking on my body (I never slept).

7. A GREAT website for all your questions is http://kellymom.com.
Another Choice Mom sent me here, and it's amazing. Every question that ever comes up for me is answered on this site, and it makes me feel better and less stressed every time I go there.

Nursing (or having a newborn) is one of the toughest things in the
whole world, but it's so worth it when you get over the hump. Good
luck to all.