Breastfeeding Survival!

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a certified lactation consultant, and the extent of my “education” hasn’t left the walls of my own home! Please do not take anything I say as medical advice. I urge you to find an IBCLC in your area to have the most personalized attention in addressing any breastfeeding issues you may have!

Here you are, brand new babe in tow, and just breezing right through this new world called breastfeeding......right? I'm guessing you rolled your eyes, just like I would have if I read that on day 4-10 with my first baby.

I became a mom in October of 2014 to the sweetest little baby boy. Charlie was born with a severe tongue tie that I knew nothing about. All babies have some degree of a tongue tie, the question is whether it will cause any problems in breastfeeding, or speech much longer down the road. When you have a baby who suffers the results of a tongue tie when it comes to breastfeeding, it is both extremely painful for mom, and frustrating for baby. Charlie's pediatrician luckily was very well versed in tongue ties and how to revise them. The problem was, I had no idea what that meant when she suggested it at his first appointment, on day 4. On day 11, when we returned to the doctor's office for circumcision, I asked to instead have a tongue clipped. In the time between the two appointments, I had lost almost all of my milk supply, baby was nowhere near where he should have been in weight, and I was so cracked and bleeding on my right side that I was exclusively pumping because I couldn't bear the pain of trying to get him latched to nurse. I had also gotten in touch with an IBCLC that morning and relayed the things that were happening over the phone, and from that evaluation alone, she advised me to get the tongue tie revised. Let me be very clear about something.....due to shows/movies and the way our world has operated in recent years, new moms are under the impression that this is normal, happens to everyone, and that you should just work through this kind of pain. THIS IS NOT NORMAL. You should not be having problems and/or pain like this, and with proper support and recourses, you won't! If you would like to read more about my breastfeeding journey from day one, find it here! But I'm ready to share some of the tried and true tips that I have learned, that I think can help any new momma in her breastfeeding journey! These are all lessons I learned through trail and error, during the most challenging time in my life! I decided then, I would share these things as often and with as many people as I can, to spare someone, anyone, from going through the same trauma I did with Charlie! So here they are.....my tried and true tips and tricks to get on the right path to succesfully breastfeed!

Prenatal:
The best advice I can give you for before you even have a baby is to EDUCATE yourself. One of the best ways to do that is to have a prenatal appointment with an IBCLC in your area or take a breastfeeding course at the hospital you plan to deliver. I recommend seeing an IBCLC, and I'll tell you lots of reasons why! An IBCLC has the most amount of education on how to help you personally and specifically, become successful at breastfeeding. Also, when you've already met with an IBCLC before hitting the most vulnerable phase of life (new mom), you don't feel uncomfortable asking for help when you hit a problem! Usually, when you meet with them prenatally, it is an easier task for them (also cheaper) because instead of you coming to them with a problem you are already having, they will meet you within a few hours of baby being born and be on top of any issues before they arise or start to affect anything with breastfeeding! Becoming as educated as you possibly can before the baby is born is the most positive thing you can do to increase your chances of being a successful breastfeeding momma! Since I didn't understand the importance of this step before having Charlie, I learned all the lessons, tips and tricks I am about to share, while in one of the most difficult times of my life! A brand new starving baby, solely dependent on me. I gained many new skills, gained tons of new knowledge, and most imporantly aquired plenty of new resources during this time. They were on board with my intense desire to succesfully breastfeed, and ready helped me on the path that lead me to just that. The one thing I regret, was not learning more about it sooner.

Establishing a GOOD Foundation!
I have learned that the first 24 hours are the most crutial to establishing a good foundation for your milk supply, proper latch, and getting comfortable. This followed closely by the first few weeks or so! I would say the NUMBER ONE piece of advice I can give when it comes to these first few days and weeks that prove to be very fragile in your journey, is to feed on demand ALWAYS, but especially in those first few days and weeks! The best stimulation your breasts can receiev in order to get your milk supply to come in and then increase, is for them to be emptied. Yes, I know the first 24 hours to about 3 days it feels like you have nothing. But I promise, as you feed on demand, that baby is getting just what they need. They are born with stomachs the size of a cherry and by one month it only increases to the size of an egg. So that colostrum you are producing in the first couple days is absolutely enough! Don't let anyone convince you otherwise! And as long as you are emptying on demand (or every 2-3 hours) your milk WILL come in! The key is, emptying the breast. {Supply and Demand}

Second piece of advice, is having baby assessed for any issues that may negatively affect breastfeeding, understanding what those affects may be and how bad they can get, and then discussing what action to take or not, to resolve them. Lip and tongue ties are the number one reason in causing pain while latched. {Remember I mentioned above, any kind of pain is NOT normal, despite popular belief} If you are having any kind of pain, consult an IBCLC right away! They will hopefully have the right recourses in order for you to fix any of those issues! I was extrememly blessed to have a pediatrician who was well versed in and not afraid of tongue ties and how to revise them. Not all pediatricians are that open, or at all open, to the revision of tongue ties which leads them to often times miss diagnose them, becaues they don't want to be asked to fix it! Getting yourself in touch with just one person in the medical industry (IBCLC, doc etc.) who is pro-brestfeeding, opens an entire new world of pro-breastfeeding medical professionals for you to be reffered to and who will keep you on the path toward your goal! Don't be afraid to mention those things and ask for those recomendations. I came upon some of my tribe by chance, and others by refferal, and again my only regret I've ever come upon has been, not visiting them sooner. I am extremely grateful for the tribe I have who has helped me not only successfully breastfeed Charlie, but also Isaiah and Kalia.

Last but certainly not least, is have a village beside you, every step of the way, who supports your decision to breastfeed. Someone, or people, will do whatever necessary to help you along the way! Whether that support comes from your spouse or significant other, a parent, a friend, or a medical proffesional, keep those people close and always confide in them when you're feeling defeated. This journey is not easy, but it SHOULD be pleasant. Do not be afaid to seek out that support in those around you or those you will meet. If you take courses, make sure your spouse or significant other is with you. When you visit with an IBCLC or your peditrcian, make sure your spouse of significant other is with you. When you talk with members of your family or circle of friends, surround yourself with people who support your journey and only talk positively about it. If there are people who disagree with your decision, simply ask them to refrain from speaking about it aorund you, as it is ultimately up to you and your spouse or significant other, what is best for your family. With the help of those around you and medical professionals, you should absolutely enjoy every piece of breastfeeding. For me it took two trial rounds to get to a place of really loving every bit of it, as you've read in my story! But remember, it is LEARNING process for you and baby, and it takes some trial and error to learn those lessons and get the hang of it. Give yourself the space to go through that and travel over those bumps. I promise, you will not regret breastfeeding your babe for as long as you and your family see fit, and/or are able to accomplish.

Happy Breastfeeding, Tribe!
xoxo, McCall 💋

RECAP: Quick Tips!
»Get as educated as possible before baby comes!
»Feed on demand, ALWAYS! {Feeds should be about 10-15 minutes on each side, 30 minutes total}
»Always feed on both sides!
»Burp between sides!
»Always start on the opposite breast than you did the feed before. {Baby will always nurse strongest on the first side, so you want to switch which side is first each feed to keep your supply even}
»Empty the breast every 2-3 hours
»If you're experiencing pain, SEEK HELP!
»Find a position that is comfortable for both you and baby.
»Know who supports you, and surround yourself in those people!
»If baby is peeing, pooping, and gaining weight, you're doing it right!
»Hiccups mean baby is full! {Victory dance!}