5 Tips to Successful Breastfeeding
As a parent and IBCLC I have noticed an increase in the number of products that are marketed to parents as necessities for successful breastfeeding from herbs to pillows to devices to make breastfeeding “easier”. Yes, there are absolutely times when many of these things work and make breastfeeding easier but for most parents there are a few simple things that can help you be successful, and they won’t cost you a dime.
Education
Breastfeeding knowledge is invaluable and can help you gain confidence in your abilities. For parents and babies, breastfeeding is a skill that needs to be learned! Just like any new job breastfeeding will require education, skills-based training, and an orientation period. Orientation with babies is much shorter, just 1-3 days in the hospital before you go home with a newborn by yourself, but there are absolutely things you can learn ahead of time to make that transition easier. I find that often when parents take breastfeeding classes; they are more patient, more confident and know when to reach out for help. Prenatal consults are a great way to individualize your education.
Realistic Expectations
Breastfeeding education helps you form realistic expectations related to infant feeding. Throughout my years specifically helping parents with breastfeeding, I find that so many parents struggle because breastfeeding was not what they expected it to be. Sometimes labor complications can contribute to breastfeeding being a struggle, but it does not mean you cannot be successful. Your definition of success may need to change though. For their safety and nutritional needs, babies need to wake at night to feed. To build a full milk supply you need to remove milk frequently around the clock. Yes, even at night and especially at night! Night-time milk removal increases milk production and lack of night-time milk removal decreases milk production. Babies have very tiny bellies, so they need to feed frequently especially in the early weeks. Building a Nighttime Parenting Plan with your IBCLC can reduce stress and increase you confidence and rest.
Skills
Breastfeeding involves new skills for you and your baby. You may need to learn how to position and latch your baby. There are various ways to do this that may be largely dependent on your anatomy and your baby. Not every situation is the same. Your baby uses over 60 different muscles to help them suck at the breast, they need to learn how to coordinate multiple movements with their tongue, latch properly and suck all within minutes of being born. The 1st hour of life babies may feed exceptionally and then it is almost as if they forget how to feed and may struggle. This is normal, have you ever perfected a skill after only doing it once? Knowing these skills before your bay arrives can help you get through these early weeks.
Practice and Patience
All things take time and breastfeeding is no different. It will take practicing these new skills repeatedly until you feel comfortable with them. Most parents say they really start to feel comfortable with breastfeeding by 4-6 weeks post-partum. The good thing is you will have ample opportunity to practice as your baby will need to feed 8 or more times in 24 hours! Having patience is important when learning these new skills. You may have to unlatch and relatch multiple times until the latch feels good. You may have to try different positions until you find one that works for you and baby. It may take baby more than a few minutes until they are ready to latch at many feeds, some feeds may be great, and others may feel like a lot of work until you and your baby start to get more comfortable. Having patience and utilizing skin to skin, possibly reaching out for lactation support can decrease stress when struggles come up.
Support
The type of support you may need can vary. The good things is that there are lots of different types of support depending on which level of care you need.
Lactation Counselors (CLC) – these breastfeeding supporters took a 45-hour course and need to do continuing education hours to recertify every 2 years. Some may have work-related “hands-on” experience. They can help with normal course of breastfeeding issues either through counseling or sometimes hands on help.
La Leche League leaders/WIC peer supporters/other peer to peer supporters – these lactation helpers can counsel you through your experiences and offer evidenced based information for common breastfeeding issues. They may connect you with higher level care provider sin your area if they feel your situation needs more in-depth assessment and assistance.
Partner support – research shows partner support is crucial to reaching breastfeeding goals, involve them in the prenatal education and formulate a plan of what you will need from them throughout this experience.
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) – this is the top tier, gold standard of lactation support. They have a science related degree, 90 hours of lactation specific education and hundreds or thousands of hours of clinical experience prior to sitting for the international board exam. This pathway often takes a few years to become certified and they need to do continuing education and recertify every 5 years. They can help with any issues from first latch to weaning. Know who is in your area and having their information before you deliver can reduce stress later. Make an appointment with an IBCLC within 1-4 days of discharge and again at 2-3 weeks. IBCLC credentials are verifiable online at www.iblce.org. You can look here to find someone in your area or reach out to your local breastfeeding coalition.
Research shows that when parents deliver at a hospital with IBCLC’s on staff that they are more likely to breastfeed exclusively, latch their babies in the first hour, breastfeed for a longer duration and are better prepared for breastfeeding. Touring your hospital and interviewing the staff and providers can help you make the right choice on which birthing option may work for you.
