Preparing your breasts for breastfeeding!!

Hi Carmen and Lucy!!! My former TTC friends! Thanks so much for your advice!

Thanks to all you ladies!

I think the way I feel now, my dog is more clever than me! Sometimes it feels like just as I have made one decision or figured out what to do on one subject, a whole new topic with it's own questions pops up!

I use Justine's Tissue oil at night on my breasts and bump. I will definitely look into the different kinds of creams you all mentioned.

Also, I found out that when we go for our bed booking on 29 Aug, we get antenatal classes at the hospital. I will also be sure to ask the nurse (or whoever gives them) to give her opinion.

Carmen - I sure hope that I will not be forced into something like giving the baby formula! I really want to try BF'ing until at least 8 months. I someone spoils it for me, I would be a bit irritated!

Tanz

Lots of good advice given by fellow moomies above.

There's no need to prep you nipples. Have confidence in your body and relax.

I also have flat nipples, went to see a lactation specialist at the Breastfeding Clinic about 2 weeks before my due date with a few questions, this helped but after alot of reading I actually already knew the answers.

As Lucy said your baby is clever and its instinct will guide you.

The paed who was on duty the weekend after I gave birth insisted I use nipple shileds, it helped M latch, but wasn't necessary. She won't feed without it now.

Get a copy of Your Pregnancy - it has a wonderful supplement on BFing - covers everything very well.

The best cream I found to be was Bepanthen - I bought it for nappy rash - but is worked well for nipple repair.

There is no dought that you nipples will become sore, should rather use the word tender, but this won't be for long. If it becomes unbearable use the nipple shields for a while. But with sunbathing your nipples and applying bepanthen, they will quickly heal and adjust to the feeding.

Also be careful nipple stimultion before you due date could sometimes cause premature birth.

Baby feeds very little the first few days, it will feed on the rich colostrum and needs very little, you milk will come in any time from day 3 to 5.
And if they want to feed formula - some sisters will put alot of pressure on you, refuse to do so and request a glucose test to see whether baby has taken in any nutrients. Also you can ask to express and feed using a syringe (that's what I did)

As I'm typing this - my (.)(.) are aching and heavy- started working again and my body has to adjsut to feed only morning and evening.

LUCY W wrote: I hope things go well for you and trust your instincts. I found in the beginning my baba was cleverer than me!!
Good luck
Lucy xx

Love this!

Hi Tanz
Long time no chat!! Looks like you are swell (hee hee!!)

As I was preparing for my LO's arrival I went through the exact same thoughts you are going through.
There are a lot of different opinions etc here so I'll just share my experience and what I did. Good luck with deciding what to do !!

I am not the most maternal type of person and was very hesitant to to leave it to nature and for me I am glad I didn't as what I did helped me. From 35 weeks (due to caeser but 36 weeks if natural) I started hand expressing in the shower every night. By this I mean I used my thumb and forefinger to squeeze the outer areola together in short sharp movements. Then I would move around the areola a bit and repeat , until I had gone all the way around. I found with each day that passed I could go a bit longer. It started with just a few seconds until I could manage about 5-6 minutes before the birth. After the shower I would apply nipple cream. I swear by the lansinoh (worth every expensive penny!!) I found doing this did toughen up my nipples a bit but it also got me ued to having my boobs fiddled with. This can be a bit of a shock for some people and not totally natural.

I also sat in the sun for a few minutes each weekend and then every day the last week. Do not burn your nipples!! Work up the time.

I also found out how to latch and hold etc correctly before the birth.

Even though I was doing it correctly once she arrived I did have a bit of pain on latch for the first few days. But it was bearable for me. Things then went really well until the first growth spurt and my nipples did eventually start cracking. I went for laser immediately and used nipple shields for a week (i like the pigeon ones best) and then I was cruising again. Everytime she hit a growth spurt I would just do every second feed with the shields.

I needed to use the lansinoh after every feed and really felt it rejuvenated my nipples.

My baba will be 5 months next week and I am still managing to breast feed.

I hope things go well for you and trust your instincts. I found in the beginning my baba was cleverer than me!!
Good luck
Lucy xx

I found the Lansinoh very sticky though. I didn't use anything, but I didn't need to thankfully.

All this talk of creams has me just wanting to say this: Did you guys know that Bennets nipple cream, that also says you dont have to wash it off before your baby latches on, contains parabens?
It seems all baby product esp do? I'm not a super naturalst but I think it's odd. I would recommend lansinoh. `just incase

mmm Tanz I also heard these stories. Like you I am also adamant about breastfeeding.

I agree with Julz, try see a consultant before giving birth. This really does help alot.

While I was in hospital with my complications, I saw the Breastfeeding sister/consultant. We don't have lactation experts etc. Only this lady. She checked my breasts and nipples. And advised to let hubby suck on them and to also pull at them gently in the shower so that my nipples can get used to being erect. Now every woman is different. Some don't need preparing and some do. If your nipples are always naturally erect then you will be fine if you get the latching right. But if you are like me whose nipples aren't always erect then you need some preparing. But NOTHING extreme like scrubbing them etc lol

At the same time, I do believe you must try breastfeeding on your own before getting anyone to assist. BUT do this while in hospital. The lady next to me was breastfeeding so well, no pain and baby burped etc... Then this breastfeeding lady did her rounds and started saying what she is doing wrong etc and eventually she just gave up. This lady also went on to say that some babies need dummies which I didn't find very true.

I think something I realized, your hormones are on a rush after giving birth and having someone telling you how you are doing it wrong etc won't help either. If you struggle then yes ask for help.

Applying cream before giving birth does help. Again it depends from person to person.

Hope this helped a little