5 Tips For a Successful Breastfeeding Journey
So, you want to breastfeed? Congratulations! Maybe this is your first baby and you have no idea where to start or perhaps your second, third, fourth! Maybe the first time didn’t go how you expected and you want to make some changes. I’m so glad you’re here.
I’m Sasha Jarman, a nurse, family nurse practitioner, and mom of 3. I just finished my Certified Lactation Counselor course at University of California San Diego and I’m about to take my certification exam. I have over 10 years of nursing experience with babies ranging from fragile, premature infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to minutes old term infants in Labor and Delivery. And I LOVE caring for new families and their babies. I also have a passion for science. Science is cool because a lot of times we learn things that go against what we would think is common sense, but it can be replicated over and over again. Knowing that, for me, is very reassuring when I make decisions about my children’s care or when I’m helping other families make their choices. Alright, here are the 5 things I think will set you up for a successful breastfeeding journey:
1. prenatal breastfeeding class
Any breastfeeding education prenatally will help tremendously with goal setting, expectations, and preparation. Not only does the research support prenatal education in improving breastfeeding success, establishing a community of people prenatally is also very beneficial. The best time to learn about breastfeeding is during pregnancy, before you’re running on a few hours of sleep or hypnotized by your tiny new friend. Hormone changes, stress, pain, and lack of sleep all affect your ability to process new information. Having this knowledge ahead of time, improves your confidence and will increase your success.
2. create some goals
You finished a breastfeeding class and now it’s time to decide what your breastfeeding journey will look like, for YOU. Maybe you’re going back to work and have to plan for pumping. Maybe you want to breastfeed for 1 day, 2 months, 2 years. Take a look at the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations if you need a place to start. Maybe you pumped with your last baby and don’t want to this time around. Manifest your ideal breastfeeding scenario, speak it into existence (tell someone), and be prepared for it to change. Having goals AND being flexible is essential to a successful breastfeeding experience. While you are diligently preparing for the arrival of your bundle, they have read no manuals and will come as nature intended them. With an innate ability to locate your breast and suckle. Think about your ‘hard stops”, will you pump, length of time you want to breastfeed for, will you offer formula if needed, etc. I’ve had friends who chose to breastfeed exclusively for their maternity leave and then stopped when they returned to work. Or planned to breastfeed for 6 weeks and continued on for 2 years. So set some goals, what works for you and your family.
3. designate your support person
This may be your partner, parent, or a friend. Someone who supports your goals and bring them along to your breastfeeding class, share with them your plans, and ask them to remind you of your wishes when you may be having a moment of doubt. Most importantly, pick someone who will celebrate your little successes, first latch, milk volume increases, yellow seedy poop, first breastfeeding milestone, and more. The research shows (link) that when you have a support person, breastfeeding rates improve, and parents report a better breastfeeding experience.
4. know your resources
There are SO many resources now for breastfeeding support. Sometimes it is hard to know where to get the most reputable information, so I have compiled a comprehensive list here (although not exhaustive). When searching for your breastfeeding support, know where you can go in the middle of the night (kellymom) instead of an social media rabbit hole or google spiral, who you can go to for an issue that may arise, and perhaps who can come and see you and baby in your home in the early days. It is also important to evaluate peoples credentials, who is giving you this information and is it trusted, backed by the literature. There are Certified Lactation Counselors (CLC), like me and there are International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC), I discuss the differences here (link). There are also peer counselors with Women, Infant, and Children (WIC), who receive lactation education to help support other breastfeeding families. Then of course there are nurses, nurse practitioners, midwives, physician’s associates, and doctors who receive varying levels of breastfeeding education that can provide support or direct you to the appropriate level of support depending on your situation.
5. talk to your birth provider
Who will be attending your delivery? Make sure to discuss with them what your plans are, ask all the questions, and bring up any possible barriers. Some barriers might include medical conditions, plans for a c-section or cesarean birth, multiple babies, trauma, etc may affect your plans and preparing for that in advance will set you up for success.
