My Breastfeeding Tips
This week is 2 years ‘anniversary’ of my breastfeeding journey again. Hurray!
Can’t imagine I have been a moo moo mum to my elder princess for 26 months and to my younger princess for 24 months now, yet still keep going. It’s tough but this round i decided to opt for baby-lead weaning.
Looking back, there are indeed lots of tears and hardship to be a successful breastfeed mother. Many friends keep asking how do I sustain for years. What’s my breastfeeding tips? After think long, these are the factors that i have gone through before successfully breastfed.
1. Pre delivery preparation
I have to admit that pre delivery preparation is important, in terms of knowledge. Absorb whatever breastfeeding tips from experience mothers and gather relevant information as much as you can prior to delivery.
Same as most new mums out there, I told myself I want to breastfeed when I was conceiving the 1st time. That’s it, without trying to read and learn the relevant information. I thought breastfeeding is easy and even standby a small tin of formula milk for the “in case”.
Not until my elder girl was born, she sucked then cried forever. End up I resorted to the “technique” of letting her suck then offered formula milk for a month before I learnt and read what a breastfed mum should know.
2. Breastfeed Friendly Hospital
If you want to breastfeed successfully, choose a breastfeed friendly hospital. The first bonding right after the baby is born is important. Tell the nurses in advance your intention to breastfeed so that they will not offer formula milk to the baby.
I choose to deliver at Putrajaya Hospital during 2nd pregnancy. It’s tough as the baby will be with you all day round but you get to feed on demand.
3. Confinement Lady
This is one of the big obstacles to mums who employ confinement lady as a helper.
I had a bad experience with the first confinement lady, who always complains my breastmilk was not enough, baby hungry and etc. I couldn’t forget how I drop tears in the blanket during midnight with my breast engorged to fullest but my baby was fed with formula milk by the helper. Yet I dare not to object.
Be sure to choose a breastfeed friendly confinement lady too. Tell her in firm you want to breastfeed without formula milk allowed. That’s what i did to my 2nd confinement lady who brought the baby to me whenever she cried for milk.
4. Mindset
If you think your milk is not enough, take the word of a nurse. She said she will never believe our breastmilk is not enough unless the baby tell her. I suddenly “wake up” from my own myth after heard this and threw away the standby formula milk.
That marks my starting point of fully breastfeed my elder girl since 1 month old.
If you are a new mum, set your goal into a series of smaller milestone at 2 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months and etc.
After you get the hang of breastfeeding, it becomes a natural routine.
Set your brain to the concept of
supply = demand
You will have milk supply whenever baby needs it although you just fed 5 minutes ago.
5. Determination
There are too many hardship you have to go through to be a successful breastfed mum.
Stress at work, no time to pump, no suitable place to pump milk, question by busybody, sick, engorgement, block milk duct, mastitis and the list goes on.
Learn to pretend deaf to nonsense comments. Breastfeed or pump the milk regularly no matter how busy how sick you are.
One of my unforgettable experience is bringing the breastpump while admitted hospital. Pump on time although severely diarrhea due to food poisoning.
Without realize, determination and perseverance become the factors for a busy moo moo to continue the journey.
6. Support of Spouse and Family
Communicate to our spouse and family to get the support in our breastfeeding journey.
Direct latch and washing sterilizing bottle breastpump take up a lot of time. Be firm and confident on what you are doing is right.
Although my family members are supportive, but some of the time i still need to be thick skin pretend deaf whenever they can’t stand to complain what the hell i was doing in the kitchen with the bottle and pump.
7. Mingle with like minded mum
With the convenience of internet and smartphone, there are many informative websites, forums and social media groups related to breastfeeding.
Join the group, discuss, ask questions, get support, get motivation. The more knowledge you gain, the more confident and longer you can sustain breastfeeding.
I don’t know how long i will be a moo moo this time, but looking back… it’s really worth it!
Leave your comment below if you have any questions i can help. Wishing you to be a successful moo moo mummy also :)
No matter how, there’s a will, there’s a way….