Breastfeeding.....?

I was planning on breast feeding once the baby was born, but am totally clueless since this will be my first child...Any advice I can get from parents that have already gone through this or currently breastfeeding...And maybe anyone know of a good website that I can go to to get all the information I could ever possibly want to know?

http://www.kellymom.com

Best breastfeeding site on the web!

http://www.kellymom.com
http://www.llli.org
http://www.mothering.com/discussions (scroll down to breastfeeding).

breastfeeding can be incredibly challenging for some people... don't be afraid to get help from a lactation consultant. It's hard to give advise until you're actually doing it. You might have absolutely no issues... just wait and see.

You shouldn't worry about this now but i think you should breastfeed because if you do the baby gets antibodies and the proper nutrtion needed. when you are at the hospital having your baby the nurse will ask you if you want to breast feed or not and if you do they show you properly how to do it.

i just had my first 6 weeks ago & i really didn't know anything about it either. i really just took all advice from family membes who had breastfed. also they helped me alot at the hospital after he was born. im sure there is someone there who can help you. one thing that was really great to me was a nipple shield. my son wouldnt latch on at first, so they gave me a nipple shield which gives them more to suck on, & it worked great! there are tons of websites out there about breastfeeding also. you could google it! hope this helps! =)

My nipples were inverted so my midwife told me that I couldn't breastfeed but I tried it anyway and my daughter latched right on without any problems.

Babies 'R Us has a big selection of breastfeeding books and supplies, so you might start there.

You will also want to attend a few meetings of your local chapter of La Leche League, which is an educational support group for breastfeeding moms. They're very friendly and can help you to get all the support and information that you need.

Good luck! I breastfed my kids for years and none of them have the allergies and health problems that plague the rest of my family. It was definitely the best decision for us. :)

check out kellymom.com

la leche league.org

breastfeeding.com

dr jack newman

promom


pick up a couple of good books on breastfeeding.....2 good ones are from la leche league and dr. jack newman

find a local breastfeeding support group

I used this site all the time:

http://www.kellymom.com

Key word: WATER

you can get lots of advice on the web sites, but the best way to learn is by using the help of the nurses on the OB floor or getting intouch with a member of the La Leche League in your area. Check at your local health department or hospital.

I would recommend calling the lactation consultant at the hospital where your baby will be born...find out if there is a breastfeeding class you can take, ask her to recommend a good pediatrician who is knowledgeable about/supports breastfeeding. The more you know going in, the more likely you are to succeed. Know that in the first few weeks, it is going to be difficult...your baby will want to nurse all the time, you'll wonder if your are doing it right, you'll wonder if you are producing enough milk, it'll be 4 am and you'll feel like the only person on earth that is still awake, people will tell you that if you want a baby to sleep through the night, you need to feed them formula (and you'll probably be tempted to do it). Don't let yourself quit in the first few weeks...give it 6 weeks. By 6 weeks, most of the kinks have worked themselves out and you'll be happy you stuck it out. Once you get the hang of it, it is sooo much easier than dealing with formula and bottles. Kellymom is a good site for information and there are a lot of people on Y/A that can give good breastfeeding advice and encouragment.

Breastfeeding is a natural thing, you ask the nurse at the hospital to place the baby on the nipple, to position the baby, and it'll happen! Relax, you'll do well.

Dogs, cows, and other animals don't need books, it's the first thing that should come naturally to a new Mom, to nurture your child, who is an extension of yourself.

Breast is best!

Good luck and fully enjoy motherhood

Hi there - Here are some good sites that I found helpful:

La Leche League International: www.llli.org
La Leche League USA: www.lllusa.org
There are also local websites depending on where you live.

You can get answers to specific questions at www.breastfeeding.com/helpme/helpme_answ... or search at babycenter.com

You should ask at the hospital (if they don't ask you!) to speak with a lactation consultant. They came to me when my son was born, but I wished I had done some research beforehand b/c it is an overwhelming amount of information!!

Good luck!

A few tips from previous experience (2 children)

-Don't buy one of those manual pumps (if you will need to pump and store milk). I bought 2 Advent manual pumps, they both broke, and hurt like hell. I splurged on a Medela Pump in Style Electric and it felt 100x better, worked 100x faster, lasted through 2 children, and will begin w/ a third in a few weeks. BEST money spent!!! Trust me!!! You can also buy used ones on EBAY, and save tons of money, because they sell all of the parts that actually come in contact w/ breasts and milk at Babies R Us and other stores for $20.00 so you're really only getting a "used" motor and carrying case.

-Don't get overly frustrated! It will take a while for you and your child to get acclimated. Once you do, it will be a breeze.

-It will probably be painful for a few (more sometimes) days while your body gets used to breastfeeding. Engorgement can be relieved w/ cold compresses and by pumping! Also, buy some Lanisoh for your poor nipples, they will most likely be cracked and sore at first----this passes in a few days like I said (I don't want you to be scared!!! but, you should know that it ends!!!!)

-Don't forget to buy some breast pads! You will leak for the first few weeks, until your body adjusts. I liked the disposable ones better.

-Try not to take opinions to heart, (like my grandma that continued to tell me that my children woke up in the middle of the night because my "milk wasn't strong enough"....where do they get those ideas?) or anyone else that is negative, they just don't know any better.

-Make sure the hospital doesn't give your baby any bottles.

-There is a great book called "So That's What They're For"....I know corny title, but good information!

-Last but not least, ENJOY! You are considering a choice that will create a beautiful bond with your new baby!

Sorry so long, hope it helps. Congrats!!!

I breast fed three of my children, with the second child only being breast fed for about two weeks. I believe it is an individual choice. Most of the anti-bodies etc come from the first few weeks of breast feeding. It does hurt a bit at first, because not only is it doing baby good, but it is also doing your uterus good, it feels like you are doing a workout without doing anything. Very hard to explain, have to experience it to know what I am talking about. My second child did not take to the breast so she went to the bottle quite easy. They say you save money by breast feeding, but what I saved in not buying formula, I believe I spent in breast pads, as I used to leak alot. On the plus side, the milk was always warmed to the right temperature, did not have to sterilize bottles and make up formula, when making up six -seven bottles a day this can be quite time consuming and of course you run out when you least expect it. I advise if you are going to breast feed, to get some lambs wool fat, it is an ointment that you can put on your nipples after every feed so your nipples do not crack, at least for the first week or two. Don't know any good websites.

looks like you're getting some really good advice.
mine: check out la leche league. free, great website, and you can call lactation consultants for free and they are AWESOME.
second - don't give up. i've breast fed 3 kids and it was tough each time. the baby doesn't automatically "know" what to do... stick with it. you may have milk shortages, engorged breasts, sore nipples, but it's all worth it!

Everyone listed the great sites out there.

The number one thing I suggest is reading a book on nursing. I thought I had it all figured out, I took the class, etc. I ran into problems, and a friend of mine gave me the book The Nursing Mother's Companion Guide. HOLY COW! I wished I had read it before I had the baby. The book explained everything and was a fantastic reference to have on my bedside table to troubleshoot issues the whole time I was nursing my son.

Like someone else suggested, the book So That's What They're For is really great too. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers by Jack Newman is as well.

As others have said, kellymom.com is a great site. I also suggest:

If your hospital offers a breastfeeding class, take it! Wish I had, and I definitely will with my next.

My hospital also offered daily classes with a lactation consultant every morning that were free. The day I went, i was the only student so I got some great 1-on-1 help. Definitely don't skip this.

Many hospital nurses aren't totally informed on breastfeeding. One of the biggest obstacles I found was nurses insisting I stick to a 2-3 hour feeding schedule. Really, I should have been nursing MUCH more often. Took forever for my milk to come in.

Have the phone number of a local LC available for when you're home from the hospital. At the first sign of trouble - call!