I gave up breastfeeding my first child after 2 1/2 weeks. I don't know if it was because it was my first time, her huge size, or that my breasts were big before even getting pregnant, but it hurt so bad. With baby number 2 approaching and our finances being what they are I really need to follow through with breastfeeding this time. Every now and then I see a story on the news where a breastfeeding mom is asked to not nurse in public and it makes things worse for me. I have a fear of anyone watching me. Do I need a lot of special nursing tops, a baby sling, a pump, what? Help!!!!

Twirl, I had problems breastfeeding my first baby too. It does hurt for a while but it does get much better. I'm sure you know that breastfeeding, as well as being frugal, is the absolute best start you can give your baby.

Don't be fooled into thinking you need special equipment to breastfeed, it's been done for millennia without what's being pushed on young mums at the moment. All you need is a relaxed frame of mine a comfy chair and the will to do it. I think you said you're a SAHM so I doubt you'll need a breast pump inless you want your husband to feed the baby as well. My DH and I did that as I thought it was a wonderful way for him to bond with both our sons.

I think the solution for everything is written down somewhere so here is a breastfeeding forum, you might find some info at your local library too:
http://www.lalecheleague.org/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro

It's probably wise to talk to your midwife at the hospital when you give birth too. I'm sure she'll be able to teach you how to easily nurse your new baby.

I had to keep checking to make sure she hadn't grown some teeth!

You look a lot like a Becky I know. Any relatives in the Midwest, USA?

Originally posted by forestdale
Twirl, I had problems breastfeeding my first baby too. It does hurt for a while but it does get much better. I'm sure you know that breastfeeding, as well as being frugal, is the absolute best start you can give your baby.

Don't be fooled into thinking you need special equipment to breastfeed, it's been done for millennia without what's being pushed on young mums at the moment. All you need is a relaxed frame of mine a comfy chair and the will to do it.


I couldn't agree more. I breastfed both of my children exclusively until they were 6 months old, then they went to daycare and I started them on baby food, but still breastfed in the morning and at night. It was absolutely the best snuggle time ever. I still miss that special time between us. I didn't have any bells and whistles. I did have a breast pump, but never really used it.

Also, the best advice I can give you is what my dh told me. With my dd, she was my first and we were having a difficult time figuring out how to work together on the breastfeeding. The lactation consultant was brutal and the nurses weren't much better. I felt like such a failure, and finally dh said, "Just forget everything they are saying. Forget the specific "holds" and "positions" and do what feels right for you and Julia. I held her my own way and she and I eventually got it. Yes, it hurt at first, but after the first few weeks, it got better. It's a very personal decision, but it's one that I'm very glad I made.

Best of luck to you!

Twirl, I have no rels in the US. I'm an Australian of Irish descent. :)

BTW, Amy has given excellent advice. Her husband was right by saying that you should do what feels right for you.

The first time my nipples cracked and bled was the last time! I had rented a pump and when I saw the milk was pink I just didn't know what to think. I dumped it in the sink. When I had my first baby I did not know any other moms. We moved to town and had stayed to ourselves. I think it would have helped if I had a sister/friend/neighbor, anyone close by to talk to about their breastfeeding experiences it would have helped tremendously. I started back to work after 6 weeks and figured what difference would another couple weeks matter. This time I won't be going back to work and I REALLY need to save the money. My husband does not seem very excited about the baby. He called her "another mouth to feed". :(

Mothers are great networkers who like to share their experience and wisdom. If you have no friends near you now, make friends online. You can still get to know people and find out how they breastfed their babies. I'd suggest you get on to a breastfeeding website now as there are ways of preparing your nipples for breastfeeding.

You husband needs a frying pan to the head for calling your new baby that. I hope he melts when he holds her for the first time. :hugz:

Sunday i did my first...second and third public breast feeding sessions. we'd gone to denny's for breakfast, aiden was hungry. i asked for a corner booth, the hostess said if i wanna nurse- go to the bathroom. so i decided "well. i'll show her to be nasty to me!" and got out my receiving blanket covered myself up and nursed him till HE was done and satisfied. the lady at the next table was all kinds of excitedly telling her dd or gdd how "see?? if you want to bf, there's nothing to stop you, just look, she's doing it!" (she stopped me on my way out to tell me that she thought it was great that i am bf, and wtg to not listen to the hostess). it can be done.

I won't lie, the first few days were excruciating, i bled so much that the pumped milk i had to toss, it was pink! the trick is to keep em hydrated "Lanisoh" helps. also if you have an eager nurser as mine is, you may want to pump a litte to give him/her to relax the urgency of the nursing to start till the nipples heal. took two days to heal for me. the hosp gave me syringes to give him the pumped milk with. an S.N.S. (supplimental Nursing System) might help too, put pumped milk into it, tape the tubes alongside your nipples, and they get some from the sns all the while stimulating your nipples and getting the milk from your breasts at the same time. :)

I, too, had problems nursing my first, but it got easier the second and third time around. I would suggest that you try to stay rested and try to get a lot of fluids in you. Nursing is good if you can do it. And, try to relax and enjoy the special time with your baby.

Lansinoh=life saver! I agree with Missy! I actually started using it in month 8 of my pregnancies both times just to get myself ready. Worked for me! Just be careful you don't get it on your clothes. Since my kids were both born in February and I was on maternity leave, I was wearing a lot of dh's flannel shirts over stretch pants. Well... a lot of those flannel shirts now have little Lansinoh stains where I would wipe my fingers on the bottom of the shirt. Bad girl. Use a paper towel.

yes! water, keep the water comming, the better hydrated you are the easier nursing will be, not just for lactation purposes but because it hydrates your skin, therefore nipples aren't as sore as they could be...

the Lanisoh, a little goes a long way, and like Amy, i have stains from it too on a few of my shirts. if anyone knows how to get rid of those, please let me know. There's another brand of the stuff, but i can't remember it, i didn't like it as much. Ask at the hospital for a sample tube of the Lanisoh, they gave me samples. my itty bitty tube is going to be way more than i will need for at least 3 months.

To make yourself a nursing cover up, take a receiving blanket and attatch to one side a ribbon, sort of like how an apron has straps. sew these on to one side. make sure that they are far enough apart for you to comfortably have your neck in between (please, i am on pain meds so if this isn't clear, forgive me). What you will essentially have is a receiving blanket that has ties that will keep it from sliding down if your little one moves, wriggles, or kicks at the blanket. it will tie behind your neck like an apron. and it simply covers them and your breast while you are b/f. being a receiving blanket it will fold up neatly and fit easily into a diaper bag. iv;e made myself a few of these for nursing in public and tested them out sunday, they work great.

I third the Lansinoh. It's a little pricy but really worth it. And it'll last you as long as you need it. A tiny bit and rub it between your fingers to warm it up and then put it all over the nipple. I started a month before I was due and then continued until it no longer started to hurt. Because from my experience (two kids both nursed until 14 mos.) it does hurt in the beginning. So bad that I had to grit my teeth. I'd say that lasts about 2-3 weeks getting slowly better. And I also third the WATER (get a glass right by you as you nurse) and RELAX (when I forced myself to relax and breath I could almost immediatly feel the milk let down.). And as for being out in public. I never had an issue with anyone telling me where to or not to nurse. I usually did try to work around the baby (go somewhere right after they nursed at home) or would nurse in the car sometimes if I felt better. But I think you'd be surprised at how it's hard to "tell" if someone is nursing. Someone told me to try it infront of a mirror to see what I need to do to not let anything "show". And some ladies are so great with the cover with a blanket trick, I thought that was more of a production for me. And yet again I third the don't listen to what the nurse/lactation consult. says if it's not working for you. I had some rough nurses that got me more stressed and just did what worked for us. It's like anything new, you might be nervous and unsure and as you do it more you'll get better and feel better and know what works for you. And ya can't beat the price! Good Luck!!

Will a cast iron skillet to the head work?

I had a male boss tell me one time that he was at the gym and he wondered why some lady had a blanket over her baby's head. Then all of a sudden something clicked and he figured out why the baby was covered up!

I still have some breast pads and a tube of the Lanisoh left over. I never heard to start now so thanks for the info. I don't like water that much so can I substitute chocolate milk or orange juice? It does make me mad that everyone acts like a breast is a sexual object instead of a way to feed a baby! I wonder how many breastfeeding moms looked at me like I was a pervert. Out of curiosity I have tried to sneak some peaks so I could see what they were doing in order to benefit me. At the hospital the nurses and doctor told me that my daughter had lost too much of her birthweight and I might have to consider supplementing with formula. I had to bring her back a couple times after we went home so they could monitor her weight.

Orange juice is great post-partum- Vitamin C helps repair the body. I don't even like juice, but I mixed half water/half juice for about two weeks after DD was born.

Go check out www.kellymom.com - I think it is THE best source of info out there. It was a lifesaver for me. Everyone tries to tell you breastfeeding doesn't hurt (I think so you will breastfeed??) but it absolutely can/does hurt. I was in agony for two weeks after DD was born. I would have preferred to go through labor again rather than breastfeed, but I was so committed that I gritted my teth and pressed on. Then I found this thing about asymetrical latch on kellymom, and that helped me TONS. Also, try to get as much help as possible from the hospital LC before you leave, and you should also be able to call/visit her after the baby is born if you need extra help. Try to get samples of Lansinoh from the hospital- I never needed to buy any more, and I only had one sample, but it goes a long way. Also, do NOT use any soaps on you breasts- it will only dry them out more..

Once you start breastfeeding, if you have any problems, please ask for help, here, there, or anywhere you can. I had a lot of little obstacles in breastfeeding, and was in agony until I found a different way to get her to latch, and we are just now really weaning at two years. (Set a goal of one, then found out that the WHO recommends a minimum of two.) DD would nurse forever if she could.

And give your DH a blanket and send him to the couch for me.

Okay I am just starting to read some tips at KellyMom. How important is the "no pacifier rule"? Sadly there were not any people located close to my area when I searched for local help.

I really thought there must be something wrong because I had never heard from other people that it was going to hurt!

:grouphug:

I think people are doing women a great disservice by telling them it doesn't hurt. My guess is that if you had known it oculd hurt, you might not have given up so readily....

Anyway, the hospital should have SOMEONE who is a lactation consultant, even if she is not board certified. Also, there are come on-line LC's who will answer ?s for free. They obviously can't see what is going on, but they can still be helpful. Is there a LLL group near you? There is usually at least one lay-lactation consultaant in each group, and they are a HUGE support for breastfeeding, among other things.

Good luck and if you have any more questions, please ask!!!

I have breast fed both of my daughters. I'm still exclusively nursing my almost 7 month old (though we've added some solids). The ladies here are giving some great advice but I thought I'd go ahead and toss my $.02 in.

Yes, breastfeeding will hurt at first. And it may hurt again when the baby starts playing around at your breast or -ouch- bites. But the hurt goes away. You are a strong woman and you can do this!

Lansinoh may be good (several people have suggested this) I have honestly never used it but I have rubbed breast milk around after the baby nurses. It's soothing, natural, and handy. ;)

I find cloth nursing pads more comfortable than disposable but I use disposable if I need to. Be sure to keep taking your pre-natal vitamin while you nurse. If you don't like straight water could you add lemon or lime? This is what I do even when I'm not nursing. Seems like I drink a lot of apple juice or white grape juice when I'm nursing too. Just drink as much as you can because you need it! :)

As far as modesty, there are some cute nursing tops and dresses out there. I bought one dress to feel dressed up but I've actually given away most of my tops. I think I needed them more with my first because I (like you) was nervous about nursing in public. Now I'm not so nervous. I wear a lot of layers or button up shirts. When wearing a button up shirt, unbutton from the bottom and you'll be more covered. Keep the baby's blankie handy if you feel like you need more coverage but really all those special covers are unnecessary, IMHO. When in public dressing rooms can be nice to nurse in. They're cleaner than bathrooms and some are quite comfortable. Sometimes when I'm in public I'll hold a book to read or something. Most people will pay no attention to you. Besides, teenagers are walking around showing more skin every day than you'll be :D Nursing bras are not optional, you need these for proper support, at first. I also wear a lot of the camisol (sp?) tops with built in bra. Lift up, eat, couldn't be easier!

Both my girls have used a pacifier and had no problem nursing but every baby is different and you may want to wait until nursing is going smoothly before you offer one. You can do this. Find what is right for you and your baby and never feel like you have to apologize for giving your baby the absolute best nourishment in the world! Sorry I rambled for so long! Best of luck to you! :hugz:

Wow I really feel like I got a ton of useful information and I can't wait for the time to come! I agree that people probably see a lot more skin on tv and at the beach and don't have a problem with it like they do when a mom tries to feed her baby. I looked at how to make a sling because I priced one and it was out of my budget. I don't have a sewing machine just needle and thread if I have to. My husband's grandma makes baby quilts and his mom does have a sewing machine but I think she mostly does repairs. It looked very complicated to make a sling. Has anyone made one themselves? Then there was the part about buying a special ring?!

I made a sling for my DD. It actually wasn't hard at all. I made an ajustable ring sling, but a tube sling is even easier, and I am by no means a good sew-er. (Didn't want to be a sewer- lol.)

I bought rings at the hardware store. I think it said they were tested to 300 lbs. There are a lot of people who think you should use only nylon rings, but if my kid is anywhere near the 300 lb test limit on the metal ones, I'm not wearing her!!! Get the supplies and the pattern (I'll find you a good one and post it in a minute) and then take it to you MIL or GMIL and very sweetly ask them if they might be willing to help you make it for their new grandchild. I don't see how they can refuse!

As for pacifiers, as EM said, each baby is different. My daughter had no probs, but she also had very limited pacifier use, and it wasn't into'd until a few weeks in. But my niece had problems switching between the two, and refused the bottle altogether after trying it a couple times.

Let me go find that link- okay, here http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/index.html?Baby/sling.htm is the one I used. There are also other great things on her site.

Of course, it occurred to me immediately after I hit the submit button that the word is "seamstress!!!"

Even if you don't qualify for WIC, call and ask them if you can get nursing information. The other ladies have given you some WONDERFUL advise.

For me it was a wonderful experience! I loved relaxing, laying in bed next to my baby just nursing. At the store I also found a cozy quiet area, like someone mentioned- dressing rooms. I would also nurse before leaving home and then maybe more in the car before going in the store. I had my children close together so it was hard to nurse somewhere public as well as chase the others.

twirl, I'm so glad the new mums here have given you so much helpful and wise advice. It also does my black heart good to see you eager to breastfeed now. :)

Just remember, you have friends here and people who will help if you need it.