Oh Baby Magazine April 2010
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Ready, set, feed!
Give nature a helping hand with these breastfeeding
must-haves
There are all sorts of motherhood myths regarding breastfeeding,
and the preparation you can do during pregnancy. Some suggest
toughening up nipples by applying nipple cream, expressing to
stimulate milk flow still pregnant, or even topless
sunbathing! Alas, these are just folklore, but while there is
generally nothing you can do to prepare physically for
breastfeeding, you can get yourself ready in other ways.
Frances McInnes from Breastmates shares her top tips to prepare for
this most important journey.
1.Invest some Time in develop a
Breastfeeding Plan with your midwife.
2. Mentally prepare yourself. Expect
that its not going to be easy over the first few days and
acknowlege that breastfeeding takes a while for both you and baby
to learn.
3. Visualize how a baby feeds, and
how their mouth and tongue action will work to get the milk
flowing. Use a doll to get angle right, and then imagine how the
baby will open their mouth, how you will hold them, and where their
head will be. If you know of anyone else that is currently
breastfeeding, spend some time and actually watch while they are
feeding. A real life demo might be a godsend. Watch the
Breastfeeding Naturally DVD which s now free to all pregnant
women through their LMC.
4. Be prepared to put everything else on
hold for a few weeks while you adjust and settle
into a feeding routine. Many mothers are surprised by how long it
takes - around 20-30 minutes a feed, and you'll be doing this about
every 3-4 hours.
5. Put together a list of numbers
for people you can call when things aren't going well.
Midwife, lactation consultant, LLL group, or friends that have had
babies. Is there someone that you could call at 1am when everything
turns to custard?