How not to mess up breastfeeding in the beginning

Fortunately, there has been more talk about breastfeeding lately, and mothers are being supported to breastfeed for as long as possible. And that is great news. It costs us nothing and the breast is always at hand, so why not make use of it and give your baby the very best nourishment it deserves.

Of course, there are plenty of reasons why women do not breastfeed - they do not want to, it does not suit them because of work, they struggle to get breastfeeding started, and when a growth spurt comes, they give up because they think they do not have enough milk, and so on and so on. In this case, let us be grateful for infant formula, which we can use to feed our little ones. 

What to do before the baby is born

The ideal thing is for a woman to prepare for breastfeeding during pregnancy, so she knows what to expect and why it is worth not giving up. She can learn about breastfeeding at a prenatal class, but it is even better to see a lactation consultant, who has a much broader understanding of the topic and can explain everything in more detail. 

What to do after the baby is born

Once the baby is in the world, it is definitely worth inviting a lactation consultant to your home to check whether the baby is latching on correctly and whether the frenulum in the mouth is fine. It can happen that a baby is born with a short frenulum and it needs to be snipped so the baby's tongue can work properly while sucking and the baby can drink enough milk. Don’t worry, it is a procedure that takes a few seconds and the baby does not feel any pain at all.

The consultant will certainly recommend frequent putting the baby to the breast so that the breasts are constantly stimulated and milk is produced, because demand equals supply. The more is demanded, the more is produced. 

Since it is also about chemistry between mother and baby, it is definitely worth skin-to-skin contact, which is now carried out in many maternity wards after birth. At home, you can lie in bed with your baby and cuddle skin to skin, or you can place the baby in a sling against your bare body and support lactation that way. At night, you can practice so-called co-sleeping, where you sleep together and the baby has access to the breast whenever it needs it.

If the baby is sleepier and you do not want to wake it, you can regularly express milk by hand or with a pump and then freeze the milk for when you need to be away from home. Breast stimulation is what matters.

When it is necessary to supplement with formula

If you find yourself in a situation where you are breastfeeding but also supplementing with formula because the pediatrician frightened you with the baby's weight loss at a check-up or for any other reason, then definitely do not do it with a bottle. If you want to keep breastfeeding and gradually reduce formula supplementation, the lactation consultant will recommend that you supplement through a tube at the breast. It is not complicated. You prepare the formula in a special container with a hole, thread the tube through it, and then place the tube on the nipple. The baby will then suck the milk from the tube, but at the same time will stimulate the breast, and that is what we want. 

What about herbs

Opinions vary here even among lactation consultants. Some recommend herbs and homeopathy, others do not, because they can have rather negative effects. It is therefore up to each woman whether she wants to use these supportive средства. Among herbs, fenugreek, blessed thistle, and moringa are most commonly recommended. Among homeopathic remedies, it is Ricinus Communis CH5.

And what about a pacifier

A pacifier is the same as bottles. Both are unnatural for a baby, rubbery, and the sucking works a little differently. There are many mothers whose breastfeeding was not ruined by a pacifier or bottles, but there are also many mothers who stopped breastfeeding because of them. The effects may not appear immediately, but even after a few months of use. It is therefore once again up to the mother to consider whether she wants to give a pacifier and thus jeopardize breastfeeding, or whether she will try without one.

Breastfeeding is quite a science

If you do not manage to get breastfeeding started already in the maternity ward, do not despair, because once you are home with your baby, you will have much more peace and comfort for breastfeeding. Give it time and you will see that it will work. There are women who started fully breastfeeding their baby only after several months of supplementing, so it really is possible; it just takes patience and confidence. If, for any reason, it still does not work out, do not be angry with yourself, because you did everything you could for your baby. And a calm and content mother, who passes on her positive energy to the baby, is more important than a stressed and desperate one.

We wish you lots of strength in the early days of breastfeeding and very little unsolicited advice from those around you.