Beginning My Breastfeeding Journey

Preparing for my daughter to come included me taking a free breastfeeding course at my delivery hospital, but you never really know what breastfeeding is like until you do it. My daughter was born on January 11th at 6lbs 2oz, immediately after I gave birth they placed my daughter on my chest and she tried to breastfeed. It was an overwhelming moment in the best way possible, so surreal. My birthing story wasn’t the planned or expected one, but those details are for another post.

The Nipple Shield

During the hospital visit and until she was back at her initial birth weight, I needed to feed my daughter every 3-4 hours. Being a first-time mom, I had never done this before. I would sit up in my hospital bed, get my nursing pillow ready (yes, I brought that with me to the hospital) and we would start trying to breastfeed. I had mentioned l to a nurse that my nipples were in pain, so without telling me that during the beginning this pain was normal, she just handed me a nipple shield to use. From then on out, I used a nipple shield until my daughter was about 6 months old. I had a love-hate relationship with the nipple shield. It would fall off and I’d get milk everywhere but I eventually grew to like it.

A nipple shield is made of soft silicon and it’s purpose is to help in situations where a baby is having trouble latching. You can purchase one at your local Walmart, Amazon, or you can get one from your delivery hospital. All you have to do is place it over the nipple prior to your breastfeeding session. For some reason in the beginning I felt ashamed using the nipple shield, almost like I was less than moms who breastfed without it. Ashamed to mention it to other moms during conversations about breastfeeding. I don’t know why I felt this way, but I did. I just want to tell you that if you end up using a nipple shield that is perfectly okay, you are doing what is best for you and your baby, period. It is nothing to be ashamed of. At one point I thought that my daughter would never breastfeed without it, but then one day, around 6 months old, she latched without it and we never looked back.

I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THAT IF YOU END UP USING A NIPPLE SHIELD THAT IS PERFECTLY OKAY, YOU ARE DOING WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU AND YOUR BABY, PERIOD. IT IS NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF.

Clogged Ducts and Milk Blisters

One thing I experienced pretty often after I stopped using the nipple shield was clogged ducts aka milk blisters/blebs. What this looks like is a white milk-filled blister on your nipple due to a blocked or clogged milk duct. This is usually due to improper latch or shallow latching. I think this is because my daughter was used to latching on the nipple shield which is different than latching directly to my nipple. When this happens, you feel like your nipple is on fire 🔥 . Anytime your baby nurses, fire is all you feel. It is important that you keep nursing to try to get the clog unclogged so that it doesn’t turn into the infection Mastitis. If you are experiencing this, please view my post on remedies here.

Pumping

I didn’t start pumping until I went back to work 3 months after giving birth. I’d breastfeed during the night and early morning, I’d pump 2-3x while at work, and then breastfed when I got home. I’d usually get about 4 – 5 ounces per pumping session. After I finished pumping, I would take my pumping parts and put them in a ziplock bag or a parts bag and throw them in the fridge until my next session (yes, you can do this!). Once I was done pumping for the day, I would hand wash my parts and let them dry overnight. I even traveled by plane and by car while I was still breastfeeding, be on the lookout for another post on tips for traveling.

The End of My Breastfeeding Journey

As you know pre-birth I initially had a goal to breastfeed for a year and at the beginning of breastfeeding, I was happy if I made it through that month. Fast forward past the first tough months, I made it to a little past two years. I initially wanted my daughter to self-wean but it seemed like there was no end in sight so I gently weaned her. To learn more on how I weaned my daughter, view this post.

Closing comments on my journey…having a baby is an adventure, the best kind of adventure. Breastfeeding is hard work, so hang in there. I promise you it will get easier, I promise! But also keep in mind that you need to do what is best for you and your family and if that means putting your mental health first and using formula, that is more than okay ❤️

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Tips and Products that made my life easier

Product #1 : Buy a Hydration Bladder

The first month, I barely left the bedroom. It was just easier to breastfeed in bed, especially when we had visitors. I wasn’t comfortable breastfeeding in front of others, even while covered. I was often nap trapped and didn’t want to wake the baby. My husband hung a hydration bladder for me using a fishing line so that I always had water available while I was nap trapped. This also decreased the number of times I would ask him to bring me more water. It sounds silly but it was genius!

Product #2 : Breastfeeding Pillows (Yes, more than 1)

On my registry, I had both the My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow and the Boppy Nursing Pillow. I love love love them both for different reasons and situations. The My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow was what I used the majority of the time when I was home, it allowed me to have access to my arms and hands which was handy since often times than not, my daughter would fall asleep while breastfeeding. It also has velcro that wraps around your body to keep it in place and snug. The Boppy Nursing Pillow was great for traveling on a plane or visiting someone outside your house.

Product #3 : Buy a Hands Free Pumping Nursing Bra

You will thank me later! Pumping was one of my least favorite things to do but it was necessary if I wanted to continue my breastfeeding journey. I remember being at work one day and realizing that I forgot my hands free pumping bra, this meant that I had to sit there and hold the containers while I pumped, I wasn’t able to multi-task in any way, shape or form. This is a must if you plan to pump.

Product #4 : Buy Comfortable Nursing Bras

Up until I ended my breastfeeding journey I slept in comfy pants and nursing bras. This made my life so much easier when my daughter would wake up and nurse throughout the night. I coslept/bedshared and still do. This isn’t about my decision to cosleep or bedshare, that is a personal decision that comes with a huge responsibility to follow the Safe Sleep 7 but we can talk about that another time. The key words here are comfortable and nursing. I still to this day wear my nursing bras even though I no longer nurse.

Product #5 : Save that Liquid Gold Mama! Buy Milk Catchers

While breastfeeding and sometimes even when you aren’t in a breastfeeding session, you will experience a tingling or warm feeling and all of a sudden you notice that you are leaking in the other breast, this is called a let down. Save that milk! During my breastfeeding journey, I used the highly recommended Haakaa Manual Breast Pump and honestly I wasn’t a fan but many Moms are. Instead I used Milk Catchers, which is a cone shaped inserts that you can put in your bra that will catch milk throughout the day and while breastfeeding. I would go about half the day wearing these and then would dump the milk that was caught into a breastmilk storage bag. You would be surprised how much extra milk you can accumulate through using milk catchers. Now when I returned to work, I only used these at home while breastfeeding because when pumping I was pumping both sides and otherwise I was wearing breast pads throughout the day to catch any leaking.

Ultimate Tip : Join Some Breastfeeding Support Groups on Social Media

A key resource for me was going to my mom’s and breastfeeding groups on Facebook. Use the search feature in those groups, if you don’t find what you are looking for there are so many amazing Mom’s out there who are more than willing to help answer any questions you have.

What other tips or products do you recommend? What questions do you have about breastfeeding?