June 13, 2020
Nursing can be amazing but can also be tricky and scary all at once! With my first our nursing journey was cut short, due to his lack of ability to consistently latch even at the age of 4 months. I pumped until he was 14 months old and ended up donating thousands of ounces. Aside from his struggles with nursing, I also struggled with my confidence when it came to nursing him. I was too afraid to nurse him outside of our home because people had said things prior to him being born that made me feel uncomfortable nursing in their presence. That pushed over into feeling like I couldn’t nurse anywhere but home because I worried what people would think or that I was “offending” someone, even with a nursing cover. It was hard on me, so when I stopped I decided when I had another baby I wanted to make nursing work.
When I was pregnant with my second, Lettie, I did everything I could do to prepare for nursing. This included taking a lactation course and hiring a Lactation Consultant who would come to the hospital directly after delivery to help get our nursing journey off on the right foot. Thankfully, Lettie was a great nurser from the first latch, and even still I’ve had help from my Lactation Consultant. I had several friends who had babies in the months leading up to her birth and watching them nurse while out and about, at date nights or even while they were talking on Instagram stories helped me to feel the normalcy in breastfeeding! They didn’t make it a big deal, because it ISN’T a big deal! I mean honestly, they’re just feeding their baby. It is what it is. Nursing mamas shouldn’t have to explain themselves, just like mamas who choose to bottle feed shouldn’t. Fed is best.
When Lettie was born I went right back into worrying what others thought and took a bottle if we left the house. I explained my fears and worries to some friends who encouraged me, and even helped me… LITERALLY, with their own two hands, nurse my baby in public. They held a blanket up or lifted my shirt. Getting the hang of nursing in public, trying not to flash anyone, sweating bullets because you’re stressed is awful! But once we got the hang out it, that was it! Its no thang now. We just nurse wherever we are, in the car, at friends, walking around Disneyland (I was proud of that!) It feels so good to finally feel confident in feeding my baby and not worrying about what others think! I know that if I felt this way, other mamas probably do too!
5 Things I’m Doing to Help with Supply
Let’s chat about supply- Between pumping for 14 months and nursing the last 7 months I’ve tried so many things to help with supply, supply can be so tricky! I hear Mamas always saying they’re struggling with supply and don’t know what to do! I know every Mama is different but here are 5 things I’ve found that work wonders for me!
- There are lots of supplements that help but the cold hard truth is…. the BEST way to help your supply is to get that baby on the boob more! Really. If you’re supply is struggling, offer the boob several more times throughout the day, or even nurse them at night to keep it up.
- – Liquid IV– We all know we need to drink lots of water while nursing but it’s hard to do and you never know if you’re getting enough. Lots of people recommend drinking Gatorade or sport like drinks because of the electrolytes, but they’re also packed with sugars and all sorts of other stuff. Liquid IV is a supplement you add to your water that is a hydration multiplier. Adding 1 packet of Liquid IV to your water provides 3x the hydration. Its yummy and works so well with keeping myself hydrated, which affects my nursing supply! I love the flavors passion and lemon lime.
- If you’re baby is sleeping through the night or even long stretches at night… pump. I know, I know, this is a hard one to swallow. But truth is, if you’re baby is sleeping longer stretches an your supply is struggling, that is probably why! Every time you nurse it signals your body to make more, so if you’re nursing less at night that can affect supply!
- Sprigslife Herbal Lactations Supplement– THIS stuff is incredible! I use it only when needed and notice a huge difference in my supply. Designed to help you maintain a healthy supply, I’m on my 3rd bottle, you take it as needed!!
- Keep those calories up! I know this is a tough one, especially because we want to work on getting our bodies back. But its important to make sure you’re taking in enough calories each day that your body can produce milk and healthy, fatty milk at that. If you’re not getting enough, your baby probably isn’t either!
** I am not a Lactation consultant, or professional these are just things that have worked for me!**
Petiteandneat.com is a participant in the Amazon
Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate
advertising program designed to provide a means
for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising
and linking to Amazon.com. I get commissions for purchases made
through links in this post.
