When I first became pregnant and was learning about breastfeeding and the different decisions I had to make regarding that experience, I was a little overwhelmed! I quickly learned that all mothers have their opinions about what they think is best and I had to determine what I thought was best for myself and my baby.
I was torn about whether or not I was going to pump at all when my baby was born because I had spoken with my different mothers, each with different thoughts and stories. Bottom line, you have to do what feels right for your body, mind and your baby. It’s totally okay if this changes along your breastfeeding journey too!
A few things I've learned since breastfeeding that really helped:
✨ Have something to catch your letdown (in the boob not being feasted on), especially in the beginning before your supply levels out. This not only helps with mess but allows for extra milk to be frozen/given to baby as needed (I used the ladybug hakka)
✨ For me letting my baby guide me in how much he wants to eat and when, has been really helpful. Every baby is different of course, but they really do know more than we give them credit for! In the beginning this wasn’t always the case (as we were both new to breastfeeding!) so I did follow a bit of a schedule in terms of putting the feeding opportunity in front of him to see if he was open to eating every 3-4 hours. It definitely takes time, but you and baby will learn one another and get into a rhythm. You’ll be able to learn your baby’s hungers cues much easier!
✨ Get a breast pump that works for you (if you want!). The first one I got was a hand pump a few mornings after birth as I really needed boob relief and munchkin was not hungry! So we woke up and I had one sent via Instacart as we really weren’t leaving the house yet. The second one I got was (Name it here) during the middle of the night when my boobs just couldn’t take it anymore 😜
🚨 I could go on and on about this, or you could grab my new guide Breastfeeding 101 for New Moms here that is packed full of resources and tips!
When it comes to breastfeeding, it’s definitely helpful to be knowledgeable at what it encompasses. If you’re completely new to breastfeeding, no worries! That doesn’t mean you won’t have a successful breastfeeding journey; you and your baby will learn along the way.
If you had to guess the spot where breast milk comes out, you might guess that it’s right in the center of the nipple. In reality, milk comes from many openings in the nipple called milk duct orifices! Each nipple has about 15-20 different openings that letdown milk while baby is nursing.
When a baby is latched properly, their mouth is covering the whole areola so they're able to drink milk effectively and without too much of a mess. When you’re beginning to learn how to nurse, baby or whoever is nearby, might get sprayed! It happens! Your nipple isn't like a faucet on a sink, but rather a shower head!
It’s so important when you’re nursing that baby is latched properly around your nipple to maximize milk and avoid any messes! If you are experiencing pain or discomfort with breastfeeding, most times it is due to baby’s latch. Don’t forget though that you are likely going to experience some nipple discomfort at first; that’s normal. This is from the constant demand of feeding from your new baby. However, the pain shouldn’t be while baby is nursing. Lactation consultants can be a great resource to help with achieving a proper latch.
Breastfeeding is a beautiful experience between mom and baby! The more you know can surely help you along your breastfeeding journey, but remember that your body was made to do this. I know it can be overwhelming, but you’ve got this! As always, reach out to other breastfeeding moms for moral support; I’m always happy to chat!
I created a guide for Breastfeeding moms to support you along your journey to educate you and remove the overwhelm and the 2am google search! It's packed with recipes, resources and more to encourage you! Grab it here and start learning today!
Proper nutrition for every human is important, but especially for those with an autoimmune and definitely for breastfeeding mamas! When you are breastfeeding, your body is working overtime to nourish you AND your baby. That means it’s totally normal for you to be hungrier than normal!
Eating nutrient dense foods while breastfeeding helps maintain an adequate milk supply, provides essential nutrients for the baby's growth, and supports your overall well-being. When you're breastfeeding, there is an increased need for calories, so it's important to listen to your hunger cues and stay hydrated. I make sure to keep water close by at all times. This makes it easy to drink and keeping things easy is key as a busy mom! It’s also great to keep simple snacks and things around the house as well incase you find yourself under a nursing or sleeping baby and need food.
Having an autoimmune just adds another layer because we need to stay healthy to avoid any issues. Focusing on foods no matter what autoimmune you might have is hugely important as these nutrients help with energy and brain fog (to name a few things). Focus on eating what feels good to you and serves your body well; this is different for everyone!
There are some main nutrients that are important to focus on when it comes to food choices while breastfeeding: (spoiler these are similar to the important ones while pregnant and growing that baby too!)
- Omega-3s
- Iodine
- Choline
- Vitamin D
- BVitamins
If you’re struggling with ideas, here are a few to help; nuts and seeds, organ meats, eggs, beans, whole grains, avocados, berries, yogurt, leafy greens. Don’t forget though to focus on what fuels your body and doesn’t cause any flare ups! It’s so important to fuel your body with good foods and this is dependent upon each mama.
I created a guide for Breastfeeding moms to support you along your journey to educate you and remove the overwhelm and the 2am google search! It's packed with recipes, resources and more to encourage you! Grab it here and start learning today!
There are so many things I learned along my breastfeeding journey that I wished someone would’ve prepared me for! I’m beyond grateful that my body and breasts can do this for my baby, he gets the liquid gold that I can provide! With that being said, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with some challenges along the way.
I didn’t expect my boobs to hurt like they did! The beginning of your milk coming in is quite the experience. It comes in hot and heavy until your supply adjusts to your baby’s needs. This can be somewhat of a surprise because you only see the beautiful images of moms breastfeeding online. You don’t see the pain and sometimes discomfort that comes along with it.
Speaking of your milk coming in hot and heavy, you likely will leak! Everywhere! The boobs sometimes have a mind of their own and get ahead of themselves with the milk lol: I may have squirted myself and Ben a time or two! It’s also common to leak when baby isn’t even nursing, so it’s helpful to wear some sort of nursing pad at first. While baby is nursing on one boob, the other may leak as well. I loved using a Hakka to catch the letdown and store to use in a bottle later!
Your nipples can get sore too, newborns feed quite often and it can take a little for your nipples to “toughen up!” They do eventually, but it takes a little time. It’s important to note though that breastfeeding shouldn’t be painful while baby is nursing. If so, the latch probably isn’t right! Lactation consultants can be very helpful with getting a proper latch.
Of course, the frustrations of being new to this come in too, which is normal. I was wondering if he was getting enough and if I was even doing it right. I was trusting my body and the way our body’s work, but yet had so many questions! At the end of the day, as long as baby is growing and having those wet/dirty diapers, they are getting what they need.
Having the ability to provide nourishment in such a way to my baby is one of the biggest gifts I could ever give him and I’m so grateful that I’m able to nurse. But it’s okay to know that it isn’t all rainbows and butterflies at first!
🫶 I created a guide for Breastfeeding moms to support you along your journey to educate you and remove the overwhelm and the 2am google search! It's packed with recipes, resources and more to encourage you. GRAB IT HERE!
Breastfeeding is truly an amazing experience and I’m so grateful for what my body has been able to do. Not only did I grow and birth this sweet little munchkin, but now I’m able to nourish him with my body. Breastfeeding is hands down one of the best things I've done for my little one. Has it been easy? Nope it hasn't.
It takes a toll on your body, as does pregnancy and birth-again things that I am so happy to have gone through-but it does change things. Your boobs become heavy and basically you're at the whim of this adorable little human that you birthed. None of these are bad or anything but it's something that isn't always talked about and even when it is, you don't really know how it's going to feel.
Sometimes breastfeeding can feel completely overwhelming because you’re the only one who can feed the baby. It’s hard to take care of yourself when you’re the sole provider of nourishment for your baby. But that’s exactly why you should be!
Whether you are breastfeeding or not, it's so important for us moms to support our bodies with sleep, water and food. Breastfeeding just adds another level to it!
It can help to learn what foods help your milk supply or what oils help you mentally and physically as well as getting back into movement. Keep water on hand at all times and make sure you’re drinking consistently. A great tip to follow is to drink when the baby drinks! When it comes to food, nutrient dense foods are key for your baby to nourish you and baby.
Lastly, don’t focus on the baby weight. I know it’s easier said than done and you may have heard stories about breastfeeding either helping or hindering weight loss. Just focus on nourishing your body, drinking water and getting movement in when you can; we love to take walks!
I created a guide to help breastfeeding moms along their journey! It's packed with tips, resources, recipes and more to help remove the overwhelm and gain confidence as a breastfeeding mom! No more 2am Google sesh! GRAB IT HERE!
