first time BF question

[darcytrue]

For those of you that will be breastfeeding for the first time, how will you handle post partum? I guess what I mean is if you have problems or issues arise with the BFing who will you call? I have no one close to me that has BF a child who could help me. Unfortunately, my closest friends and family all FF like I did with my first two children.

I thought about attending a LLL bf'ing class but I've heard that the one closest to me is mostly for those who have babies already and I may feel uncomfortable just going and watching.

I know the hospital will offer help while there, but do they help out once I go home if I need to call them for help?

Is this something a post partum doula can help with? or do you go to the OB or the pediatrician for help if you need it? I've read a lot of books that say that a doctor will likely try to talk a new mom in to FF if the BF isn't going well. I don't want that to happen. So I want to make sure I have a plan in place pp.

[darcytrue]

I'm sorry if this question seems dumb. I know I should probably already know this stuff, but I don't. I feel silly even asking.

[BklynMomma]

Hi Darcytrue,
Please, please, please don't feel dumb. Breastfeeding is an otherworldly experience if you've not been exposed to it before. I was in your shoes with my first, and I have to say that LLL saved me. I had no one in my family or group of friends that knew anything about breastfeeding and LLL became my soft place to fall. Not only did I get individual support from the leaders, but I also found an excellent community of friends at the meetings - a place where you could feel comfortable literally "letting it all hang out." It's also a really important place for expectant mom's to start. LLL encourages pregnant mom's to attend meetings to start asking questoins and just listen in on the discussion. You'll meet lots of moms who are in the throws of the first few weeks and will be able to glean a wealth of information.

That said, each LLL group is locally lead and the leaders can be quit different in their approaches. I've been blessed with two great groups in the two places I've lived, but I'm also lived in urban areas where there are greater concentrations of new moms. The group I'm working with her in Cambridge, MA is particularly helpful - one of the leaders is a lactation consultant and both leaders will come see you in the hospital or at home if you need help.

At least check it out - see if you can start making some contacts there. Even if you don't click with the leaders, you will very likely make some friends with other new moms.

Good luck! and feel free to PM me if you have questions.

[2boyzmama]

It's not a dumb question at all!!!

I have to admit, I did very little to prepare to breastfeed my first. I was under the impression that I was a mammal, I would just figure it out, after all, if my DOG could do it, why couldn't I?

I had a terrible birth that ended with a baby in NICU, everything that they say can get breastfeeding off to a bad start happened to us, from drugs to fluids to separation of mom and baby to pacifier...yet we breastfed. We exclusively breastfed. We breastfed until he was 3 yrs 4 months old!!!

We weren't without our share of issues...I had thrush from the antibiotics during birth and post partum, but I didn't know it. I suffered through it for months before asking anyone! I had mastitis several times, the first time I just suffered through, even as angry red streaks ran up my breast (I guess the infection just ran its course, because I never took antibiotics for that one). He had bad reflux, it seemed that everything that went into him came out, but yet somehow he was also very chubby, so it never ocurred to me to ask anyone about that either.

I finally got hooked up with a breastfeeding support group at my hospital called "Mommy Milk and Me" and started going to their weekly meetings. It was very informal, just show up anytime in the 2 hour window, weigh your baby if you wanted, ask the lactation consultant any questions you have, chat with the other moms. It was great!

We were overseas, had no family around, I didn't know much about LLL (I later found out there was a chapter there). Honestly, we just trudged onward, quitting not being an option. I had a huge supply, thankfully, or the problems we had might have snowballed into larger problems. I truly think that's what saved us since I was so ignorant of all the breastfeeding issues that could arise and where to go for help!!

Anyway...all this rambling...you have all of MDC at your hands for virtual help, we can answer your questions online or give you a call with advice. You have your local LLL leaders on call 24/7 for phone help, you can go to LLL meetings (and if you have a specific problem you want one-on-one help with, you can call a leader and arrange to show up early to the meeting so you get that one on one help), some LLL leaders will do home visits, or invite you to their home, most LLL leaders know of all the local lactation consultants and can direct you to one, often to one who will see you for free if your insurance doesn't cover it. If you qualify for WIC they often have LCs or breastfeeding peer counselors who can help. If you deliver in the hospital, the LC there will usually give you her name and number so you can call after you leave.

So you're not as alone as you think!!!!!

[hipmummy]

Before the baby comes try to attend at least one LLL meeting. Find out if there is a nursing mother's council in your area. Mama's like me (almost all are CLC's) help mama's and lend a ear so you can vent your frustrations
Also see if there are any breatfeeding classes in your area. If all else fails graba copy of the Womanly art of breastfeeding and then go to LLL after the baby is born. We are here to help you as well.

[KayleeZoo]

You are so on the ball for asking! I, like 2boyzmama, thought that it would just "happen" with my first baby- it IS natural, after all. Well, it didn't happen for us The nurses encouraged me to give dd several bottles, and after that I could not get her latched on at all. We stayed in the hospital for 3 days and as I was being discharged (literally, in the wheelchair going downstairs) the LC that I had requested showed up We formula fed and that was that.

I took a BF class through the hospital the 2nd time around and it was helpful- just because it empowered me. The LC who taught it gave everyone her cell number and told us to call her asap if we had trouble- so I knew that I had help. Just knowing who to call makes a HUGE difference, so I'm so glad that you're looking for resources. Definately contact LLL before you deliver and try to attend a meeting. Sometimes you don't need a LC to help you, another experienced BF mom can be a lot of help for someone who is nervous and just trying to get baby latched correctly, etc.

You're gonna do great!

[octobermoon]

good question! all these little things keep popping up that i haven't totally covered yet. i am definitely going to go to a Le Leche meeting in my area now. my old MW highly encouraged this and i kind forgot about it. i know my MW is also a LC and will help in the beginning so if i do end up having my HB she comes for a post partum visit also. but i think it's important to have a team just in case something should arise. happy breastfeeding everyone! i am so looking forward to this, i daydream about it all the time!

[ilovejeff]

BF is very important to me - my mom BF all three of us and was a LLL leader, so it's just something I've always expected to do.

I've been attending LLL meetings for the past several months. It's been SO helpful to see the new mama's and hear about what is working and not working for them. If I were having problems, I wouldn't hesitate to call the LLL Leader. I"m also lucky to have my "personal LC" - I gave my mom a LLL book to brush up (since it's been a couple decades for her) and will be calling her first if I have any problems. I'm also meeting with a couple of student doulas next week, since we might ask one to attend our birth and both have taken LC classes.

This is really important to me, so the more support I have the better!

[Dmitrizmom]

Good question. I was fortunate with my first - the hospital had 2 IBCLCs on staff and they were fabulous. My milk came in on day 3 and I was so engorged that ds couldn't latch on. I went in to the hospital and got help from the LC (she hooked me up to "Bessie" - their pump and in 6 minutes I had pumped out almost 10 oz!). Ds then latched on and things got better. They also had a breastfeeding support group that met once a week - we had moms whose children were from 3 days old to over 4 years old. It was awesome and I met quite a few friends there.

Hoping to find a similar group here... and if there isn't one, I might start one.

[Siobhain]

You can certainly attend LLL meetings while pg, it is very much welcomed. It can be hard to take that first step and go but you will likely find lots of support there (and very possibly other pg women). You can call your local LLL leader for support post partum even you have never attended a meeting, so having the info on hand before you have the baby is important. LLL leaders are all volunteer and experienced breastfeeding mothers that have gone through some training to give them the knowledge and skills to help mothers breastfeed. The meetings offer mother to mother support whereas if you choose to find a lactation consultant they are trained in lactation and will support you on a client/practitioner basis. They will be able to get you meds etc if you need them. LLL leaders are not supposed to offer medical advice, you will often hear what has worked for other mothers so the support at a meeting can be invaluable and it isn't always about lactation and breastfeeding, the meetings will delve into other parts of parenting, including nutrition, loving guidance etc. I am a retired LLL leader, I retired this last year because my life was too busy to fit in help calls and meetings but may go back to it after my children get a little older, we always had first time pg women at our meetings. I highly recommend attending four series meetings (so four months of meetings) before you have your baby, obviously we only have 3 months of pg left so I would attend your next possible meeting if you can.

Warmly,
Erin

[deymm]

I attended LLL meetings (they aren't really classes, they're more like support groups) and I also saw an LC (lactation consultant).

I got the most out of my LLL meetings.

Most hospitals have LCs on staff to help new moms.

[Conifer]

Hi,

I just wanted to let you know that I'm 20 weeks pg with my 3rd baby right now. My first had no issues at all BFing. My second wouldn't open her mouth wide enough and cause serious pain for several weeks until we got it right

I didn't attend LLL meetings while I was pg, but I know that they do welcome it. I did call my local LLL after I started having issues (you can look up yours on their website). They gave me a lot of help and support by phone and I did end up attending a few meetings. I never became really involved with LLL, but they were there when I needed them. BTW I ended up BFing DD for 22 months, we just had to get over that little hurdle (although it seemed like a mountain at the time).

Definitely ask for a lactation consultant at the hospital and they will get you one. Mine gave me a card to call her if I had any questions at all, but I got better help from the LLL in my opinion. Also the hospital I had DD at had a BFing support group.

[MichelleAnnette]

Lots of pregnant moms attend LLL meetings! And they are not classes, they are support meetings, although some LLL Leaders also offer classes. I always say, if there is one thing I think all pregnant moms should do, it is attend LLL meetings. Start going now! Pregnant moms come to the groups in my area all the time. And you can always call a local LLL Leader for help even if you have not gone to a meeting. You can find a local group via llli.org. There is also a national LLL help line if you cannot reach a local Leader, but definitely try and reach someone local first.

There is a fabulous online support group that I have been a member of for years. It is Breastfeeding Support for Mothers on yahoo. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group...t_for_Mothers/.

Sometimes online support will give you the help you need, other times you need to talk to or actually see someone.

I have learned a lot about various breastfeeding problems just by being a member of LLL because of the member magazine (now e-zine) New Beginnings. It's very worth it to become a member if you can afford it. Do it through your local group so that part of the funds stay with the group.

[mom2tig99Nroo03]

please go to lll now while preggie so you're comfortable w who you are calling later for help. obs and peds are next to worthless for bf issues except in rare circumstances.

[KayleeZoo]

obs and peds are next to worthless for bf issues except in rare circumstances

you aren't kidding!

my ped formula fed her kids, and my ob does pump and nurse her babies : but she hadn't had any kids when my first 2 were born, so she wasn't any help at all.

the post partum nurses were pretty much worthless, to be honest. i got 1 nurse out of who knows how many (and i was in the hospital for 3 days w/each of my girls) who breastfed her own kids and helped me. the others really pushed bottle feeding. one told me that she really discouraged the young, low-income, hispanic mothers to formula feed because god only knows what they're putting in their bodies that could be passed through their milk.

[grumpybear]

I credit LLL for helping me breastfeed my son. I started attending LLL meetings when I was about 7months pregnant and at first it was a bit intimidating seeing all these seasoned moms bf their 2nd, 3rd, 4th baby.

But these seasoned moms were once rookie moms too and they're perfect in terms of giving you tips and support.

Please do not feel intimidated by LLL. They are there to help all moms out (whether you're new to bf-ing or a seasoned bf-er with occasional problems).

[deymm]

Originally Posted by KayleeZoo

one told me that she really discouraged the young, low-income, hispanic mothers to formula feed because god only knows what they're putting in their bodies that could be passed through their milk.

O.M.G. That is so discriminatory--I don't even know where to begin with that. Ugh!

[mom2tig99Nroo03]

Originally Posted by KayleeZoo

i got 1 nurse out of who knows how many (and i was in the hospital for 3 days w/each of my girls) who breastfed her own kids and helped me. the others really pushed bottle feeding. one told me that she really discouraged the young, low-income, hispanic mothers to formula feed because god only knows what they're putting in their bodies that could be passed through their milk.

that is infuriating!

[Julia24]

As soon as you get to the hospital, ask about if they have an LC (or beforehand)...and then ask to have her sent up immediately after the baby is born (or as soon as she is available).

The LC at my hospital was TERRIBLY helpful (despite my 2x failure) - I came back 3x after discharge to work on things, weigh the baby, etc. With Maddie, the reflux and jaundice and weight loss (and lack of supply) did us in....with Grace - we never did figure out what was wrong...may have been a latch issue, but everything looked right from the outside (as the LC told me time and time again)...or it could have been an anatomy issue....she really tore up one of my nipples - but I had milk by the end of the fist day so I don't think it was too much a supply issue!

Anyways - don't discount the LCs at the hospital - that was my main point I plan to ask for one right away this time too, I just think that FIRST latch is so important - I'd like to start on the right foot and have an expert there to help if it's possible, yk?

[KayleeZoo]

As soon as you get to the hospital, ask about if they have an LC (or beforehand)...and then ask to have her sent up immediately after the baby is born (or as soon as she is available).

That is fantastic advice! I wish I had known to do that with my first.