The Long Wait
In the nine months awaiting for the arrival of your baby, you prepare and plan a lot in anticipation of their arrival. Let’s be honest, we are typically keeping our efforts in areas that we can control. Like what color will their room be? What crib will you buy? When it comes to those open ended plans like baby feeding, we tend to settle for… I plan to *insert plan here*. However, we may not always prepare much further than that- that is OK! There is no handbook or guide to parenting nor baby feeding. In all honesty, we are all figuring it out as we go.
Preparation
That being said- what can we do to make this journey easier? Education! You can start learning about baby feeding during your pregnancy. You can do this by meeting with a SimpliFed provider one on one. Together, you can set goals, make a plan, and learn the basics ahead of baby’s arrival. Helping you to feel more comfortable and confident in your ability. Then, once your baby is here you already have a relationship established and can make a follow up appointment in no time at all! Our providers can help with all of the obstacles that you may come up against with baby feeding. To get started, text CONNECT to 888-458-1364 and the SimpliFed team will get you set up with an appointment covered by your health plan at no cost to you.
Becoming a Reality
After the baby is born- all of that information now becomes a reality. Latching a baby is a lot different when you are doing it yourself versus watching an instructor and a demo doll. Plus, it is always a shock to see what feeding every 2-3 hours looks like in real time. Remember, breastfeeding may be natural, but it does not always happen naturally. We continue to need support during all of these physical, hormonal, and lifestyle transitions.
Discomfort While Latching
If at any point in time, you are experiencing any pain or discomfort while latching or pumping- get in contact with a lactation professional! This is not one of those things that you grin and bear through it. Feeding or pumping should feel like the skin on the back of your hand being pinched lightly and pulled; noticeable but not painful. Many times, it can take your baby a few days to really get the hang of it. However, if you continue to breastfeed or pump while being in pain, you risk damaging your nipples and prolonging the pain and discomfort.
Milk Production
Just like the transition that you are going through, your milk has to go through some transitions of its own. It slowly increases and changes over the first week of life in dramatic ways. Then continues to do so over the next few weeks. Sometimes, it is nice to have some reassurance that this is all normal. If you have any concerns about your supply or your baby’s growth- reach out to your lactation professional! They can help you to ensure that your baby continues to get what they need to grow!
Engorgement
During your milk transitioning, you may experience something called engorgement. This is when your breasts tend to feel extremely full and heavy. Possibly even causing issues with latching. While normal, it is helpful to learn those tips and tricks to deal with engorgement before it causes any further issues.
Bottom line. No matter where you are in your feeding journey- do not suffer in silence. Reach out for answers when you have questions. Get help when you hit an obstacle. We are all learning as we go. At least this way we can learn together!
