Preparing to breastfeed in pregnancy matters
SIX actionable steps and resource guide that can be done in pregnancy, from an RN and lactation consultant!
This may seem silly if you are pregnant and have never yet breastfed.
But this still can still mean a lot to you because the time to work on breastfeeding for the best outcomes, starts in pregnancy.
And your mindset matters. Believing you can will take you far.
Breastfeeding, like birth, isn’t something you can simply manifest with doing “all the right things”. But all the support, education, and foundation that comes with preparing for breastfeeding in pregnancy will give you a running start.
I get it, you are protecting yourself if things don’t work out by saying
“I hope I can breastfeed!”
Because breastfeeding is hard, shifting your mindset to a positive one really does make a difference in your journey.
Include breastfeeding support on a baby registry and know your insurance benefits
First that baby registry:
You can add whatever you want on there, it is your registry for your baby AND your postpartum.
Think about your biggest areas of need for newborn/baby days and postpartum recovery, and add items to meet those needs
I have rarely heard parents say:
“I have no idea what clothes I am going to put on my baby!”
rather
“I’m nervous breastfeeding won’t work out”
So add items help you through the areas you are feeling uneasy about. Maybe it’s not breastfeeding, maybe it’s sleep, tummy time, getting sick, etc.
And expanding your search more, you don’t even need to add physical items!
Be Her Village is an incredible resource where you can add support services to your registry, for you and baby, rather than physical items.
Now to insurance, I’ll keep this brief:
Under the Affordale Care Ace (ACA), the health care law requires new plans to cover breastfeeding supplies, and support and counseling without co-payments, deductibles, or co-insurance. Of course there are minor exceptions to this if your plan is “older” in origin.
The @nationalwomenslawcenter had an incredibly comprehensive and even scripted playbook of how to inquire about your lactation benefits (linked in stories)
Yes it will likely be a pain to do, but you are entitled to support, you and baby deserve to utilize it!
Find lactation support, individual or in group setting.
Because we were never meant to do this alone 🫶
Working with a lactation consultant (IBCLC) or certified lactation counselor (CLC) early on in your feeding journey (especially at the end of pregnancy) give you the head start to feeding success.
If working one on one with lactation support isn’t feasible for you, working with one in a group setting is the next best thing!
The support of lactation AND motherhood support is the best combo
Where to start your search for a lactation consultant for your family:
- recommendations from friends/family who recently had babies
- searching by your zip code (for in-person support) zipmilk.org is what I recommend for those in NJ
- Using The Lactation Network to match you
- Asking lactation consultants at the hospital
- Recommendations from your OB/midwife or pediatrician
- Local Facebook groups
- Google search “lactation consultant near me”
Where to start your search for a local support group for baby feeding:
- Through lactation consultants you consider working with
- La Leche League meetings
- Search local libraries, yoga studios, etc
- Local calendars for kid-friendly events
- Google search “breastfeeding support groups near me”
- Midwives/OBs offices
Learn the basics of hand expression
And I mean this to use for AFTER baby is born. Hand expression in pregnancy (aka antenatal hand expression) is optional and a bonus but not crucial to your success. Hand expression in pregnancy should not be done without a green light from your OB/midwife.
Okay now we’re clear that we’re talking how to hand express for use after baby is born.
Best case scenario you don’t need to hand express and right after birth, baby latches on, and keeps doing that with good milk transfer at least 8 times a day for 6 months.
But those breastfeeding stories are definitely the minority.
Hand expression is the second best way to remove colostrum in those early days. The best way is with an effectively feeding baby, but that isn’t always a given early on.
Reasons hand expression is beneficial/useful early in your breastfeeding journey:
- if you are separated from baby
- to wake up baby to feed
- no access to a breast pump
- can then be fed via spoon, syringe, cup, etc
- alternative/addition to combating a low blood sugar for baby
- the incredible other uses for breastmilk (nipple cream, healing face scratches or clogged tear ducts, etc)
- needing to “see it to believe it” mentality that you do have milk!
Experimenting with hand expression on yourself can certainly wait until baby is born, just save this video and come back to it.
Even better there would be someone there with you to show you how to hand express, but depending on your place of birth, this might not be a given.
Here is a how-to video created by yours truly on hand expression (on a balloon!)
Newborns are weird, here is some expected behavior from them in the baby feeding department in the early days:
(1) They might not really “eat” for 24 hours- usually there’s one good breastfeed then they pass out! They’re exhausted, just like you! It is also the perfect time for you to pass out as well!
(2) They have very minimal diapers- after 24hrs, diaper output is a big indicator of how well they’re feeding, since with BF you can’t tell! But on their first full day of life, the day after they’re born, only having one pee and 1 poop is a-okay. The next day, 2 diapers at minimum is great too
(3) They may only want mama- you made and literally grew them, once they’re born they are striaght up homesick. All the skin to skin and snuggles is exactly what they want and need.
(4) They will want to eat their own hands constantly- they were probably bored in there when they weren’t eavesdropping on all your conversations, so to pass the time they kicked you AND sucked on their hands, esp since they were likely right in their face squished into a tiny space
(5) They may spit up a lot- and not from you overfeeding them breastmilk or them having reflux. Because there is A LOT of extra amniotic fluid hanging around in their bellies.
Notice how none of these are included on the list:
🚫”formula until your milk comes in”
🚫 “they might at the breast too long”
🚫 “if they are hungry they will eat”
Get the education, and in this case, your start is free!
“Your Breastfeeding Journey Roadmap” is live and ready for you to dive into the 40 minutes of free lactation consultant and postpartum nurse prepared content.
We start by talking about your mindset heading in pregnancy surrounding breastfeeding. Then we dive into actionable steps you can do in each trimester (even the fourth!) to set you up for breastfeeding success 🪩🪩
GRAB THE GUIDE HERE!
If you take nothing else away from the free guide, it is to believe you can breastfeed.
This statement doesn’t go two ways, though. If you believe you can breastfeed and take the steps ahead of time to do so, there is a much greater chance of a longer breastfeeding journey. BUT if you weren’t able to breastfeed in the capacity you imagined, it was not that you didn’t believe you could 🫶
