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The beginning of your breastfeeding journey can feel overwhelming.
Although a mother breastfeeding her baby is natural, it’s important to remember that it’s something both mum and baby need to learn how to do together. The more support mums get during this time, the better.
That’s where Midwife Tylah comes in.
In our latest TMB TV interview, brought to you by Tommee Tippee, Tylah answered questions that many mums and mums-to-be have about breastfeeding.
Here’s what she said.
Tylah says this is a common question, and the answer is something many women might not realise is possible.
“I would say the number one way to prepare is to start to familiarise yourself with your breasts and begin to know how they function and how they feel,” says Tylah.
“I would 100 percent recommend expressing from 36 weeks, so you can start to see things happening and get that connection in your mind that you are going to be capable of doing this.”
Also, both YouTube and Global Health Media are great places to start looking for videos to watch about attachment.
“A common concern women have is knowing if their baby’s getting enough milk. There’s a lot of ways to tell, but one is that your breasts are being drained on both sides,” says Tylah.
“If you’re not feeling like that’s happening, you can express in the shower, or you can use a pump yourself.
“But at the end of the day, you want to feel like that breast has gone soft. And that’s when we know the ducts have emptied and the milk has gotten to baby.”
Read Tommee Tippee Made for Me Electric Breast Pump reviews.
If you’re worried about your baby being hungry, you aren’t alone. Reassuringly, Tylah says your body knows what to do.
“When you were growing your baby, you didn’t have to think, is this an arm? Is this a leg? What am I growing now? Am I growing it right? It just happened.
“You had this trust that your body is made to do this, and it will be okay. And this is very similar with breastfeeding.”
Importantly, Tylah says it’s natural for your baby to be very hungry in those first few days.
“Your baby might cluster feed but that’s to bring your milk in and ensure that by day three, you’ve got a really good thing going.
“Then your feeds will shorten a little bit. You’ll have bigger gaps in between them and you’ll settle into a routine. But that can’t happen without the baby demanding all this milk to let your body know that the baby has been born.”
If your are worried about your supply, have a chat with your midwife or a lactation consultant.
One of the main reasons breast pads are used is to help contain leaks.
“Once your milk comes in you can get that leakage, which some mums can be a bit self conscious about,” says Tylah.
“So I would say it all depends on how long you’re going to be in hospital. If you’re going to be one night or five nights, it’s a bit different. I would say they don’t hurt to pack.”
Read Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Disposable Breast Pads reviews.
It can take longer for milk to come in after a caesarian but not by much.
“We do occasionally find a delay with milk coming in with a caesarian section,” says Tylah. “It takes three to four days for milk to come in. And we find with a caesarian, sometimes it’s on the fourth day.”
“I would say your biggest friend is stimulation, so if you had a pump before you’re going into the caesarian. And you’re expressing from 36 weeks up until you have this caesarian, then you’ve already told your brain a baby’s coming.”
Breastfeeding mums will try anything to soothe sore breasts – and cabbage leaves are no exception. But do they work?
Tylah says, “The main reason why cabbage leaves are used is for engorgement. When your milk comes in, your breasts are sore, and cabbage leaves can be great. You put them in the freezer, they fit perfectly in your bra, and they can offer a lot of relief.”
However, Tylah also recommends using nappies to soothe sore breasts.
“We wet baby nappies and cut them in half and then put them into the bras because as they melt, they are not going to go everywhere,” she says.
“So it’s just a comfort option to help is that milk coming in and everything’s trying to equalise out.”
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