August is World Breastfeeding Month, and to help new moms, we’ve compiled top tips, tricks, myths debunked, and real mom stories from the frontlines! While it’s not always easy to breastfeed and we support every choice, we hope to help make it a bit easier for new moms with advice from the experts and from real moms like you.
From first days, to long-term nursing, to weaning, our momstown moms have been there and have real stories to share!
- Get prepared to breastfeed with our top 5 Nursing basics – things you'll want in your nursery before baby comes home!
- Breastfeeding in public continues to be a hot topic – see what our momstown moms had to say
- Long-term breastfeeding truths exposed in 'Why Am I Embarrassed to Breastfeed a Toddler?'
- Weaning advice (or 'releasing the girls from milk service'!) from a mom who's been there three times!
We check in with the experts for breastfeeding tips to help new moms. Lactation consultant and registered nurse Shari Criso shares some of her Top Breastfeeding Myths & Tips for success.
Myth: You have to have the perfect diet and lifestyle to make good and enough milk.
Fact: This is just untrue. If having the perfect diet, enough rest, not too much stress, etc. were major factors in your body's ability to feed your baby then our species would have died off long ago. People throughout history have lived through some of the most difficult situations and still were able to feed. Although our own health does make breastfeeding easier, it is not critical in making enough or good "quality" milk. A good diet will keep you healthy, but regardless of what you are eating your milk is rarely effected except in the most extreme cases.
Myth: Breastfeeding will change the shape of your breasts.
Fact: Breastfeeding itself is not the culprit. Other factors that can change your breast appearance more than breastfeeding includes BMI, age, history of smoking, large pre-pregnancy breast size and number of pregnancies.
Tip #1: Become as knowledgeable and educated as possible about breastfeeding BEFORE you have your baby. Trying to wing it after the baby comes or rely on the staff at the hospital to teach you could be a disaster and the reason why breastfeeding was not successful.
Tip #2: Purchase what you will need to make breastfeeding more comfortable and easier especially in the first few weeks when you are first adjusting and it is usually the most difficult time. You don't have to spend a lot of money to accomplish this, but assume that you WILL be successful and get what you need.
Tip #3: Make sure you are surrounded with support. One of the biggest challenges and reasons for moms not having the success that they want with breastfeeding is not getting the support from the people around them. Get your partner on board with education and information. Find friends and other breastfeeding moms who were successful to speak to and line up a lactation consultant before you deliver so you can reach out for help as soon as you need it.
We're always in tune with real moms across the country on social media and asked them to chime in on where they got support and help – here's a sampling of what they had to say:
- GTA moms recommend Jack Newman's clinic and website
- La Leche League got mentions from moms across the country
- Kellymom.com is a relatively new resource that got lots of thumbs up
- Hospital nurses, public health units, lactation consultants and local doulas are other invaluable resources supporting moms in the early days of breastfeeding
If you're looking for support in your region, almost every public health unit offers breastfeeding support as well as listing of lactation consultants. Google 'public health+breastfeeding+REGION' to get the best results.
momstown chapters across the country support moms and moms-to-be with every element of parenting and motherhood; our Belly Basics prenatal events and programs provide information and support on many topics, from bathing to feeing to infant safety. We're here to support and connect moms every day!
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