Breastfeeding Essentials for Working Moms

So when I was pregnant, I was a good student. I read a lot of books, even interviewed a couple of new and veteran moms and attended a couple of workshops. I found the whole life-growing-inside-my-tummy thing enormously fascinating.

It was during the course of all my research of course where I discovered that breastfeeding is really the best food for a growing baby. I heard the testimonies, read up on the science and consulted some advocates. I really felt as if I had prepared as much as I could before the baby arrived.

But boy, reading up on it and actually living it was just two different kettle of fish altogether.

Here are a few tips to ease you into the wonderful world of breast feeding.

Tip 1. If you need to: Get Help.
My baby and I started out pretty good. I wasn't experiencing any pain from feeding and my milk was coming in steady and strong. Everything was fine 'til he developed breast milk jaundice (from persistently high levels of bilirubin in the breast milk). My pedia decided to put Diego on pure formula for 3 days just to make sure that the jaundice wasn't because of some other reason.

So for three days he had formula and I pumped. His jaundice cleared up, hooray! But then came the nipple confusion and blisters and a truly excruciating week. When I finally couldn't take it anymore I called a lactation consultant.

Abie was fantastic. She observed what I was doing, gave advice on how to alleviate the pain and even how to get more sleep.

She also told me a really important thing: breastfeeding is natural but it is not always easy. That really helped me feel as if I wasn't a failure because I was thinking of almost giving up (yes, the pain was that bad). She explained that I should stick it out for 6 weeks of direct feeding (no giving Diego the bottle to avoid a repeat of the nipple confusion that caused the blisters in the first place) and afterwards it would be smooth sailing.

I did and the rest as they say is history! :)

(Side note: If you have sore, cracked or blistered nipples, try Medela's Purelan or Lansinoh's Lanolin Nipple Cream. I've tried both and they really helped heal my blisters and prevent future ones from ocurring)


Tip 2. Relax.
Don't stress yourself out trying to be the perfect mommy. Accept that there are things you will do well and some that you will screw up and learn how to do better. You'll produce more milk when you're not worrying about everything. Focus on how cute your baby is or do something while feeding that will relax you.

One thing that worked really well for me was reading, listening to music or watching a movie on my iPod/iPhone. Since I really couldn't do much while the baby was latched on to me, and turning on the TV might be distracting for the baby, having a portable gadget I can control with one hand was really very useful.


Tip 3. Take care of yourself.
Eat properly (the quality of your milk depends on how healthy you are and what you eat). Get enough rest-- I don't think the husbands understand how draining breastfeeding is. Maybe it would help if they thought of babies as tiny little vampires happily feeding on their mothers. Cute but still greedy little suckers. (no offense!)

Don't ignore the physical activity. Even if it's just a short walk or jog. If you need time for yourself, go take a few hours break (walk or drive around, go to the mall or park, just look at something different for a moment). You'll feel better when you get back.

The healthier you are, the more milk you produce. And this means you'll be able to pump and store a good supply of milk for when you get back to working full time.


Tip 4. Develop "thick skin".
You will encounter some naysayers. Don't mind them. I used to just smile and nod, deflect by changing the topic then just do whatever I wanted anyway. It's almost useless to argue, and takes a lot of energy.

Also, be prepared to become shameless. I was a strike anywhere, anytime kind of mom. If baby was hungry, then I breast fed him. Good news is, there are a host of products out now that will ensure that your modesty will still be preserved-- people around you probably won't even notice you're breastfeeding. Just pick the right nursing tops and other accoutrements.

Oh and if it's time for you to pump, don't be afraid or ashamed to ask if an establishment has a place where you can pump in peace. I think I'll write a separate entry about all the strange and unexpected places where I had to go and pump. Hey, when the needs must and all that jazz.


Tip 5. Be at peace with your choices.
I made a very conscious choice to breastfeed Diego exclusively (no formula since those 3 days when he was prescribed) for at least 1 year. So whatever adjustments I made as result of that choice didn't bother me at all.

I just kept thinking: This may be inconvenient for me, but giving him breast milk is best for him. And when I put it that way, it really became a no-brainer. I wouldn't mind mild inconveniences because i was really giving him the best head start I could.

But if you choose something different, say to mix feed or to only breast feed for 6 months or less. Don't beat yourself up about it. We all live in different situations, and we are all just trying the best we can.


Tip 6. Keep your Sense of Humor.
Breast feeding and pumping milk (whether by hand expression or with the help of a breast pump) have their own inglorious moments. Keep things in perspective and just have a good laugh when something comes up. This way you won't resent all the little ways your body has been hijacked by your baby.

Whenever I hooked myself up on to my Medela Pump-in-style Advanced, the phrase "I am cow, hear me moo." always ran in my head. It never failed to crack me up.




Tip 7. Find a network of support.
Don't underestimate the power of an understanding smile or encouraging words. It helps to know other people going through the same thing. You can rant and rave together, you can share experiences and tips, even cheer each other on. I don't think I would have lasted as long without the help and support from the other breast feeding moms in my support group. They have just been fabulous.