Breast feeding? Let’s talk about it..

If you’re a new mom you may have some BIG questions when it comes to feeding your new baby and don’t worry we got that covered here’s all my questions I had when I got pregnant and then had my son as a first time mom:

1. What feeding options do I have?

You have 2 main ways to feed your baby

One is breast milk (milk that comes from female breasts)

And the other is formula

2. What’s breastfeeding? Breastfeeding is the process of feeding a baby with milk directly from the mother's breasts. The milk is produced by the mother's body after childbirth and contains all the essential nutrients, antibodies, and fats a baby needs for healthy growth and development.

3.how do I breastfeed? The baby latches onto the mother's breast and sucks, stimulating milk production and flow. The body adjusts the amount of milk produced based on the baby's needs.

4. What is pumping and How do I pump? Pumping breast milk allows you to express milk for storage or feeding at a later time. Ensure the breast pump and all its parts are clean and sterilized before use. Wash Hands: Clean your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Relax: Sit in a comfortable position. Relaxation can help your milk flow better. Warm Compress: Apply a warm cloth to your breasts for a few minutes to stimulate milk flow. Position the Pump: Center the breast shield (the part that fits over your nipple) over your nipple. Make sure your nipple is centered in the tunnel of the shield. Start Pumping

- **Electric Pump**:

- Begin with a low suction setting and gradually increase to a comfortable level.

- Start with a stimulation mode (if your pump has one) to mimic a baby’s sucking. Switch to expression mode after a few minutes.

- **Manual Pump**:

- Squeeze the handle or bulb to create suction. Repeat rhythmically to express milk.

Duration

- Pump for about 15-20 minutes per breast, or until milk flow slows down or stops.

- If double pumping (both breasts at once), use a double electric pump to save time.

After Pumping

- Store the milk in clean, sterilized bottles or storage bags. Label them with the date and time.

Clean the Pump - Clean all parts that came in contact with the milk thoroughly with hot, soapy water, or follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Tips:

- Pump at regular intervals, ideally around the times your baby would normally feed, to maintain milk supply.

- Stay hydrated and eat well to support milk production. If you need to build a supply, try pumping after breastfeeding sessions.

5. Does it hurt? Sometimes if your baby latches on weirdly or pulls or even uses you as a teething toy (later on when baby is around 4+ months)

6.what types of pumps are there?

Manual Pump**: Hand-powered, ideal for occasional pumping.

- **Electric Pump with cord**: Powered by electricity, more efficient for frequent pumping.

- **Hands free and cordless pumps: powered by a portable and rechargeable battery easy to place in your bra and clean or play video games 😋

7. Why is my chest hurting and so hard and heavy?! That’s called engorgement and it SUCKSSSSS

8. What is engorgement mean? Breast engorgement is the enlargement of your breast due to them being of milk and your milk not regulated yet causing them to enlarge and be sensitive causing pain and discomfort.

9. How long do I have to do this? The minimum amount of bf time is 1-2 years old but it’s ur body do what you please 👏🏻 whatever you’re comfortable with but 1 year is the minimum recommended amount of time:))

10. How do I stop once I reach my limit? Depending on if you wanna stop producing milk completely or just get baby off the breast! To stop completely: slowly decrease pumping and feeding times and reduce the amount you pump by limiting sessions.. you will feel uncomfortable it’s bound to happen unfortunately. To get baby off the breast: stop latching and increase bottle feeds and continue pumping!! This is crucial to not ending your supply 🙃

11. Whats cheaper formula or breast feeding?

Tbh this depends on SO MANY FACTORS!!! And depends on your individual lifestyle 👏🏻

12. Whats an oversupply? An over supply is a term used for mothers who produce “too much milk” or “more milk than baby needs at each feeding” I have a severe oversupply (as you can see in the photo) it has its pros and cons fs and truly is a ton of work to keep up with! 😤

13. How do I store milk? You can store milk in the fridge, freezer or deep freezer! You can store it in the fridge a couple of ways: in storage cups or a pitcher and mix your milk throughout the 4 days then freeze at the end! For freezing (regular or deep) you’ll need to put the milk in “breast milk storage bags”! You’ll need to measure the desired amount in oz, squeeze the air out as much as possible (air bubbles and cause freezer burn!! Which can change the taste of the milk for bub and he/she may not drink it lol) (label it with a sharpie with the date, how many ounces, and if baby goes to daycare their name) and laid flat!!

14. When is milk supposed to be thrown?

Milk freshly pumped: 4 hours on the counter without being touched to babies lips/mouth!! If drank from time goes down to 2 hours then must be dumped!

Milk in the fridge: 4 days max any longer dispose!

Milk in normal freezer layed flat: 6 months

Milk in deep freezer: 1 year!!

15. How long do I pump for?

Depends on your individual circumstances! (Over supply? You need to pump longer to relieve pain)

Tip: to increase supply pump even if nothing is coming out!!

15 mins is a good window to experiment with and when baby is first born they will need more frequent feeds! (Every 2 hours) and that’s when you would pump as well (every 2 hours for 15 mins each!!)

16. How often do I have to pump?

First couple months: every 2 hours or so

After 3 months I’d pump it to every 4 hours

And so forth!

17. Why is this so draining? Because it’s HARD WORKKK it’s a full time job and sometimes an inconvenience ngl.. good luck mama 💋🫶🏻😋 #breastfeedingtips #breastfeedingjourney #baby #mamalife #firsttimemomtips