{"id":2203,"date":"2019-08-07T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-08-07T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prd-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=2203"},"modified":"2023-06-27T22:35:54","modified_gmt":"2023-06-27T22:35:54","slug":"girlfriends-guide-to-breastfeeding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/girlfriends-guide-to-breastfeeding\/","title":{"rendered":"The girlfriends’ guide to breastfeeding","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

By Angie Carson<\/strong><\/p>\n

World Breastfeeding Week is Aug. 1 to 7. We think that’s worth celebrating, so we asked a panel of mothers and one of our lactation specialists to share their breastfeeding experiences and advice.<\/p>\n

Breastfeeding is different for everyone<\/h3>\n

Breastfeeding is a unique experience for every mother and baby. It takes time to figure out how to get your baby to latch properly, which way to hold them and how long they take to eat. These factors can also change from day to day. Your baby may decide they don’t like being cradled while feeding after all, or that they only want to lie on their right side.<\/p>\n

Katy Erickson, BSN, RNC, IBCLC, an assistant nurse manager at MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital, encourages mothers to ask for help with breastfeeding.<\/p>\n

\u201cBreastfeeding was so hard for me in the beginning with my first baby, and that\u2019s what pushed me to become a lactation consultant,\u201d says Erickson. \u201cBreastfeeding is really hard for so many moms and that early support makes all the difference. Also, having resources to help you when you have questions can make the experience so much easier and more enjoyable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lactation consultants at MultiCare\u2019s Family Birth Centers offer help for new breastfeeding moms. MultiCare Women, Infant and\u00a0Children (WIC) Nutrition Services also provides support, including education, resources for breastfeeding questions, early infant support and assistance to breastfeeding mothers returning to work.\u00a0Lactation consultants\u00a0are also available to offer help to new breastfeeding moms via a video visit from your home, or in person visits.<\/p>\n

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Learn more about our Breastfeeding Support Services<\/a><\/p>\n

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Breastfeeding isn’t always easy<\/h3>\n

Here’s what your girlfriends aren’t telling you. Breastfeeding can be a challenge, and guess what \u2014 it hurts.<\/p>\n

“I assumed because it was a natural process that it would be easy. It wasn\u2019t always,” says Marce, a Tacoma mom.<\/p>\n

It can be painful when your milk comes in and your breasts become engorged. And it can hurt when your baby latches. In addition to learning how to hold your baby while they feed or how often to feed them, moms can get frustrated about breastfeeding, especially when running on only a couple hours of sleep.<\/p>\n

As Jen, a mom from Puyallup, puts it, “I was surprised at how much it hurt to nurse in the beginning. I had a few moments during those first weeks when I wanted to give up.”<\/p>\n

Be patient. It will get better.<\/p>\n

“Both the mother and baby are learning how to breastfeed. Your baby is learning to latch and eat and you are learning how to read baby’s behavior,” says Erickson. “It can be a hard learning curve, but it gets easier.”<\/p>\n

Here are some tips from our panel of mothers to help make breastfeeding easier.<\/p>\n

Be sure to have nipple cream and ice packs to help soothe tender skin.<\/p>\n

Get a breastfeeding pillow that wraps around your waist. It’s a lifesaver, making it more comfortable for you and your baby to feed.<\/p>\n

Create a breastfeeding station at your house. Stock it with water and snacks for mom, and burp cloths and a breastfeeding pillow close at hand for baby. If you have other children, especially toddlers, include a small box of new toys.<\/p>\n

“Whenever my baby needed to nurse, my toddler would get right in there and ask questions and wonder what was going on,\u201d says Rebecca, a Tacoma mom. \u201cShe luckily was just more curious about the process, and never jealous. But I was prepared with the box of fun things in case she needed to be distracted.”<\/p>\n

Malinda Carlile<\/a>, ARNP, RNC, IBCLC, offers tips for mothers having trouble getting baby to latch:<\/p>\n