The Breastfeeding Thread!

[Deleted]

So last week I shared my UO regarding extended BFing and many of you wonderful ladies responded with your own personal stories and reasoning for choosing to do so. Since then, I've been thinking that we need a thread where we can talk about all things breastfeeding. I'm a FTM so I have no experience with this, I only know what I'm planning to do (if all goes well) and what I *think* I am comfortable with. 

So I would love to hear from everyone:

What has been your experience or what are you planning to do? How long do you plan to BF?

Will you BF, supplement with formula, pump, etc.? 

Are you comfortable with letting it all hang out or are you planning to cover it up?

Experienced moms - do you have any tips for the first timers?

Obviously there are no wrong answers, so let's keep this flame-free please!

[Deleted]

Personally, I would like to exclusively breast feed for at least the first 6 months. Since I will have to go back to work after a short maternity leave - this will involve lots of pumping, which I haven't figured out how I'm going to do while I'm at the office. After 6 months I'd like to get the baby started on real food. Also, if the baby allows it, I would like to cover up while feeding in public. I'm very self-consious about people looking at me.

[herbavein]

I breastfed DD until she was 22 months, when she self-weaned. By that point, she was only nursing first thing in the morning and before bed (but not to sleep)

I went into it being very committed to breastfeeding, and was lucky that one if my closest friends was a huge advocate and had two kids already.

DD was five weeks early and in the NICU for that long, so I pumped around the clock, and was allowed to nurse her once a day. From the day she came home, we exclusively breastfed on demand when I was with her.
I was comfortable NIP without a cover, and never had any problems with other people.

I went back to work at four months, and pumped when I was away from her. I kept pumping until she was a year, then stopped (which was great). Continued to nurse on demand when we were together, but the number of sessions went down over time. We never had to supplement with formula, but I was also "lucky" to have created a huge stash from her NICU stay.

I'm hoping for no NICU stay, obviously, but for a similar experience otherwise - my breastfeeding relationship with DD was wonderful.

We started baby-led weaning re solid foods at six months, which was also great for us.

[bendherova]

It was so much harder than I anticipated with DS1. It was painful, and my nipples were torn up. I asked for help from LC's in the hospital (that was awful) and I was fortunate that our pediatrician was very pro BF and had LC's on her staff and held a nursing mom's group every week. I cried a lot of tears those first 6w of nursing.

My milk came in on a Saturday (ds was born on tuesday, he got small amts of formula in between). I committed each Saturday to giving it another week and reassessing then. Before I knew it, I was at 2mo and things were getting easier. By 4 months, quitting was the farthest thing from my mind.

he nursed ft for 12mo (except for the pumped milk at daycare and the occasional night out w/ DH) and then cut his two daytime feedings out and continued to nurse first and last thing until 15mo.   We started trying solid foods at 6mo, but he wanted little to do with them until after he hit a year, which was fine, since his nutritional needs from 6-12mo are supposed to be met by breast milk or formula anyway.

Obviously I'm ok with a pump, and a small amt of formula is ok for me.

I will feel much more comfortable with NIP this time bc I've been there done that. With DS1, I isolated myself in a quiet room or in the car when in public-- I won't have that luxury now bc DS1 will have demands too. I'll try to use a cover, but the baby may not approve.


The best part of the nursing group is that we went places together and practiced nursing in public. They also knew where all the mother's rooms were in the various public spaces and that was also helpful. It was also helpful to have a group of women to turn to who were experiencing motherhood for the first (or more) times, bc I was the first in my social group to have a baby.  

I plan to nurse again, and I feel like I'll be more relaxed about it bc I know that I've done it successfully (I also had a bit of PPA w/ DS1, so I"ll be looking for that again too).  I also know when I need to ask for help, and I am comfortable doing so.  

Advice:  Seek out lactation consultant resources in your area prior to delivery and have contact info available when you may need it.  If you have a bad experience with those in the hospital (I did), then look for someone else.    Ask your experienced BF mom friends questions,  the Kelly mom website is an amazing resource.  Don't be hard on yourself.  For as much as people say it's natural, it's still something both you and your baby have to learn.  And the learning curve is steep.  


Also, if you are miserable, and it's just not working for you, it's ok to call it a day.  Your baby needs you to be happy first and foremost or you won't be able to care for him or her.  Feed your baby the way or combo of ways that works best for your family and do not feel guilty about it at all.  

[missjenniebean]

I'm a FTM also, hoping that breast feeding will go as planned!


What has been your experience or what are you planning to do? How long do you plan to BF?
I plan to BF, me being a noob for some reason thought you only BF for a certain amount of time, but after reading many ladies experiences on here I do not know for how long to BF..


Will you BF, supplement with formula, pump, etc.?
I will not use formula unless I have to, also being a FTM I have no idea what to expect.
I will have to pump when I return to work but plan on starting before hand so I can get the hang of it.

Are you comfortable with letting it all hang out or are you planning to cover it up?

I am definitely not going to let it hang out. I can't even wear a low cut shirt without freaking out. I also believe that BF is a personal moment between my baby and me and I am selfish and I don't like to share. We will obviously see how that goes. again bc I am a FTM.



I am excited to see how it all plans out. I am pretty stubborn so I hope I can breastfeed because I will be devastated if I can't! Can't wait to hear what you ladies have to say!

[wifedeangel]

I'm a SAHM, and BF DD for 18 months. I Intend to do about the same with this baby.

I don't plan on using any formula, but if it becomes necessary, I have no problems doing what needs to be done. I hate pumping and will only do the bare minimum necessary. That will mean my MIL won't be able to feed the baby when she visits, but oh well.

I'm not worried about nursing in public. I nursed DD in the car a lot when we were out and about, but now that I have a toddler, I know that won't always work. Im not worried about covering up or what others think, my serious RBF usually protects me from unwanted comments.

Side note: the first few months of BFing DD were HARD. My nipples were cracked and bleeding most of the time, engagement, constant nursing... Yeah. BUT the payoff what definitely worth it. We had such a bond, and she's a strong and healthy little thing.

(Disclaimer: yes formula moms do bond with their babies too, yada yada yada)

[tiffbot]

What has been your experience or what are you planning to do?

DS was 6.5 weeks early, and even so, after a few solid days of pumping and lots of coaching from the nurses, by day 5 I think he was latching and starting to get a little on his own. The NICU was great at letting him at least try from 2 days old and try every feeding, but I always had to pump enough for the times we wouldn't be there and when he wasn't sucking and it went through his nasal feeding tube (one trick they did was let him latch because he was good at that, and then would attach my milk to the tube and let him know latching=food)
I'll be honest, and I'll probably totally pay for it this time around, DS was a great BFer. I didn't go through the cracked/bleeding nipples/crying because it hurts phase.

How long do you plan to BF?

With DS I did until 8 months. After having one child, Im not making plans. I'll just see what works this time around as it happens!

Will you BF, supplement with formula, pump, etc.? 

I exclusively BF DS those 8 months, and plan to do so as long as it works with the next. ETA: I'm dumb, milk wise just breast fed, around 6 months started introducing solids.

Are you comfortable with letting it all hang out or are you planning to cover it up?

Once you get the hang of it, I find it easy to find ways to get the best of both worlds. I'm not one to totally pull it out in public, but once I do and baby is eating you can set yourself or your shirt in a way that kind of hides without covering baby too much. At home however, newborn days there were times I hardly wore a shirt lol.

Experienced moms - do you have any tips for the first timers?

I'm team feed your baby. Feed them however it happens. Ask or find help, DSs time in the NICU was incredibly informative and hands on, which is what I need (though I don't recommend a NICU stay to get that haha). And relax, like everything you'll do, don't overthink it. Just do what needs to be done. You WILL get through rough learning phases because you have to.

[Bluedaisy]

I'm a FTM as well. I plan to breastfeed exclusively for six months if possible but if it's not possible I will supplement with formula. I'm taking 14 months maternity leave which will make it easier and I'm hoping to nurse until a year. I'll definitely pump as needed.

I will be covering up in public.

[Deleted]

Thank you for starting this! FTM and my plan is to BF until I go back to work and then pump/BF until as long as I can up until a year. I get a pump through insurance so I will have that at home, and my best friend just gave birth in December and wasn't able to BF so she is giving me her unused pump as well that I will keep at my office.

I'm so worried about what to do during work travel during that time though. My first trip will be when LO is about 4 months old. I don't want my supply to dwindle. I will pump, but curious if any STMs have advice?

[sordidvolition]

My initial plan was to bf until teeth but after struggling and researching decided to nurse as long as DS wanted. I plan on doing the same with this lo.

I plan on bf and pumping. If I need to supplement, I will but formula is not in the plan

I covered at first but then it got HOT (Texas summer) It's pretty easy to nurse without a cover without being exposed after you try it a few times. Luckily, I live in a pro bf area so you see mamas nursing all over the place.

Tips?? Ask your nurses or pediatrician for a lactation consultant. They'll know good ones.
Get your SO on board, because you'll need lots of support.
Kellymom.com was super helpful answering questions.

[wormgerm]

I babysit my nephew 7:30-3:30 M-F since he was 12 weeks old, he'll be 1 March 3rd. He and I are bonded over countless bottle feedings of pumped breast milk and more recently formula as my sister's supply spontaneously dried up around 10 months. That just goes to echo pp's statement that bottle feeders bond just as well as breast feeders.

FTM so my goals are to get through the initial learning curve as best as possible and then exclusively BF till 6 months. Then continue BFing hopefully for the first year if my body and baby are both into it. The motto I learned in my formal education in nutrition is "food is fun until you're 1" so we will introduce some combo of baby-led weaning and probably some purees but nutrition will still come from my milk (or formula if I have to.) After that we will see what we're comfortable with. I don't see myself BFing a 2 year old but never say never, right?

I will use formula with no remorse if, with all available help options exhausted, BFing doesn't pan out. Some things in life are out of our control and you just have to move on. I ordered a pump and will use that to aid in any BFing issues that come up and to create a supply so I can go out occasionally.

I'm body conscious so I will cover up in public in the beginning but I probably wont isolate myself from friends and family. It is just feeding the baby after all. Maybe I'll get more comfortable over time and just whip it out. I have a ring sling which I hear are good for nursing in and I think I found a good light weight nursing cover with snaps to help keep it in place. We shall see!

[herbavein]

Feb 22, 2015 10:09:51 GMT -5 @ktpatter said:

Thank you for starting this! FTM and my plan is to BF until I go back to work and then pump/BF until as long as I can up until a year. I get a pump through insurance so I will have that at home, and my best friend just gave birth in December and wasn't able to BF so she is giving me her unused pump as well that I will keep at my office.

I'm so worried about what to do during work travel during that time though. My first trip will be when LO is about 4 months old. I don't want my supply to dwindle. I will pump, but curious if any STMs have advice?

I traveled for the first time when DD was 8 months old. The important thing is to prioritize pumping - if your supply is good, I'd do every three hours during the day, and you might be able to go up to five hours at night, but if you're worried, I'd do every three.  I will warn you that my period came back on that trip; even though I was pumping as much as she was nursing, I think my body knew the difference...

You'll also need a room with a fridge and to look into how you're going to bring it back. The breastfeeding or EP boards would probably have great advice, too.

[holliberry28]

Thanks for starting this thread, @littlebee.

I'm a FTM and I'm planning to BF hopefully for the first year. I'll have to go back to work at 4 months, but going to try to pump way before that to build up a stash.

I'll definitely try to BF and pump, to get LO used to a bottle for when I go back to work. Hoping I won't have to use formula, but only time will tell.

I definitely don't feel comfortable in public, and will cover up or BF in private.

Curious about LED weaning too, need to read up more on that.

[ladysif]

I am team feed baby, too. I like bfing because you don't have to worry about running out of formula/water while out or traveling, it is always available and no clean up. And low cost.

I bf DS1 for 25 months. No real reason, it was just going well, my supply was there and it worked for us. I'll bf this one likely quite a while too. I'd like to do at least a year again.

Like @bendherova, the first 6 weeks was AWFUL. It sucked and I hate that it has discolored those first weeks with him. Not having experienced it before, I didn't realize I had major over supply once my milk did come in (and it took like 5 days, his weight dropped a bit and we were talking supplementing when my milk finally arrived) and that caused major latch issues because DS kept popping on and off because the milk was coming too strongly and he'd choke if he tried to keep up. I had no clue.

That quickly turned into an insanely cracked nipple and got to the point that I cried with pain every. single. time. I did this fear dance of not wanting to put it in his mouth and having to brace myself because the initial latch hurt so badly. I would pull him off when I couldn't take the pain anymore and he'd have blood around his mouth (not dangerous for him but creepy as all get out, looked like a little vampire). I tried everything, nipple creams, this expensive bee honey wax stuff, nursing reclined/laying down, multiple consults with the lactation consultant, but the issue was that the crack was so bad it never had a chance to heal with needing to bf every couple hours. I then got mastitis (joy) so decided if I had any chance at continuing and having a good bfing relationship, I needed to just exclusively pump until it healed. Pumping of course made it take longer to heal but wasn't as rough so it could heal. I still bf the other side and pumped the bad side for 2 weeks while it healed. Thank heaven it worked and I had no further problems after that, but I felt stupid for making myself suffer unnecessarily so long.

This time, if I have the same issue, I'll likely pump off a bit first to manage the strong flow. Even though pumping like that can send the false signal that your body needs to produce more milk, there aren't many other ways I didn't try to manage a super strong letdown and I want to avoid this issue happening ever again!

I tried to cover up in public, but DS1 HATED nursing covers and would kick it off so I'd flash the entire world repeatedly, it wasn't discreet. I therefore have pulled the sitting on a public restroom in a stall nursing him thing. Hoping DS2 will be more amenable to the cover.

I am also a SAHM, which does make it much easier to bf regularly and longer. I am sure I wouldn't have done it as long if I had gone back to work; after the first 5 months, my supply regulated more and the pump wasn't as effective as DS.

My biggest tip is to just understand that you can have your goals, but you cannot 100% control how your body responds. You may have over supply, under supply, a kid with a tongue-tie, high lipase, cracks, what have you... so have an open mind. Get help right away if you need it, talk to us, and know that whatever way it works out, your baby will be fed and thrive. And yes, there are those (to me) magical mommy unicorns who have zero issues bfing!

[ajm11]

What has been your experience or what are you planning to do? How long do you plan to BF?
I plan to BF for a year. I hope to wean around 12-13 months, but I probably won't force the issue.

Will you BF, supplement with formula, pump, etc.?
I hope to exclusively BF with minimal pumping. DD was unable to latch as a newborn, so I was pretty much married to my pump for several weeks. It sucked, so I am hoping this one latches right away.

Are you comfortable with letting it all hang out or are you planning to cover it up?
It depends. I nursed without a cover around close friends and close family, but I usually used a swaddle blanket as a cover when out. Honestly, I had a lot of anxiety about nursing in public for a long time because I had to use a nipple shield. That made things even more complicated and difficult to manage under a cover. I hope that IDGAF this time and just unapologetically nurse uncovered.

Experienced moms - do you have any tips for the first timers?
If you are having any issues at all, meet with a lactation consultant. My pediatrician's office has one on staff and she was a lifesaver. She helped me to get LO to latch after weaning her off the nipple shield. She was also able to help me out when my milk supply decreased around 9 months. Do not hesitate to reach out to an LC. It will definitely change your experience.

[Deleted]

Thank you herbavein! I will definitely check out those threads.

[turtletyme]

I am planning to BF for as long as possible. My mom couldn't, so that makes me nervous, but all I can do is try. I would like to avoid pumping til I go back to work. I have done some reading and going to hit up my girlfriends for tips/info, but so far I feel like I am going in blind.

I had huge boobs even before I was pregnant, so not covering in public sounds scary to me, but I guess I am open to anything. My biggest concern at this point is night feedings. We are considering a co sleeper to make them easier.

[apollo11235]

I'm planning to BF exclusively until 6mo, keep it up regularly through 1yr, and then see where we go from there. I like the idea of extended BF, I think.



I'll have to pump some since I plan to work, but I'd like to BF as much as possible, especially early on.



We started a registry yesterday at Target, and DH (who won't let go of the scanner, he loves those things so much) got to the covers and asked if I wanted one. I believe my words were, "Eh, people can see my tits. Whatever."

[nettje]

With DD I breastfeed until she was about 22months. At that point I was pregnant and it began to hurt to nurse.

The first few months were rough. There were some days I wanted to give up just because I was so tired. I was breastfeeding on demand and sometime DD would wake up 5 or 6 Times a night. But as time went on, it became easier. I had a few friends who I could turn to and a couple of online resources.

The first was www.kellymom.com and the other is www.breastfeedinginc.ca

The second is a source from a Canadian doctor who runs a breast feeding clinic in Toronto. I found it to be a huge help.

I tried to cover up but DD wouldn't always have it. I had a very thin blanket that would work occasionally but on really warm days DD wouldn't want it. After a while I just said f it.

ETA: I also tried to pump and could pump. However DD hated drinking out of a bottle so it didn't always work out well. As it wasn't a priority for us, I didn't worry about it but looking back it was probably the type of bottle/nipple. I wouldn't stock up on one brand of bottle but get a couple bottles of different brands. This way if baby doesn't take the bottle you ca try a different type.

I didn't have to supplement with formula but I know many moms who have had to. If it's something that needs to be done to ensure baby is being feed, then that is what has to be done. Same with moms wellbeing. If it is better for mommy to formula feed, you feed baby formula.

[noeliav]

In full disclosure, I thought that I would only breastfeed DD for a year, and that was a stretch goal for me. But, as I learned more and as our breastfeeding relationship developed, we just keep going

For this baby
What has been your experience or what are you planning to do? How long do you plan to BF?
DD is nearly 27m and we're still nursing about 1x/day. I went back to work full-time at 12w and pumped until I got pregnant with this baby. She had bottle refusal, and so would make up her feedings by nursing all night. Breastfeeding with her was a wonderful way to reconnect with each other after each workday and during the weekend.
This time around, I'm trying to keep in mind that every breastfeeding relationship is different (just like each pregnancy, each L&D, each child) and have an open mind. Ideally, we'll have a nice long breastfeeding relationship, too

Will you BF, supplement with formula, pump, etc.?
Exclusively breastfeed until I go back to work, then pump and direct feed when we're together.

Are you comfortable with letting it all hang out or are you planning to cover it up?
Covers are such a pain I have one that I used all of twice before DH and our friends got over a little boob flashing.

Experienced moms - do you have any tips for the first timers?
Take it one day at a time, especially in the beginning. Set mini-goals for yourself: one day, one week, one month. Don't be afraid to call for help (lactation consultants), you're new at this, the baby is new at this and sometimes a little help can go a long way.
And, if things are going badly, try to not quit on a bad day.

[billyhorrible]

What has been your experience or what are you planning to do? How long do you plan to BF?   I'm lucky in that breastfeeding was never a terrible hardship on me.  I had relatively no nipple pain, just the quick latch pain that lasts less than a minute at first.  I never needed to use any lanolin or soothing gel, no cracked nipples, and I could unclog ducts fairly easily through nursing and hot showers.  My biggest issue was my son was a terribly lazy nurser.  He was a fantastic latcher, but then would look up at me like "Okay, I'm hooked up, let it flow" (which is not how breast feeding works).  So I had to do a lot of massaging milk/colostrum into him at first until he started figuring it out.  Then his laziness came with falling asleep while feeding for the first couple weeks.  And he would not wake up to do a full feed.  None of the tricks worked, not squirting him, or cool cloth, or tickling.  So I had to nurse him with a small bowl of cold water beside me and wring it over him when he fell asleep to get him to eat.  It would take me an hour for each feeding because of this.

Last time I nursed exclusively until 5 months when I went back to work, then I nursed in the mornings, at night, and on the weekends, he got pumped milk at daycare.  We did BLW at 6 months and he took to it like a moth to a flame.  At 14 months he started "weaning" in that he dropped all his night feeds.  Between 14 and 21 months he dropped all his feedings except the one before bed (he preferred food to milk)  And we weaned him of that at 21 months.  My goal is something similar with this one.  Let them start the weaning process and see where that goes.

Will you BF, supplement with formula, pump, etc.? I'll nurse and pump.  It is SO much cheaper than formula.  I had to pump in my car at work and I would still rather do that then spend money on formula.

Are you comfortable with letting it all hang out or are you planning to cover it up? I personally prefer to cover up, but I support anyone who nurses without a cover.  Not my body, not my decision.  And for anyone worried about nursing in public, whether with or without a cover, there are some places that are a really great for getting comfortable.  Some movie theaters do a "new mom" program where you can bring the baby, which means you can practice in a low lit theater filled with other moms.  And one I passed on to my SIL who loves me for it is the Mother's Lounge in Nordstroms. 

Experienced moms - do you have any tips for the first timers?
Use your resources!  We are so so so so so lucky that @amyg moved over here from TB.  If you have any questions, she is an incredible resource that can be found on our breastfeeding board (or paged - like I did here).

Kellymom is also fantastic.

Start talking to your providers ahead of time regarding your desire to breastfeed.  I seriously fell into so many wonderful sources, so I know I'm lucky.  My hospital is one of the best in the country regarding lactation support.  Every nurse is required to be a licensed LC.  So before I even went to the hospital, the nurse for my OB/GYN was giving me mini-lessons during checkups about what I could expect (I'd never heard of cluster feeding before that).  The breastfeeding class they offered answered every possible question that could or did arise during breastfeeding, along with a booklet that was more helpful than "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" - I'm totally bummed I lent it to a friend.  It solved all her breastfeeding issues with her first, but then she passed it along too.  And my pediatrician was probably the most supportive pediatrician I have ever heard of based on comparison stories.  He encouraged extended breastfeeding, delayed solids, breastfeeding through the night, etc.

[tatersalad]

I'm going to be in the minority here.

DS latched right away, and I was in the overproducing club. I found nursing to be extremely uncomfortable due to back pain and my ginormous breasts, so within a few days I switched to a routine of pumping 3 times a day and only nursing at night or in the morning. Public nursing is not for me, but I have several friends who can easily feed in public without a cover (and without exposing themselves) and it doesn't bother me in the least. I toughed it out and stuck with breast milk only until about 3 months when we switched to formula. I wish I had switched earlier.
This time around I'm planning to breastfeed (mostly pumping like the first time) for a few weeks and may supplement with formula as soon as my milk comes in depending on what is easiest for our family. I'm a believer in colostrum but past that formula is fine. We never did purées and introduced baby led weaning around 6 months.

[noeliav]

Another vote for kellymom as a wonderful resource.

[megeliz1]

I breastfed DD for 5.5 months. She weaned because I was having supply problems and didn't recognize it soon enough.

Breastfeeding is hard, really hard and I was really emotional when DD quit because it had finally gotten easy for us and I wasn't ready to stop. She is healthy and thriving on formula though now.

I plan to BF this LO for as long as I can. After my experience with DD I'm not setting any expectations and will be happy with every month farther we make it.

I did try to pump but DD refused to take a bottle until she weaned at 5.5 months. I will try again this time and will do everything in my power to avoid a bottle refuser, it's miserable! Especially because DH is so amazing about wanting to help MOTN and feels helpless when he can't feed.

I NIP a lot. I have some nursing tops that are amazing and make a cover not necessary. There are many brands out there but momzelle, peek-a-boo are two popular ones I know of. Also a nursing tank under a tee so you can do one up, one down is really nice.

My best advice is if this is something you want to do, don't give up early on. Nobody warned me how hard BF'ing would be, how raw my nipples would get, how much mastitis truly sucks, or how hard getting a proper latch would be and I wanted to give up so many times but it really does get better and easier if you get through the beginning. But also know that it isn't always hard for everyone! Also, don't feel like a failure if you have to supplement or switch to FF. As long as your baby is fed, healthy and growing it doesn't matter how they get fed. You are doing the best you can do at any given time!

[mrskblack11]

I am taking a breastfeeding class in April so I have not done much research on it yet.

I work from home so I will have the option of exclusively breastfeed for as long as we want to. I will probably pump too so I have an extra supply handy and to give DH a chance to feed the baby.

I don't know how comfortable I will be not covering up, but if baby doesn't like the cover then I won't have a problem not using one.

[leenziepops]

I'm definitely planning and hoping to BF. I would genuinely be upset if for some reason I couldn't. It's an experience I've always wanted. I plan to BF for a year and I will pump so DH can do some feeds or supplement if necessary. Not fussed about formula. I'm covering up in public for sure. At home or with female family and friends I think I'll be pretty open.

I know you said flame free but it freaks me out when I see a woman i know BF her 4.5yo.

[sordidvolition]

I DIY'd one of these www.amazon.com/LatchOn-Nursing-Blanket-Strap-blanket/dp/B004B6X8EO super cheap!! And then you can use any blanket. I used it for a pumping cover at work (eg my car)

[laurenlou83]

FTM and I have every intention of BFing this little one. As for how long, I just plan on seeing how everything goes. I am going into it with an open mind and I've promised myself not to get discouraged (although, I know I probably will!).
I am taking a BF class through our hospital in April and I'm excited for all the info. I also have some great friends who are moms and have tons of experience... they have already been a wealth of knowledge and I know they'll help me with anything they can.
I am going back to work full-time at 10-12 weeks PP, so I plan on pumping at that point and still doing night feedings. Depending on how everything goes, I will work on pumping prior to this to build up a supply, too. My insurance covers the Medela Swing Pump in full (single electric pump). They won't let me pay the difference to get the double, so I'm going to start with the single and see how it goes. If I feel the double would be better, especially while pumping at work, I will invest the $$ in it. I just figure I will take what is "free" first!
My hospital is VERY into BFing and encourages it right away, so I'm looking forward to those first couple of days and learning it all. They also have lactation consultants assigned to each mom/baby who are also available after you leave the hospital for phone appointments or house calls, which is great!

[Widget123]

Breastfeeding DD was more difficult than I ever imagined it would be. She had weight issues when she was born, which lead me to EPing. I am still going to try to go into breastfeeding this LO open minded but I know I am going to be very paranoid, at least at first, because of DD. I have a baby scale that we used frequently with DD, so I am open minded to the idea of doing weighted feeds.

Some food for thought for people planning on going back to work after the first few months and actually physically being at work instead of at home.

(1) Do not wait until immediately going back to work to try to get your LO to take a bottle. I've heard enough stories about LO's who fought the bottle. If breastfeeding this LO works out, I would still want to give him a bottle at least a few times a week.

(2) I've heard of plenty of working moms successfully maintain their breastfeeding relationship with their LO when they are home, including PP, but don't automatically think you are going to get enough milk for your LO at daycare just from pumping at work. Pumping at work can be challenging, trust me, you have to try to be consistent yet flexible with your schedule because of meetings, etc. Pumping in the morning while you are still at home and your prolactin levels are at their highest, such as the other side, may be critical to making sure you have enough for daycare.

@ktpatter Regarding work trips. The kind of work trips I usually go on are all day training type events, so pumping every 3 hrs is not practical. I would just make sure I pump as much as I can before the training starts, eat an extremely quick lunch and pump at lunch no matter what, and then pump the second training was over before dinner (and again before bed). Usually the hotels I am at have a refrigerator in the room, but no freezer. IMO freezing milk pumped while away is the way to go because when I am at airport I don't have to worry about getting ice, etc. to keep the milk cold. So in the past I would had to ask the hotel to store the milk for me in their freezer and would drop some off about twice a day. Kind of awkward, but worth it.

[baytosa2013]

I honestly have no idea if I even CAN BF. I was born with a congenital condition called tuberous breasts which constricted the normal growth of breast tissue, leaving me with pretty much no tissue and all nipple. At 21 I had breast augmentation to correct at least the cosmetic portion of that but the Dr. warned me that based on what he saw, he'd be surprised if I was able to feed completely by breast milk, if at all. I'm kind of going to just go with the flow, which honestly has made me less nervous about the whole thing. I will try to BF assuming I get any milk, I ordered my pump through insurance just in case I can squeak anything out but I also have researched bottles and will be ready to formula feed if/when necessary. My plan is to NOT torture myself with that I am or am not able to do and to just make sure that baby is healthy and happy no matter how she gets fed.

I love reading everyone's advice and experiences, helps to make you feel like you aren't alone in not knowing WTF you are doing for FTM's!