5 things you NEVER knew about breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is a wonderful way to help bond with your child. Of course everyone has heard all the benefits from breastfeeding your baby, but there are a few things that you may need to know. Trust me, there are a number of things that the other mummies did not talk about in the baby classes.

Hormone overload

Right after a woman gives birth to a child, our hormones are all over the place. If you breastfeed, it gets even worse. When a mother breastfeeds the hormone oxytocin is released into your system. This hormone is what is responsible for "letting the milk come down". This sudden rush of hormones will wear you out. Not all hormones will give a woman this positive effect, many women have had the feeling of weakness, sweating or even an odd sense of trouble. These feelings are normally temporary, but if they become to bothersome then consult your doctor for advice.

The weight just fell off

Many women have experienced a weight loss while breast feeding their babies. This can be normal, breast milk is high in calories and fat content. That is why it is so good for the baby, but does not look so good on mommies thighs. Now this may not work for every mother who is breast feeding. For many women their body metabolism slows down when they breast feed, so you may not get the advantages of the weight loss till after you wean the baby.

Watch out for the flood

This is something every new mummy should definitely pay attention to. When you give birth to your first child and you decide to breast feed. DO NOT ever leave home without the nursing pads. It never fails that as soon as you go out of the house, you will get drenched. That is a fact that no doctor can deny. If it gets anywhere close to feeding time or even if the baby just starts to cry, your milk filled breast will spring a leak. That can be the most embarrassing thing for a new mother. Another good thing to carry with you is a change of clothes for mummy, or at least a dry shirt or blouse. This is something I wish someone had told me when my first daughter was born. I was so embarrassed on the first day back to work --I was soaked! From then on, not only did I carry extra clothes for the baby, but for myself as well.

They do not match

Okay, so do not freak out when you wake up one morning and your breasts are lopsided. This is very normal for some women. You will often find that one breast will produce more milk than the other. The easiest way to deal with that is to nurse on the larger breast at feeding time. Another idea to help them stay the same size is to nurse on each side for the same amount of time. If you do not, then you could empty one side and not the other.

Irritation

This one is for any mum, no matter how many kids you have. Your nipples will get dry and irritated. There is nothing we can do to change that. But there are some things you can do to help. Lanolin is a great way to keep the nipples moist and will help to sooth the irritation. Lanolin is also save for the baby. There is nothing in there that is not natural and does not have to be washed off before you nurse. These are just a few ideas that you may not hear any where else. Now these ideas are from personal experience. I wish someone had told them to me when I started having kids, it would have saved me a lot of time and embarrassment. But come right down to it if you ask your mother she will probably tell you the same things.

Written by

Miss Vanda

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