Are you a pregnant mom who is hoping to breastfeed your baby? Read below to learn how you can prepare for breastfeeding even before your baby is born. These must-read tips to prepare for breastfeeding while pregnant will help you on your breastfeeding journey!
Why Prepare for Breastfeeding While Pregnant
As you’ve no doubt heard, breastfeeding is one of the most valuable things you can do for your new baby. But it also can be really tricky! There’s a lot to learn and do before you even start breastfeeding. It’s so important to do all you can to prepare for breastfeeding while still pregnant. You do not want to be learning the basics after you’ve given birth.
When you begin breastfeeding your baby, it can all seem like a whirlwind. Your pregnancy is over, you’ve just gone through an exhausting birth, and you’re now sleep deprived and trying to care for a tiny human. That alone is overwhelming, on top of needing to learn a brand new skill: breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding is natural, but it doesn’t always come naturally. You’ve probably heard this expression before, but I’m repeating it, because it is so so true.
As natural as breastfeeding is, it can also be confusing, counterintuitive and downright strange! I know very few moms who didn’t experience a bump (or five) in the road while learning to breastfeed.
Breastfeeding is not easy at first, but it is worth it!
Preparing for breastfeeding while pregnant can help you ensure your successful breastfeeding relationship.
9 Steps to Prepare to Breastfeed While Pregnant
Below I’ll explain nine important steps to take before gving birth to start breastfeeding off right!
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Breastfeeding Education
The most important thing you can do to prepare for breastfeeding before baby arrives is to learn as much as you can about breastfeeding!
Learning to Breastfeed: In Person and Online Breastfeeding Course
Taking a breastfeeding course while you are pregnant is the very best way to prepare for breastfeeding before baby arrives. Whether you take a face-to-face course at your community, or take an online course, a breastfeeding course is absolutely a must-do for any mom who is committed to breastfeeding.
While a normal prenatal course may touch on breastfeeding, it’s best to also take a course focusing completely on breastfeeding.
There is a lot to learn about how to breastfeed successfully, and there’s no way a prenatal course can adequately cover breastfeeding, as well as pregnancy, birth and postnatal care!
The first six weeks of breastfeeding are really tricky, and trying to navigate a very steep learnign curve is no joke, especially while you’re recovering from your labour and delivery and dealing with very little sleep.
Taking a breastfeeding course while you are still pregnant means you can devote all your time and attention to the task. Not to mention that you’ll be prepared right from day one (and there’s a lot to know right from birth!).
Your hospital or birthing center may offer a course, or you there may be a course offered by your local La Leche League or another lactation support group.
If You Can’t or Don’t Want to Do a Face-to-Face Course
So what if a face-to-face course just isn’t for you? There are a ton of reasons why you may not want to, or can’t attend a face-to-face course. You may prefer an online course if you:
- Have scheduling conflict due to work or other commitments.
- Don’t have childcare for older children.
- Are exhausted after work and don’t want to drag yourself out to a class.
- Can’t afford an expensive class (prices vary).
- Want to avoid sitting in an uncomfortable classroom.
- Are an introvert who learns best at home.
- Would like to refer back to the course to refresh yourself close to, or after birth.
If you’re not sold on a face-to-face class, there are wonderful online breastfeeding courses available. I highly reccomend this one, which was created by a certified lactation educator and is taught through a series of short video tutorials. And the best part is that it is SUPER affordable (I almost couldn’t believe the price the first time I saw it).
I love this online course because the video clips are short (less than 15 minutes long, most under 10), so you can watch in short chunks if you’re busy. They’re easy to understand without a lot of confusing technical terminology.
You can go back and rewatch any sections you want, whether you want to refresh yourself in the days leading up to birth, or if you’re having trouble breastfeeding after baby has arrived. You have lifetime access to the course, so you don’t have to worry about remembering it all or even making notes! Click here to sign up for the course!
How to Start a Successful Breastfeeding Relationship
Whether you take a breastfeeding course (which I strongly encourage you to do) or not, there are some things you absolutely need to know.
The first of which is steps to start a successful breastfeeding relationship. The very best way to ensure a strong breasteeding relationship is to follow the important steps.
- Do skin-to-skin as soon as possible (preferably right on the delivery room bed).
- Breastfeed in the first hour after birth (preferably right on the delivery room bed).
- Room in with your baby.
- Continue skin-to-skin contact often in the days and weeks after birth.
- Offer your baby the breast whenever they show hunger cues (even if it seems like you JUST fed them).
- Delay the use of a pacifier until breastfeeding is well established.
- Delay the use of a bottle until breastfeeding is well established.
You can read more about the early days of breastfeeding in this post all about the first few days of breastfeeding and when you can expect your milk to come in.
Know What is Normal: Milk Supply Myths
Did you know most women who stop breastfeeding do so because they believe their milk supply was too low to feed their baby? While in rare cases, this can be true, almost all women ARE capable of feeding their babies solely with breastmilk.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of reasons why you might be doubting your milk supply when it is 100% fine. Learn about milk supply myths that may have you questioning your ability to feed you baby here.
If you think your milk supply is low, work with a lactation consultant before giving up. Lactation consultants are trained to know the true signs of low milk supply and which signs can be totally misleading.
What Do I Need for Nursing a Baby? Breastfeeding Gear
Stocking up on the breastfeeding gear you’ll need is another way to prepare for breastfeeding while pregnant. While technically, all you need for breastfeeding is a hungry baby and you, there are certainly many ingenius items that make breastfeeding a whole lot easier.
Having what you need will certainly make breastfeeding easier and less stressful in those first few days. You definitely don’t want to be like me and have to send your mom out to buy a breast pump on the way home from the hospital!
I have complete lists of breastfeeding essentials (and five items to skip) here, and pumping essentials here.
Minimally, you’ll want a breastfeeding pillow, a few nursing bras and nighttime nursing bras, and nursing pads. Lanolin or medicated cream can help with initial soreness, as can my absolute favorite breastfeeding item, hydrogel pads, which are a lifesaver for those early days!
Here are a few of my absolute favorite items:
Finding Breastfeeding Support While Pregnant
Choose A Breastfeeding Friendly Hospital/Birthing Center
When you’re choosing a hospital or birthing center, be sure to investigate their stance on breastfeeding. Some hospitals are amazing at giving new moms breastfeeding support, but there are some that could do better.
Check to see if your hospital is designated a baby-friendly hospital (an initiave launched by the World Health Organization and UNICEF to promote and support breastfeeding).
Here’s a video clip explaing what a baby-friendly hospital entails:
Some questions to ask at your hospital visit:
- Is your hospital designated a baby-friendly hospital?
- Have nurses/doctors recieved specialized training on breastfeeding
- Are mothers encouraged to room-in with their babies?
- Are there lactation consultants onsite?
- Can you come in for follow-up visits with a lactation consultant?
- Is there a hotline to call if you’re having breastfeeding issues?
Ideally, you’ll be able to choose a care location that provides excellent support for breastfeeding, but not everyone has unlimited options when it comes to their health care.
If your choices are limited, be sure to make a birth plan that specifies best practices for breastfeeding. You have control of what happens to you and baby after birth and the hospital staff will follow your wishes.
How to Make a Birth Plan
If you are committed to breastfeeding, making a birth plan can help ensure that your wishes are communicated to your care providers. Not sure about what your birth plan should entail? This FREE online prenatal course can get you started!
Here’s a link to a free birth plan template.
Be sure to indicate:
- skin-to-skin contact immediately (or as soon as possible) after birth
- breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth
- rooming-in with baby
- no pacifiers
- no bottles
Scope out Lactation Consultants and Support Groups
Another important step you can take is to scope out lactation consultants and breastfeeding support groups in your area.
Hopefully your hospital or birthing center will provide some support, but you may want to seek out other places of support. You can go to La Leche League to find a support group close to you. Your hospital/birthing center may also have additional information on breastfeeding clinics, weigh-ins, etc available in your area.
Identify the Breastfeeding Supporters in Your Life
Finding people who support your breastfeeding journey is crucial to your success. You’ll need some support when breastfeeding gets tricky, so identify who in your life is a breastfeeding supporter and seek them out.
Lots of time older family members are not as supportive about breastfeeding. In our parent’s day, formula feeding was a lot more common and your mom, aunts or grandmother may not see the benefits of breastfeeding the way you do. You can share this information sheet with them.
It can be extra hard breastfeeding when few people in your family have (but if you go back a few generations, you can be guarunteed that your relatives were breastfed!).
Definitely list the moms you know who have also breastfed, whether it’s a sister, close friend, or a neighbour or work aquaintance. Get their number and don’t be afraid to contact them for advice or support. Most breastfeeding mom love to support each other and will be happy to lend an ear. It’s enormously comforting just to hear another mom say “oh my baby did that too…” so you know you’re not alone!
Find Online Support
There are a ton of Facebook groups that are dedicated to breastfeeding support, which are a great resource to new moms. This one is my favorite.
There are also plenty of Instagram accounts dedicated to supporting breastfeeding mamas, so follow some now.
And of course, dont forget to subscribe to this blog, as well as follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Insta for lots more breastfeeding info!
What You Don’t Need to Do to Prepare for Breastfeeding While Pregnant
There is A LOT you can do to prepare to breastfeed while pregnant. There are also certain things you may have heard that you realy DON’T need to do before beginning to breastfeed. These are myths or old wives tales and are not based in science. Definitely skip these preparations
Do I Need to Prepare My Nipples for Breastfeeding While Pregnant?
You may have heard that you need to toughen up your nipples for breastfeeding by rubbing them with a towel or loofah. This is untrue. Your body prepares your nipples for breastfeeding. You don’t need to do a thing.
Do I Need Lactation Supplements Before Birth?
You definitely do not need lactation supplements before birth. In fact, the vast majority of women do not require lactation supplements at all. You are perfectly capable of providing your baby with all the milk he or she needs (although there are confusing signs and myths that may cause you to think your milk supply is inadequate).
You may, however, want to increase your milk supply if you are pumping in addition to breastfeeding. Lactation smoothies, cookies and other lactation recipes are all helpful for increasing your milk supply and are yummy and nutritious at the same time.
However, if you are nesting and want to prepare for EVERYTHING, try baking and freezing some lactation cookies. You can also stock up on lactation-increasing ingredients such as oatmeal and brewer’s year, or lactation tea (though you may want to consult with your lactation consultant or doctor before drinking the tea).
Well, those are my top nine tips to prepare for breastfeeding before baby arrives. Happy nesting, mamas!
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