6 Things I Didn't Know About Breastfeeding

After getting pregnant, I thought that the craziest bodily experience would be watching my body grow with the baby. That was until my milk supply started coming in and I could feel the liquid gold building up and being consumed over and over. It really is one of those experiences you cannot understand until you go through it.

Here are a few things I learned in the process: 

1. Creating breastmilk follows the concept of supply and demand.

My hospital lactation consultant recommended that I breastfeed exclusively for the first 3 weeks so that my body establishes a supply appropriate for my body and my baby. She explained that the more that the baby latches on and tries to suck the breast milk out, the more the body gets stimulated to create milk. She cautioned against pumping extra milk after feedings as it could overstimulate my breasts and create an oversupply that could be painful. I had no idea this was the way a breastmilk supply was established and even though the first 3 weeks of exclusive nursing was exhausting, I did it and it was helpful in establishing my supply.

2.  Pumping is a great way to involve others in the process of feeding and give yourself a break - but washing all the parts SUCKS.

As my supply stabilized from my 3 weeks of exclusive nursing I started pumping. It was immediate relief, having other people be able to feed the baby and give me more freedom to run out for errands here and there. BUT - breast pumps have so many parts! Washing them after each session got old fast. I’ll be forever grateful to the mamas who had been through it and during their visits would wash everything for me and let me rest. It’s definitely something I pay forward whenever I’m visiting a new mama that’s nursing. 

3. Clothes that are BF / Pumping friendly, are great to have handy. Breastfeeding is hard enough and can be super stressful if the baby is "hangry" or having a hard time latching. Clothes are the last thing that should get in the way of that and having a rotation of nursing bras, tank tops and other front closure clothing was so helpful during this time. The best gift I got for a baby shower was actually a set of nursing pajamas I threw in my hospital bag. My daughter was born 3 weeks early and I had to start breastfeeding right away and every 2 hours around the clock for her to gain weight. I loved having my own clothes to wear in the hospital that I could easily breastfeed from which was the inspiration for the Honor Loungewear Set. 

4. Reflux is not a result of overfeeding from nursing. 

My daughter clocked in at a whopping 5lbs 8oz when she was born. She needed to gain weight quickly and I got so worried because with every feed she would spit up a lot. The doctor told me I didn’t need to worry as she was steadily gaining weight, and once she got big enough the reflux would stop on its own. For some reason, I couldn’t believe that and I thought that my direct breastfeeding was what was causing the spit up since I had no idea how much she was drinking. I thought if I controlled the amount of milk I gave, she would do it less. WRONG. By switching to bottles for a whole week with no change in the outcome, she ended only wanted the bottle and refused to latch. Sure enough, around 6 months when she was bigger the reflux stopped! I wish I hadn’t stopped nursing to try and deal with the issue so I could have had the flexibility of nursing and pumping.

5. A hands free pump was so worth it!

As exclusive pumping became my reality, I decided to invest in a hands-free pump. I bought the Willow pump and honestly felt like it helped me be more efficient with my pumping schedule. I went back to work part time and would wear it while I was getting ready in the morning. I took it on the plane with me, in the car, on a bachelorette party - I even pumped in my bathing suit on the beach during vacation and it was so much easier than the larger pumps with the hanging bottles. These pumps are typically more expensive (I’m not sure if they’re covered yet by insurances - this was 4 years ago and at that time it wasn’t) but I single handedly believe it’s what helped keep me able to pump for longer than I may have without it. 

6. Creating a pumping schedule that built in enough rest and fit well with my work schedule was the best choice for me and my family 

After going back to work part time, I decided that what would work for me was pumping 4 times per day and then supplementing the rest of the feeds with formula. I had a schedule and trained my body to pump at 3AM, 10AM, 3PM and 10PM and stuck to that until 10 months. I believe that fed is best and had no issue with the fact that my daughter would be having at least 1 bottle of formula per day. This schedule and this release of any guilt helped me get to that 10 month mark and I was so proud of that. I believe that all moms need to figure out the right balance of their mental health and their child’s growth and development, and figure out how to best provide for them. 

August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month - which is so, so important for all women AND the people who will be supporting a new mom through her journey. Breastfeeding is draining and time consuming; however it is so healthy for our babies and such a great way to bond. We can do so much more as a society to learn about breastfeeding, reduce the stigma around doing it publicly and support all women who choose to nourish their children with breastmilk. I hope that by sharing my journey, you will feel more empowered to give it a try and structure your feeds in the way that helps you show up best for your family.