Baby feeding isn’t done once you’ve established a good latch. In fact, your journey has just begun. Like most things with newborns, the ups and downs can be exhausting, and having a care team to walk you through transitions makes all the difference in successful baby feeding.
In this blog, we will discuss some key milestones and explore the reasons to meet with a lactation consultant even if you’re breastfeeding well.
Why meet with your lactation consultant during pregnancy?
When you’re pregnant it’s a great idea to meet with a lactation consultant to go through all of your questions about preparing for baby! Around 28 weeks our team will walk you through different feeding options and discuss how you’re feeling. Early baby feeding can be scary, but having a better idea of what to expect will help you ask all the right questions should you run into issues.
As your due date approaches, our team can meet with you again to discuss things like ordering a pump, and even go over some tips for the big day! Some of the things we will discuss during your first appointments are:
- What is hand expression and how can it help stimulate milk
- The amount of milk you can expect in the first few days
- The importance of skin-to-skin contact
- Latch positioning
- Identifying your support team
- Preparing for your physical and emotional changes
- And so much more!
Appointments right after birth
Right after delivery you will use all the techniques we went over, but there is definitely a difference between practice and the real thing. Lean on your in-hospital team, but know once you get home things may feel uncomfortable. That is why we encourage you to schedule an appointment a few days after you give birth to help get you settled and establish your new routine.
A few of the main things we can go over:
- Latching difficulties, breastfeeding holds, and other mechanics
- How much baby should be eating
- Weight gain or loss
- Cluster feeding
- Your physical healing
- Working through your new routine
These first few days and weeks can be incredibly hard on you as well. You’ve just delivered, are in pain and extremely tired. Apart from feeding, our team will also be there for you. We will discuss how you are feeling, your emotional state, if you’re getting enough sleep, and more. We can come up with plans together that will help you recover. The best thing for your baby is to make sure you are healthy.
What if breastfeeding or baby feeding is going well?
After a month or so at home, you may be feeling like you’ve got the hang of it. And you probably have! But as babies grow and change so does their feeding.
At the 2 or 3-month mark babies become curious about their surroundings, watching a big sister run or a furry sibling play catch in the backyard. Babies can become distracted and may “snack” or play the latch and reattach game. This could mean increased nursing or feeding sessions and even less sleep for mom and dad. At this time you may also start preparing for going back to work, transitioning to childcare or daycare. Bottles and pumping can be overwhelming, and everyone has an opinion. Lean on our team to help walk you through what works best for you and your family.
Preparing for baby's first foods!
Believe it or not, our team will also help you work through introducing baby’s first foods. Things like your baby sitting up unassisted, having a strong pincer grasp, or showing interest in what you’re eating, are all tell-tale signs he or she is ready to start!
Our team will walk you through:
- Discuss how to start
- What types of foods
- How to plan solids while continuing to nurse
As your baby begins solids it’s possible they will nurse less or they may even nurse more! The American Academy of Pediatrics does recommend breastfeeding for up to a year, but some babies may continue much longer. Every baby is different. Best part, we will walk you through it all.
Conclusion
Baby feeding changes just as much as your baby does in that first year. From teething to beginning solids, every transition is like an adventure. And once you’ve established a good routine, it’s completely disrupted. Hello, sleep regressions!
These are just some of the reasons why meeting with us consistently can help. We encourage you to schedule several appointments with your lactation consultant in the first year. Talk with your provider and our team about what cadence makes sense for you. Preparing for all the ups and downs is key! And we will help master it all like the pro you are.
