Breastfeeding- starter kit and points to know!

Friends of mine asked me this question: “What are the basic props we need to start pumping?” So here we go:

Start thinking after delivery, absolutely everybody wants to breastfeed the baby directly, but…..if until the second day, the milk won’t let down (the baby will be fine without any food until 2-3 days-depend on the condition as well)…buy the pump to stimulate the milk as quick as possible if not the hospital will offer you the formula hiks hiks hiks. I suggest you to use manual pump because you can control the suction; send me email at mumtomums@gmail.com if you need to know the brand.

If you have problem with the nipple, consult with the lactation consultant (you can find them in certain hospital) whether you need the nipple shield to pull the nipple out or you need to do something to prepare yours to breastfeed the baby.

Pumping the milk means you need more bottle, if you have abundant milk supply then you can store them in the fridge (last for 24 hours) or in the freezer (last for 3 months). If you just put it outside until the next feeding time it will last 6-8 hours and if the weather extremely hot it lasts only 4 hours. Just smell it before you give it to the baby if overdue.

When you put it in the fridge or freezer and you want it simple then you need bottle warmer or if you don’t want to buy it then just put in the warm water until the temperature of the bottle as warm as the water (it takes time definitely). DO NOT SHAKE the MILK just SWIRL it! Why????? Read the article I attached in the blog archive.

Brush and liquid soap special to wash the bottle and the small bucket to put the dirty bottle in. You may also need bottle container to put all the bottle in.

Of course the next is sterilizer for the bottle-so simple! I love simple as I use a lot of bottle in a day and I don’t want to waste time sterilizing by boiling them for 10 minutes!

Breast massage can be useful- you can find it how in links I have on the right side of my posts (just find it somewhere hehehhehe) or to stimulate more let down milk, cover your breast up before you pump with warm towel.

You need to relax when you do this not in a rush, watching TV or listening to the music while pumping also make you relax.

To increase the milk supply, pump it consistently, e.g. every 3 or 4 hours.

Good luck!

Breastfeeding Challenge

My business during pregnancy….I was so busy, really…..around 1 weeks before the due I just asked for my maternity leave, so I could take a rest but on Sunday before I even had my maternity leave started, the baby was born already.

I don’t read heaps of article or anything else for welcoming the baby, this is what I regretted but now I look forward and see what I can do. That’s the big WHY I make this blog so I can share practical tips I’ve experienced as an amateur mum…..

Here, where I live now……the hospital staff didn’t insist us to breastfeed our baby soon after being delivered. After several hours (thank God it was only 4hours- 12.30-4.30am) struggling with the baby. They maybe saw that no drops of milk from my breast and they asked me what brand of formula I wanted to give to the baby. PLEASE! I felt so tired and I didn’t know the best formula milk ever! I’m a new mum! Finally they decided for me and after couple of days I know mine is one of the best formula.

They brought my baby twice a day and asked me to try breastfeeding him….but in other side I have a lot of visitors and I didn’t feel comfortable to breastfeeding my son. I still also felt exhausted. Currently, after reading articles I just knew that baby can survive without any milk until 2 days because mum naturally has put enough food inside the baby’s tummy.

My tips for mums are TELL the doctor and the nurse that you want to breastfeed your baby badly so they will show their support. Stay the visitors away so you have private time with the baby. Don’t give up! Ever! Positive thinking and be confident! Drink more, eat a lot of nutritious food! Ask someone to handle the household job, so you can focus to your baby, take a rest. Sleep proved to increase the breast milk. Having your family to help will be a great advantage to reduce stress.

If the milk won’t let down, just like me. Start to pump by the time you back home. Do not wait or feel hopeless. I started very late, which is after 3 weeks. I started by making commitment to myself that I WANT TO GIVE ONLY THE BEST FOR THE BABY. I started with 5 cc in 10 minutes and then 10cc in 20 minutes….I shouted when I can get 60cc in 40minutes and now I can have 100 cc in 10 minutes. Jot down in your book how much you can get every day so you will know the significant progress you’ve achieved. The main thing is NEVER GIVE UP and PRAY!

I mixed it with formula milk for around 1 month and after that free of formula. You will proud of yourself later on. I’m gonna attach article of the advantages of breastfeeding for mums and babies.