Organising the nursery, preparing for labour, stressing about sleep schedules – parents have so much to plan for when they welcome their first baby into the world that sometimes, breastfeeding can take a backseat, says Lisa Wipfli.
“If I had my time again, I would have read less about the labour and having a birth plan (which went completely out the window) and more about breastfeeding and coping with a newborn,” says Lisa – wife of Nova host Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli.
Now, with her second baby on the way, the mum-of- one is better prepared – and she’s sharing her knowledge with Mamamia.
1. Pressure doesn’t help.
Eight weeks after bringing son Ted, 15 months, home from hospital, I was faced with a sudden lack of milk, aching breasts, sleep deprivation and illness. I was expecting breastfeeding to be the most natural, easy part of being a new mother, but the reality is that it wasn’t. I wish I was armed with more knowledge about breastfeeding the first time, but I wasn’t and that is OK. Don’t put pressure on yourself to nail breastfeeding from the get-go – and don’t put pressure on other mothers who may not be able to breastfeed; mothers are already feeling stress during this really hard time. Yes, everyone tells us breastfeeding is best but if it doesn’t work for you, then no one should make you feel guilty or like you have failed.
2. Don’t forget your health.
I wish I knew that a new mum can’t look after her baby properly and supply sufficient and healthy milk unless she looks after herself too. I was so concerned about looking after my newborn baby Ted that I forgot to look after myself. It’s so easy to grab the first thing you see in the fridge or pantry but it’s really important to make sure you eat a healthy diet rich in protein, greens and fiber, and keep up your fluids with plenty of water.
3. Ask for more help
Ask friends for the products and services they used whether it be lactation consultants, special tea blends, multivitamins, night nurses, special breastfeeding pillows, massage therapists that do home visits, breast pumps or nipple caps. Have the names of those products in a safe place, ready to use if you do need them – and don’t feel guilty for needing to do.
4. Try a multi
Whilst I know a multivitamin can’t replace a balanced diet, there are some great multivitamins out there to help fill in the gaps and ensure your baby and yourself are getting the right minerals, nutrients and vitamins. Personally I take Elevit daily and will be transitioning to the new Elevit Breastfeeding multivitamin just recently introduced, which is specifically for mothers in this stage. Knowing that this multivitamin will be giving my baby with everything he needs for ongoing healthy development, and giving me the energy I need to look after him, gives me peace of mind and more confidence with my second child.
5. Soak it up.
Lastly, it’s vital to stop and just enjoy being a mum. Just live in that moment and don’t worry about the laundry or the house being clean or having a fully stocked fridge. Just enjoy that time with your baby, treasure the cuddles and look after your own wellbeing.
Lisa Wiplfi writes on behalf of Elevit. Always read the label. Use only as directed.
There’s a lot women aren’t told about breastfeeding, and there’s a lot they aren’t told about giving birth. Post continues after video…
Top Comments
No disrespect to this mum and her experiences, but it would be so great if we could hear breastfeeding info from experts rather than someone promoting a vitamin supplement. There are a lot of myths in this piece which can actually make it harder to breastfeed!
1. Mums do not 'suddenly lack milk'. Low supply happens over time and an experienced counsellor or caregiver can usually help a mum work out why it's happened. Other times it's just the breasts settling into things and no longer being engorged. If you are worried about your supply, call the ABA!
2. New mums produce top quality milk regardless of their diet. Look after yourself for YOU, because your body puts making milk above putting nutrients into your own wellbeing.
3. Breastmilk already contains all the right minerals, nutrients and vitamins. There's no harm in a supplement, but it won't make your breastmilk better for your baby (and companies aren't allowed to claim that it does ).
I agree with this. The ABA helped me so much. I wouldn't be able to breastfeed without their help.
My GP said taking a pregnancy prenatal vitamin would just mean I had really expensive wee, so I should save my $$. She said folate supplements and a balanced diet would be enough.
This is wonderful! The thing I wish I knew was to do research about "nipple confusion" from sources other than breastfeeding advocates - my baby wouldn't latch on for the first week so I spent 7 days on a brutal 3 hour cycle of pumping milk for 45mins, feeding my starving baby by cup for 45mins (more milk ending up on my baby than in him!) sterilizing, rocking baby to sleep, then try to get 20mins sleep before starting again! I was told if I gave him a bottle he would never latch on and my milk would dry up!
It was only when I enlisted the help of a very experienced midwife who told me that she personally did not believe nipple confusion was real as many cultures do a mix of breast and bottle feeding - so I researched and relented and started giving my baby a bottle. - and lo and behold the next day he was latching on and four months later still breastfeeding. It was almost like the bottle teached him how to suck!