Breastfeeding is a beautiful, natural way to feed your baby but it’s not always easy.
What is easy is making mistakes and getting discouraged. But, we’re here to help you out!
Read on for what not to do when breastfeeding – common mistakes new moms make and how to avoid them. Don’t worry if you’ve made some of these mistakes – I made literally all of them… so we’re in good company!
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1) Not getting enough rest before or after birth
This is hard when you have other children that need attention too! Make sure you’re taking care of yourself so that you can keep up with feeding your little one. It’s OK if you aren’t able to attend to older siblings as much as you were – just try your best!
Rest is so important after birth, your body has just done the equivalent of running a few marathons back to back (at least that’s what I think!) You’re healing AND you’re up caring for your new little baby at all hours of the night.
#noteasy
2) Wearing Ill-Fitting Nursing Bras or Tanks
Wearing ill-fitting nursing bras or nursing tanks can cause breastfeeding issues, irritation and even mastitis. Nursing bras that are too tight can cause issues with milk flow and stasis in the breast which can lead to painful clogged ducts or mastitis.
It’s also seriously uncomfortable. So, do yourself a favor. If your breasts are on the larger side before baby is born, go and get a proper bra fitting at a real bra shop. The difference between a poor fit and a good fit is night and day. Read more about this important topic here – Best Nursing Bras for Large Breasts [Actually Comfortable & Supportive Options]
3) Toughing It Out Without Help
Remember, breastfeeding is not easy! It will take time for your body to adjust and it could get worse before it gets better. If you’re not feeling confident, ask a lactation consultant or other expert for help.
If you’re experiencing pain, talk to someone. Pain can mean your nipple is being damaged which can cause mastitis. Seek help if you need it.
4) Using medicine without talking to a doctor first
There are some medicines that can be passed to your baby through your breast milk or can affect your milk supply. Make sure you talk to the pharmacist when you purchase over the counter medication and let them know you’re breastfeeding. They’ll be able to guide you. Speaking to your doctor first is always a good idea too and doctor visits tend to be rather frequent during those first few weeks and months.
5) Not doing enough research
Breastfeeding is a wonderful thing but it requires knowledge, preparation and commitment. The more prepared you are, the easier it will be!
I thoroughly recommend nabbing a breastfeeding course you can do online before baby is born to get familiar with the key concepts and terminology around breastfeeding. This one is my favorite – it’s so affordable!
6) Not wearing nursing pads (24/7)
Depending on how your breasts react to breastfeeding, will depend on how vigilant you’ll need to be with breastfeeding. If yours act like overenthusiastic puppies ready to feed any baby within 10 feet at the slightest sound of a coo… well you better wear your nursing pads 🙂
Here are our favorite nursing pads for new moms.
7) Spending Too Much Money on Breastfeeding Clothes
Don’t be fooled by the marketing – you don’t have to upgrade your entire wardrobe to be breastfeeding friendly when you have a new baby.
Sure, one or two key pieces are nice to have. But, for the most part, you can easily get by using the 2 shirt method.
8) Using Pumped Milk Instead of Breastfeeding in Public
Do you know it’s much much easier to breastfeed your baby in public than to make sure you’ve planned ahead to bring pumped milk? While you may feel anxious about breastfeeding in public, it’s much easier to be able to feed baby whenever he is hungry straight from the breast.
And there are wonderful nursing covers you can get that allow you to feed discreetly. You can use this in combination with the 2 shirt method for breastfeeding so you’ll stay covered while baby gets his fill.
9) Not Using a Pacifier
First time moms often feel apprehensive about using pacifiers. It’s natural to question whether or not a pacifier is really necessary and worry about how it’ll affect breastfeeding and how you’ll be able to get rid of the paci later.
I personally swear by using a pacifier. When your baby is first born, they have a strong sucking reflex and a pacifier can help give you a break! I didn’t use it with my first, but my second took to it like a duck to water.
If you’re still unsure about using a pacifier with your breastfed baby, experts say it’s best to wait until around 6 weeks of age to avoid any nipple confusion and so that you can judge how your baby does with latching on and breastfeeding.
10) Letting Baby Nurse on His Favorite Side More Frequently
Does your baby have a favorite side? Mine sure does! For a while he refused to even look at the left side at all.
Apparently this is quite common – if you’re right handed, your right breast tends to produce more so it’ll flow more and baby just loves that!
It’s super important in the early days of breastfeeding to try feed baby from both sides equally otherwise your run the risk of engorgement and mastitis. It happened to me.
The Final Word on What Not to Do When Breastfeeding
Although breastfeeding is an amazing experience, it’s not always easy. It takes time for the body to adjust and there are many possible pitfalls that can make this process difficult. These are the ten most common mistakes new moms make. Don’t feel bad if you’ve made one or two… I made them all!
