by Maggie Madison

Created on: August 04, 2008

Congratulations on being pregnant! To me, pregnancy is really the time when we become mothers. We have to start making sacrifices and decisions that will affect someone else's life. We have to put the pregnancy ahead of our own needs and desires. Wow. That's a lot to take in, I know. But take things one step at a time. Can you breastfeed? The answer is YES! The following contains an introduction to breastfeeding and advice on getting started now (yes, now) on becoming a breastfeeding mom.

Breastfeeding is something our bodies were meant to do. Women have been breastfeeding for thousands and thousands of years. The tricky part nowadays is support. Many of the current generation were not breastfed themselves. Therefore, it's a good idea to find a good resource for "anything and everything" breastfeeding. I recommend La Leche League's website. Don't worry, you won't be required to attend a meeting; just use it for the best form of breastfeeding information anywhere. They will have answers to questions even your doctor can't answer.

Now that you have access to information and support, let's look at some breastfeeding basics. First, your milk will come in approximately 3-4 days after delivery (either vaginal birth or C-section). So, what to do meanwhile? Well, mother nature has taken care of that for you. The baby is born with reserves to get them through those days. In addition, your breasts will be full of something called colostrum. This is a thick, yellowish fluid that coasts your baby's digestive track, protecting them from any stomach issues. It also contains antibodies to protect their immunity-handy for all those combating all those visitors' germs in the first few days.

After your milk comes in, try to feed on both sides at each feeding or alternate each breast at each feeding. This will help with something called engorgement, the term for when your breasts become hard because they are so full of milk. Another way to deal with engorgement, is to use an electric pump after feeding your baby first thing in the morning. The morning is when you produce the most milk.

Since you will have some extra milk from pumping, use it to get ahead of the game a little bit. You can remember how to store milk using the 5-5-5 rule. Breast milk is fresh for 5 hours at room temperature, 5 days in the refrigerator and 5 months in a freezer (the kind above or next to a refrigerator).

We have covered support, a great resource and basic breastfeeding information. Now let's look at how you can start putting the use into practice now, even before your baby is born.

Begin to learn where you can buy things like: breast pumps, breast milk storage bags, bottles and nipples. Get your partner familiar with the terms and descriptions of all of these items as he/she may be the one to run out for some of these things for you.

Learn about and obtain visual pictures or video of how to get a proper latch. It helps to have your partner attend a breastfeeding class with you so they can help spot what an improper latch looks at. It is often easier to see what you are doing wrong from another angle.

Begin to tell family and friends you are planning to breastfeed. This will help everyone get used to the idea now. You may also get some unexpected support. If you are still feeling nervous, schedule an appointment with a lactation support specialist now. They can check you for inverted nipples and other personal questions you may have.

Rest assured that after gathering support, looking up information, learning the basics and figuring out where to buy what you'll need, you will not only be more educated on breastfeeding, but you will truly be ready to say, "Yes, I can breastfeed my baby!"

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