Breastfeeding Confidence: Setting Yourself Up For Success

​Other than labor itself, the thing that people worry the most about in pregnancy is whether breastfeeding will go well. Will I be able to do it? How will I know if the baby is getting enough to eat? Who do I call for help if things aren’t going well? Am I a bad parent if feeding isn’t instantly amazing?

Here’s the truth. Breastfeeding is a learning curve for both you and your baby. You wouldn’t expect to instantly know a brand new skill in any other part of your life and breastfeeding is no different. 

That said, there are some things you can do to prepare:

1. Take a breastfeeding or newborn care class

Taking a class while pregnant can help you to learn what to expect, how to get a good latch, how to know that your baby is enough and how to get a good as well as to troubleshoot what to do if things aren’t going well. Our 4 hour newborn care class covers all this and more, Click here for more info on that. 

2. Find a lactation consultant

If things aren’t going well in the first days and weeks after birth, you’ll need the help of a lactation consultant.Most Seattle hospitals have lactation consultants you can meet with and I encourage you to ask for one while still in the hospital even if things are going well. After leaving the hospital, it can be most helpful to receive lactation support in your own home. I encourage you to find a lactation consultant while still pregnant and put their name and number in your phone and on the fridge. That way you already know who to call when you are sleep deprived and don’t want to make any decisions. 

I recommend the following out of hospital lactation consultants:

​Betsy Hoffmeister IBCLC
Catherine Fenner IBCLC
Joy Mctavish IBCLC
Jocelyn Pierce IBCLC
    
3. Attend a breastfeeding support group

Breastfeeding support groups can be a wonderful way to get general breastfeeding help while also building community with other breastfeeding parents.

Nurturing Expressions holds weekly support groups in West Seattle and Kitsap County 
Melody Hansen runs a monthly support group in the Wallingford neighborhood on the first Wednesday of every month 
La Leche League holds support groups throughout the Seattle area and beyond