How do you prepare yourself for breastfeeding?
Do you just sit still and wait for the milk to produce after birth?
Is there some type of manual work involved with the breasts?


What's going on?? How do you know when to start doing something abou tthis milk that's supposed to come out?


... thanks

You don't have to do anything to prep. Forget the old guide from years back about toughening up your nipples... not necessary at all, and can do more harm than any good. Some women check to determine if they have inverted, or flat nipples, which may or may not make it a bit more difficult for baby to latch on. You do this as if you were trying to express milk from the breast. Most women will have nipples that protrude, but some will find that even though the protrude just sitting there, when they go to express the nipple moves inward instead of out. There are a few things you can do if this happens to be the case for you, but baby will do the best job at drawing the nipple into their mouth. It can also help to avoid soaps on the areola and nipple if you find it too drying.
About the middle of pregnancy for many women, and some more towards the end, you may notice some leaking or if you were to try to express, you may see a creamy liquid. This is the colostrum... all that most babies need in the first few days until the mature milk comes in. The very act of frequent nursing will cause this change... it is important not to feel you aren't making anything if you pump while in hospital and you get very little, or only drops. Also important not to compare a breastfed baby with a friend's formula fed baby... their eating patterns, weight gain patterns, and sleep patterns will often be different. Many women feel since they are having to feed their breastfed baby so often that they aren't making enough, or that their milk is not satisfying baby enough. There is little waste with breastmilk, and it is more easily digested. Expect to feel like you are wearing your baby the first couple of weeks or so... it is normal, and important for establishing milk supply, and building the breastfeeding relationship.

DoulaLC always rocks the casbah here, so not much to add except one thing that you might not anticipate is the need for a good breastpump. Dollar for dollar, it was probably the best money we spent on anything in that first year with the baby.

My wife picked up one that was reconditioned at the birthing center we attended... basically it was used, but had been sterilized... so good as new, cheaper price. I think we probably spent something like 200-250... but man, it saved my wife.

One about with mastitis is all it took to make her seek one out... and then it was a great way to pump and store milk in the freezer for when she couldn't be there. Also, she could take it with her on trips or to work and use it to relieve the pressure.

You can always wait and see if you need to buy one later... but, as I mentioned, it was one of the best buys we made concerning keeping the baby in milk and the mother comfortable and healthy.