It’s an exciting time in life preparing for the birth of a little life to come into your life. If you have made the decision to breastfeed your new infant once they are born there are a few things you can do to prepare for their arrival.
Staying healthy is the best you can do to prepare your body for breastfeeding. You can also learn as much as you can about breast feeding as you can before your baby is born. This will see you well prepared before the time comes. Read as much as you can about it, watch videos and if you are attending a good lamaze class, they will also cover this information and encourage your partner to learn about it too so that he is ready to support you once your baby is born.
Buy at least two or three comfortable nursing bras so that your breast will be properly supported once you start feeding. Nursing bras make all the difference with hooks and zips that you can easily undo when your baby needs to feed. Make certain that your bra fits you properly and that the flaps open easily and properly. This is important as, if only a small part of your breast is exposed the bra may press on your breast tissue which could lead to blocked ducts or mastitis.
You can also wait to buy bras until after your baby is born to make sure they will fit you properly, but remember that getting a newborn out of the house with a newborn baby isn’t easy so think about going late in pregnancy for the sake of convenience. Get an assistant to help you when fitting the bras so that you get the best possible fit.
You should also consider stocking up on cotton washable or disposable breast pads as you will find breasts have a tendency to leak at the sound of your babies cries alone, it’s also a good idea to have a light-weight nursing bra to sleep in at night. I can’t tell you how many times I woke up and needed to change the sheets before I regularly wore nursing pads at night.
If you’re planning to express your breast-milk, you may want to consider buying a breast pump. There are a lot of options available on the market. Electric, manual, single or double pumps. Do your research and think about what your needs are. Will you be going back to work? If so in order to keep producing enough milk for your child once you have returned you will need to express milk at the same times feeding would normally take place, in which case a double pump may be your best investment.
Subscribe to our blog or stay tuned via our Facebook page. Next week we explore breastfeeding techniques and comfortable positions to feed your new infant.
Written by: Bianca Steyn
Need an au pair, nanny, night nurse, infant care specialist, tutor, homeschooling teacher, facilitator, childminders for film, functions and events or babysitting services? Visit Sitters4u.co.za to get a quote.
If you have any childcare related questions or would like to market with us please drop us a line at sitters@sitters4u.co.za or visit our websites Sitters4u.co.za or the MomsLinkDirectory.
Sitters4U 