Celebrating Breastfeeding with 5 Top Tips

"I'm like Jesus, amn't I Mammy?" my eldest son once said to me.  He must have been about four at the time. Puzzled as to what he could mean, I asked him where he got the idea. "I'm the firstborn son" he announced proudly. I had to try my best not to laugh. 

This year he is taking part in the local nativity play (not as Jesus). The play has been rewritten to appeal to the children of today. A couple of girls are checking their e-mail on Christmas Eve and get a message that Jesus has been born. They click on the link to see the photos of the baby and his parents and follow the events of the night on social media.

As we read the script for the play the "I'm like Jesus" quote popped back into my mind. Now, I'm taking an educated guess on this, but I would say that one thing that Jesus and my Number One certainly have in common is that they were breastfed. I mean no disrespect here, but what else could you do, in a stable, surrounded by animals, with no way to sterilise anything? Breastfeeding would have been Mary's only option. Now that I think of it, the sheep would have come in quite handy. For warmth of course but also as an abundant supply of healing wool and lanolin for Mary's nipples. 

As a fellow mother, I am very grateful that my firstborn was born into more pleasant surroundings and that I had a choice when it came to how to feed my baby. During my pregnancy, I knew I wanted to try to breastfeed. I hoped that things would go well and they did. I fed Number one for nine months, Number Two for ten and Number Three for thirteen months. We had our ups and downs throughout and as a result, I have learned a lot.

Here are my top five breastfeeding tips. I hope they help you as much as they did me:

1. Get informed - if the real estate mantra is location, location, location then the breastfeeding equivalent has to be information, information, information. One of the best bits of advice I got in my first pregnancy was from my mother. "Inform yourself about everything" she said, so I did. At the time I didn't have any friends with babies to talk to about it. So I read up on breastfeeding, I talked to my ante-natal midwife, I spoke to my aunts (one a midwife, the other a former breastfeeding consultant) and found out as much as I could about what to expect. I know that actually breastfeeding and reading about it are two different things, but having a reasonable idea of what to expect is a great start.  
2. Buy the basics - while you are still pregnant, invest in some breastfeeding basics. I recommend you buy
 - at least one breastfeeding bra. For the right size, talk to an assistant in a maternity shop.
 - nipple shields. Not everyone needs them but they are not expensive and they do take some of the pain out of the first week. Pack them into your hospital bag.
 - a breastfeeding cushion. These U-shaped cushions are a lifesaver, especially with your first child. They support your arms and your back and help you sit in a more relaxed position while feeding.
 - a hand pump. These are also not too pricey and may come in useful if you are overflowing with milk and your baby won't drink it all. If you get through the first three weeks, you may decide to upgrade to an electric pump. To be honest though, I breastfed three children and only needed to use the pump with the first. With my younger two boys, I only breastfed and never pumped. 
 - ointment for sore nipples. Another pretty cheap item but a total lifesaver in the first few weeks at least. Just buy it and pack it into your hospital bag. If you don't need it, great. But you don't want to leave yourself in a porition where you need it and don't have it. Believe me. 
3. Eat and drink a lot and often. I cannot stress this enough. When my first son was 5 or 6 days old I was suddenly having trouble feeding after the first few days going really well. The midwife visited and tore strips off my husband for not feeding me properly! She told him I needed a hot dinner twice a day as well as morning and afternoon snacks, a good breakfast and lots of water, juice and herbal tea. From then on I stuck to that regime and was never short of milk again.
4. Rest - Again, I cannot stress this enough. You may think that you can get your old life back and be out and about when your baby is four days old. I know that I thought so. I went to do the groceries with my husband and my newborn, thinking to myself "I've only had a baby, I'm not ill". I came home an hour later with back pain and and headache and thought I'd caught a cold. I hadn't. I was in the early stages of an inflammation that could have proceeded to become mastitis. Luckily my midwife called around and sorted me out. Cold compresses, feeding the baby every last drop of milk despite the pain and LOTS OF REST, preferably bed rest, were the tips she gave me. Don't think you can do everything. It is not good for you. Rest as much as you possibly can. Listen to me on this one. Please.
5. Set yourself up with a comfortable breastfeeding spot - My faveoutite place to feed my three newborns was in a straight-backed armchair in the living room with a low footstool under my feet, the coffee table and a shelf were both in easy reach, so I could put my drink down. I left a book there so I could read if the baby took a long time to feed and / or fell asleep after the feed. I was comfortable. Baby was comfortable. It worked for us. I may well work for you too. 

The code word for the Celebrating Breastfeeding Christmas Extravaganza is reindeer. 

With special thanks to our sponsors for providing the amazing prizes: ARDO, LoveyUsh, Milk & Mummy, Lorna Drew, Mummy Makes Milk, Mothers Love Cookies, Thrupenny Bits, breastvest and More4Mums.

Click here for T&Cs.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

10 Gift Ideas for Second and Third Babies

When I had my first son, I was amazed at the amount of gifts he got. It seemed that the postman was arriving with cards and parcels almost every day for weeks and weeks. Every visitor came laden down with presents for the baby. We had just bought the basics, so we were thrilled with all the clothes, toys, blankets and cuddly toys that came Number One's way. 

With Number Two and Number Three, there were still plenty of visitors and some gifts. But a lot of people admitted that they really didn't know what to get. Sure you have everything you need, don't you? they said.  And so we ended up with lots of vouchers for nappies. Nothing wrong with that. It saved us a few quid. But I did feel sorry for the boys. They hadn't really anything lasting like Number One had.

Even as a mother of three, it can be quite tricky to choose a gift for newborn when they are not the first child in the family. A lot of people shy away from telling their friends and family what they would really like for fear of seeming greedy. Some, like me when Number Three was only a few days old, simply had no idea what they want or need. Sleep deprivation, sore boobs and baby brain had taken over and I had no overview of how well equipped we were (materially) to deal with a new baby.

With a few months distance from Number Three's birth, I have now put together a list of gifts for babies, ranging from the practial to the pretty, in the hope that it will inspire you.

Children's Cutlery - Cutlery is one of my favourite gifts to give to babies.  The range available, both price-wise and design-wise, is very broad so there really is something available for every taste and budget. I've given sets from Aldi to WMF and a few between. Some companies offer the option to have the child's name or initials engraved. I find that a lovely idea. Avoid printed patterns on the cutlery as these tend to fade or dissolve in the dishwasher. Embossed or engraved designs won't disapppear. 

While practical, cutlery also makes a nice, lasting gift to mark a child's birth, baptism or first birthday. 

Piggy bank - A piggy bank is another practical but thoughtful gift. It is individual to the child and won't become a hand-me-down to younger siblings. Again, with regards to colour, design and price, there a massive range and they are not hard to find. 

Something handmade - Knit or crocheted booties, a hat, jumper or blanket, a changing mat or nappy wallet. Any of these makes a beautiful and meaningful present for a new baby. It doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't even have to be made by you. Almost everyone appreciates having somethings made specially for their new little one.

Melamine bowl & plate set - Over the last few years melamine sets for babies and toddlers have been popping up everywhere. Paperchase, Habermaass and many other manufacturers have been bringing out patterns ranging from pretty to funky. They are dishwasher and microwave safe, sturdy and colourful. What more can you ask for? I know that my kids love their own melamine beakers, bowls and plates. 

Voucher for photo printing - with everything gone digital these days there is not much photo printing going on, but who can resist printing a few snaps of their treasured newborn? One for Daddy's desk, for Mummy's purse, for Nana's fridge. In our case we even had to get one for the proud big brother's pencil case for his first day of school. Giving the gift of a voucher for a good printshop could be quite welcome.

Baby Photo Album - My children love to look at their baby albums. Along with photos, I put in a few notes about when they took their first steps, etc. and I saved their boarding passes from their first flights to Ireland. The Baby album we got for Number One had an ink stamp with it for making footprints at different ages (3, 6, 9 and 12 months for instance). Here is the link to the most recent version of the same album. A baby album is a joy to have. If you are an extra good friend, you could even offer to fill it with photos and mementos of baby's first year.

Keepsake Box - This is a similar idea to the baby album but suits the less organised parents and / or larger families. They don't need to print, cut and stick, they just need to fling everything from the hospital bracelet to the first lock of hair into the keepsake box. There are beautiful boxes available. Tied with a lovely big bow, they are not only practical but also make a lovely feature in the nursery. (Tip: this is something you can hand make too, for an extra special touch).

Bodies and babygros - In my experience, bodies and babygos get a lot of wear and, being closest to the skin, are likely to suffer the effects of the explosive nappies around the 3 to 5 month stage. Many of them may not be suitable for handing down to younger siblings. I have always been glad of soft new bodies and babygros as gifts. What is also unbelievably cute are matching t-shirt and babygros with "big brother" and "little brother". 

A Children's Classic - A classic book like Wind In The Willows, The Water Babies or Alice in Wonderland with an inscription to the baby makes a wonderful gift. Give it to a toddler or older child and they will more than likely not be terribly impressed. But give it to a newborn and they will grow up knowing that that book is theirs and theirs alone. 

Black & White Book - Tana Hoban's classic reversable Black & White fold out book is wonderful for babies. Our is almost seven years old and still going strong. Number One and Two were fascinated by it as babies and Number Three has been discovering it lately. We have it woven between the poles of the playpen and Number Three loves to gaze at the shapes portrayed. 

While I am at it, I may as well give you my top three presents for new or expectant parents (first timers).

1. DVD Bebes du Monde - If you haven't  seen this film, go out and get it. No matter how many of your own children you have, you will find it beutiful and amazing. It is a largely silent documentary film which charts the first year in the lives of four babies, one each in USA, Mongolia, Japan and Africa. The differences in the treatment of pregnancy and style of upbringing are fascinating.  

2. The Wonder Weeks - A fantastic book on the developmental stages every baby goes through. Reading this will not help a teething baby sleep, but it will help the parents realise why their hitherto calm and adorable baby has become a nightmare and reassure them that their darling will return. It also gives a good insight into what a baby can do and when.

3. Baby's First Skills - In month-by-month chapters this book by Dr. Miriam Stoppard details what a baby is capable of and gives excellent tips on how to entertain and play with a baby in such a way as to help him or her learn the new skills they are ready for. It is a great book to leaf through while feeding the baby since the chapters are short and there are plenty of diagramsto illustrate the points made. A very parent-friendly book.

All opinions stated here are my own and are based on my own experience. This is not a sponsored post. I was not provided with any of the products listed in this blog. Anything referenced as belonging to me or my family here was given to us by friends or purchased by us.