I came across this great list from a blog dedicated to breastfeeding out of Dublin, Ireland. The author, Nicola O’Byrne, is an expert in the field. Here’s her bio:
I’m an international board-certified lactation consultant working in private practice in Dublin since 2005. Previously I worked in pediatrics and neonates as a nurse. I’m married with 5 children ( aged 6 months to 13 years old)…
I am personally not a breastfeeding expert but I did breastfeed all three of my kids until they were nearly two years old and had a terrible time — each child successively worse — weaning them! But I did love nursing them! These are the tips that I can recall:
- The first few days are the most difficult! My nipples were very sore despite using special lanolin cream, but it’s surprising how fast your nipples adjust — about a week. And I had to go through this with every child even when I used the lanolin cream weeks in advance to “prep” for the baby it made absolutely no difference!
- Nurse one side until it’s empty and then go to the other. Make sure to massage out any lumps of milk so you don’t get mastitis (an infection in your breast).
- If a duct is blocked and nursing your baby doesn’t clear it out, take a hot shower or put a warm, damp washcloth to steam open the duct. Then pump the breast to empty it, massaging the lump until it’s gone. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO DO! If you get mastitis, it can mean a trip to the hospital plus antibiotics which is no fun for anyone!
- To super-produce milk for storage, pump one breast while simultaneously nursing the other. Set up the apparatus before picking up your baby. It’s a juggling feat but I found that the breast being pumped produced more milk than when pumped by itself.
- I found that co-sleeping helped me get more sleep but it also meant that my kids did not sleep through the night until they were weaned.
That’s all I can remember so I leave you in the hands of an expert and a blog devoted to breastfeeding.
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There are great web resources now for breastfeeding information but I’ve got to say each time I had a newborn I loved having a book nearby to browse.
Best Books for Moms on Nursing Your Baby
1. The Womanly Art Of Breastfeeding by Diana West, Diane Wiessinger, and Teresa Pitman
The new edition has just been published and it’s fantastic! There’s a comment from a breastfeeding supporter in Ireland on page 66, it’s me! It’s the first time I’ve been acknowledged in a book (I’m named twice in the acknowledgments. It made my day.)
2. So That’s What They Are For by Janet Tamaro
A witty, girlfriend-type book with accurate info for all stages of breastfeeding.
3. Bestfeeding by Mary Renfrew, Chloe Fisher, and Suzanne Arms
It is the first book on breastfeeding I ever read. It was in my bag in the Coombe all those years ago! Lots of illustrations – are needed in the first few days as most new mothers can’t process text when sleep-deprived.
4. Saggy Boobs and Other Breastfeeding Myths by Valerie Finnigan, Lou Gardner
Great book for a breastfeeding Support group, just leave it lying around for mums to browse through.
5. The Breastfeeding Mothers Guide to Making More Milk by Diana West and Lisa Marasco
I recommend this one to mothers who had problems breastfeeding a previous baby. Most of the time it’s just poor management but sometimes there are other issues that can be helped if caught early.
6. No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley
When the lack of sleep starts to bother you, this book will give you hope.
7. Supporting Sucking Skills in Breastfeeding Infants by Catherine Watson Genna
More of one for professionals but I ate it one day for lunch and dinner. If you want to know more about tongue ties, Catherine Watson Genna’s your woman.
8. Sleeping With Your Baby by Dr. James McKenna
See number 6 – you really do get more sleep. Here’s the research to back it up and feel safe when some “well-meaning” person tells you otherwise.
9. Breastfeeding Made Simple by Nancy Mohrbacher and Kathleen Kendall Tackett
Probably my favorite at the moment.
10. Breastfeeding Answers Made Simple by Nancy Mohrbacher
This is really for breastfeeding counselors but it’s an excellent resource guide, the a-z of breastfeeding.
p.s. Related posts:
Best New Baby Picture Books for Siblings
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Getting Your Child to Sit in Their Baby Car Seat (and Stay There)
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I have most of these books and read them before my son was born but unfortunately NONE of them prepared me for the fact that I would just truly hate breastfeeding. I had a hormonal reaction to the act of breastfeeding where I would begin sobbing uncontrollably. I stuck with it and my son is five months old now and still exclusively breastfed, BUT, no thanks to these books, sad to say. I wish that breastfeeding books took time to address more than just pat issues with breastfeeding. . . were it not for a lactation consultant who appeared in my life, I would have stopped. Strange enough, the LC was familiar with all that I was going through and had great advice to help me cope- not one book even ADDRESSED it making me feel like a strange freak.
Good post- and good books to be sure, I just wish they delved into the hard stuff because there are some women who desperately want to breastfeed but are suffering and need support that these books do not provide.
Breastfeeding is not as simple as it would seem. I totally agree!
Read this book slowly, it offers many good advices and tips. When I had a first child, I breastfed her for three weeks, on and off. It seemed long enough for me. I had problem with the latching on. She cried a lot and I gave up, I gave her formula feeding.With the second baby, I read this book when I was pregnant and started to breastfeed as early and often as possible and although I still had many problems and it was difficult in the first six weeks, I could eventually manage them.I also follow "sleep sharing", which really helps me. My family is abroad and nobody helped me to take care the baby. It was hard for the first few days, I could not afford to wake up at night to pick up my baby from the crib, so I took him to our bed. Our family slept well after that and I healed faster. My baby gained a lot, rarely cries, healthy and I still nurse him now at 4 months. It is especially easy to travel, I don’t have to prepare bottle, water, etc.. I breastfeed him in our car in the parking lot, just before we go to supermarket/shopping mall, and we had good time. Honestly, after going through bottlefeed and breasfeed, breastfeed indeed brings me closer to the baby. Thanks Dr. Sears
To T.,
I subscribe to Dr Sears advice too and I also co slept with my babies. It made breastfeeding manageable for me. Thank you so much for sharing your experience.