For all those mommies-to-be out there and those who are already nursing, here is my best advice:
1. Buy a copy of "The Nursing Mother's Companion". This has nearly everything you need to know about breastfeeding, pumping, weaning etc.
2. Let those babies air-dry for a few minutes after each feeding to prevent soreness.
3. Buy Lansinoh lanolin and put it on (after drying) after each feeding.
4. Early on, you'll need to switch positions from feeding to feeding to prevent soreness.
5. Buy LOTS of burp cloths. Cloth diapers make amazing burp cloths.
6. Buy NURSING TANKS instead of nursing bras. They hide the tummy and back when you pull up your shirt, or you can wear them without a shirt. You could also use the bella band you wore during pregnancy to hide your tummy, or buy clothes that can be pulled to the side to nurse. (lots of cute stuff for this purpose at maternity stores.)
7. Use Johnson's brand or Avent brand nursing pads. The liners aren't made of itchy, non-breathing plastic. Re-usable cloth nursing pads work if you don't leak a lot and can find time to wash them!
8. If you can stay awake without it, don't watch TV while nursing once the baby starts sleeping through the night. The noise and distraction will keep baby awake.
9. Keep baby from having painful gas by burping every 10 minutes during a feeding and immediately after.
10. Create a "Nursing Tote" for around the house so you can easily move from room to room. Fill it with burp cloths, a bottle of drinking water, nursing pads, wipes (for keeping your hands clean), a watch, your prenatal vitamins (so you remember to take them), the TV remote, and a book to read. Trust me, you don't want to ask hubby to bring you every little thing once you get sat down. Refill often.
11. Don't start bottles until baby is at least 4 weeks old (to establish good breastfeeding bond and prevent confusion). You can still use the pump in the meantime to boost milk production (though I never felt the need) and freeze or throw out the milk.
12. Hold baby in proper position so you don't make his neck or back sore over time!
13. If baby is very fussy at the breast, try to figure out why and try again in 20 minutes.
14. Enjoy your baby!
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P.S. I thought of a couple more things. Put socks on baby's hands to keep him/her from scratching your breasts. Wear a bracelet on your wrist and move it to remember which side you nursed on last.
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