6 Top Tips on How to Prepare for Breastfeeding

So you’re planning to breastfeed your baby; some may say that breastfeeding is the ‘most natural thing you’ll ever do,’ but like most things in life preparation is key.  So to make the journey as smooth as possible, having a plan beforehand may make things easier.

Breastfeeding like all things motherhood is not an easy ride for everyone; for many it’ll be one of the hardest things they’ve ever had to do. Ultimately, ‘fed is best’ and a ‘happy mum means happy baby’ could not be more true. Whichever way you feed your baby, they will thrive.

That being said, at MMM we want to support you through your breastfeeding journey in all ways possible and so we’ve put our heads together to bring you our top six tips on how to prepare for the journey inshAllah.

This post may contain affiliate links – we will use asterisks(*) to note any.

1. Make your intention  

As with everything in life, intention is key. It might sound simple, but making the intention to breastfeed is the first step in enabling you to mentally prepare for what may come. Breastfeeding may be a breeze, but it may also be one of the hardest things you will ever do. Being mentally ready for any situation that may rise and entrusting that ultimately Allah (SWT) knows best will put you in a good stead in those first few weeks when your body is exhausted post-delivery.

2. Educate yourself

There are so many ways to learn about breastfeeding, whichever avenue suits you there is something for everyone:

• Take an antenatal class from NCT to Hospital based. Antenatal classes are a great way to make mummy friends and all of them will cover both breast and bottle feeding. Ensure that you know what the class covers beforehand as privately run classes are usually pricey and so you want to make sure you will cover what is important to you. Hospital based classes usually require booking early on in your pregnancy and will also cover specifics for your locality.  

• Register for an online course. In the current pandemic where face to face resources are limited, we are lucky to have many online and virtual resources. We recommend:-
  1. The Birth Collective runs a variety of antenatal and postnatal courses which cover feeding in depth and was founded by a group of healthcare professionals with more than 25 years experience in mums and babies. For the website, click here.
  2. Blossom Antenatal runs a free antenatal breastfeeding class which covers all the basics of breastfeeding. These classes are also run by experts such as midwives, lactation consultants and NCT experts. For the website, click here.

• Read up. There are a plethora of good books on parenting out there and many which also focus on breastfeeding. Below are a couple of our favourites:-
  1. The Positive Breastfeeding Book – this is a great manual to support you through your breastfeeding journey, filled with evidence based information and personal anecdotes, it covers all the essentials.
     • Order yours: https://amzn.to/36olHDx *
  2. You’ve got it in you: A positive guide to breastfeeding – written by an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, this easy read is designed to give you a play by play on the first months of breastfeeding. We love how it also links to other resources within the book – youtube videos and websites full of useful information.
     • Order yours: https://amzn.to/3msVGIO *

3. Use Social Media 

The amount of information available on social media these days is incredible and often, if you follow the right (and credible) sources, you will find a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips. Best of all it’s free and easy to find when needed in the middle of the night with a screaming baby.

We love @feedeatspeak. Stacey is an IBCLC lactation consultant with posts on everything related to feeding and speech too.

@kathrynstaggibclc and @miriamfeenlactationcentre are also both experienced IBCLCs who host useful Q&As and provide great advice on breastfeeding.

4. Get some on the ground insights  

Talk to your friends, sisters, mum and anyone you know that has been through the experience. Learn about how they find the process and what helped them get through.

5. Prepare those who will be around you 

Talk to your close friends and family and inform them of the intention you’ve made. Having a supportive network around you will be an irreplaceable resource which will enable you to have someone to lean on, especially in those early weeks when hormones are rife and things may be a challenge. 

6. Know how to get support if you need it :

Speak to your midwife about the support available to you after your baby is born. Find out about whether you will be able to receive home visits or attend a breastfeeding support group and what the process is to speak to the midwife, health visitor, and if needed, a local breastfeeding expert or lactation consultant. Remember to ask how long on average it will take to speak to these professionals so that you are prepared for the wait if there is one. 

If you decide to go down the route of hiring someone privately (usually this means you will be able to get help immediately within a day or two), we recommend using an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant – these individuals have rigorous training and hundreds of hours of practical experience with breastfeeding. The IBCLC website will allow you to find someone in your area: https://lcgb.org/find-an-ibclc/