25th
I did read a lot about breastfeeding late in my pregnancy. Though most of the information I got was from the www. I just realized that I did not even buy a single book on breastfeeding. Hey, information should be free right? Since obviously I cannot for the life of me remember every single detail that I read I would download most of the important stuff and save it on my desktop lappie for easy access (it would be easier if I kept it in a single folder under the label “BREASTFEEDING” but I’m the most unorganized person I know-which so contradicts a virgoans character). Anyway, fyi I only bought 2, yup TWO, book during my pregnancy. One was “The Girlfriends Guide To Pregnancy” (Rachel read this book in FRIENDS when she was pregnant with Emma-betulkan awak? yes I’m asking you Pu3!) which I bought for RM15 at Payless Book Store and the other was, of course, “What To Expect…”. But I don’t have any books about breastfeeding. (My friend wanted to know what books I read so that she can buy them, I couldn’t recommend any!). Basically I learned as I go because there was so much information that I didn’t know that I had to know about breastfeeding. So in order not to feel overwhelmed, I decided to take it a step at a time. But I concluded some basic things, initial rules of thumb for me to follow, for breastfeeding to be succesfull.
*Breastfeed within the first hour after birth. This I couldn’t do because I had a c-sec and they took my baby away for routine procedures while I was being put back together. But since I had specifically inform the nurses that I wanted to BREASTFEED ONLY, they brought her to me as soon as I was wheeled back from the OT to the ward.
*Babies only need a few drops of milk (colostrum) in her first few days of life. This was an important fact that I had to keep reminding myself during the first few days when I couldn’t see the white stuff.
*There is no such thing as NOT ENOUGH MILK. PERIOD. This became my mantra. Though being only human I did have my doubts in the first couple of days because the baby was permanantly attached to my boobs and I couldn’t actually physically see the milk but one day when I pumped to pinch my nips out (a trick used for people with flat/inverted nips) the milk came pouring out. Boy was I relieved. Once again, this bacame my mantra.
*Feed on demand to build up supply. Don’t be a clock watcher. But sometimes someone else will do it for you. Ignore them please. “Asyik menet*kkkk jer…dah dekat 1/2/3/4 jam dah tuuu… baby tak kenyang2 lagi kerr..?
*Do not supplement. No water. No Formula. Nothing else except for breastmilk. But I did let my mom and dad calit some air zam zam and honey (i think, dun remember) in her mouth. Hmm..adat org2 tua lah kott… But just a teeny tiny bit.
But that’s just me. Those were my initial rules to follow. And I learn more and more as I go along.
Happy breastfeeding!. Never give up ok!