Before having your first baby there are a hundred and one resources you can look through, articles you can read, products you can buy, and birthing classes you can take. But when it comes to breastfeeding, the information out there is thin. No one really tells you the WHOLE truth. Sure, people tell you it’s harder than they thought, but all the other pieces of information about why it’s so hard seem to be taboo. Well, not any longer. Today I am going to share with you everything I wish someone would have told me before breastfeeding. Three kids later, and I’ve got a lot to say on the subject.

9 Things I Wish I Knew Before Breastfeeding

1. It CAN hurt. I know everyone says that if it hurts, you’re doing it wrong, but that’s not true. Sometimes it DOES hurt. But it SHOULDN’T hurt for long. You definitely want to check and make sure baby is latching properly to make sure that isn’t what is causing pain. But sometimes, your nipples get dry, baby feeds a lot, baby has a strong latch, etc. Any of those reasons can cause you to have some pain while breastfeeding. If that’s the case, load up on nipple cream. My third baby had such a strong latch, he caused me to bleed! He was latched properly and all the steps were right, he just had a strong latch and I had to get used to it again. Don’t suffer in pain – get the cream! Your let down can also be painful. When your milk lets down, it kind of feels like someone is shocking your boobs with electricity. I don’t know how else to explain it. But it happens. It won’t be as painful forever.

2. There is such a thing as inverse nipples, and it’s very common the first time around. I had this problem and was like great, I am doomed not to breastfeed already, how embarrassing! I can’t tell you how many mamas have had the same problem since. This is why they invented the nipple shield, and thank goodness for that. The shield is an amazing way to get over this hump, BUT you do not want to continue to use it because it can affect your supply. Use it as much as you need to that first week or two, but after that try to gently wean baby from using it. Attempt to get baby to latch before using the shield, but don’t wait until they are too hungry or else they’ll be too temperamental to try. And if it doesn’t work, use the shield and try again next feeding, it’s totally okay! It took about 6 weeks for me to wean Jase from using it, and I never had to use it again!

3. Mastitis and clogged ducts. Can we all just say OUCH! I did not have enough information on what to watch for, how to prevent this, what to do if it happened, etc. So please make sure to research this! In short, if you start to have pain in your breasts that’s a danger sign. Do not let your breasts get overly full. Pump just an ounce or so to relieve fullness if your baby isn’t emptying them well. If pain kicks in, pump, take a hot shower, and work out the beginning of a clog before it turns to mastitis. Hot rags are great for helping this too! If the pain hits with a fever, call your Doctor. If you wait, it gets worse!

4. Don’t stress about supply. Your body was designed to make enough milk for your baby. The percentage of women who truly struggle with milk supply issues isn’t as big as it is made out to be. A lot of advice consultants and people give, although well intentioned, end up causing a lot of the supply issues that women have with their milk. Nursing your baby as much as possible is really important! They will signal the milk supply and even as they decrease and increase their intake, your body will adjust. Sometimes they will get mad because it isn’t happening fast enough, but they’ll learn to do what needs to be done to get the milk they want. Three babies in and mine still get upset at times that the milk won’t come right away when they’re demanding more for a growth spurt. If your baby is nursing more than usual, it doesn’t always mean supply issue, and if they nurse long enough your milk will signal to let down. Pumps aren’t an accurate way to measure your milk supply as babies ALWAYS nurse more efficiently. If you are nursing and pumping, it’s normal you won’t pump a lot of milk. If baby is impatient, you can pump to signal a let down and then have baby latch on to nurse, but it doesn’t always work. Baby is always more efficient!

5. Distracted nursing is normal as your baby grows. Put on, pull off, put on, pull off, get mad, remember they’re hungry put on, pull off…it’s the frustrating cycle and it begins around 4 months. Distracted nursing happens because the world becomes bigger to them. If it’s getting frustrating, try to go into a dark room with a sound machine or throw a cover over their eyes. This continues off and on until you wean. Sometimes I just set the baby on the floor and say, you’ll eat when you’re hungry enough.

6.Lactation Consultants can be helpful, but not always. Lactation consultants are good to talk to but sometimes they have differing opinions and it can confuse you. Find what works for you and go with it! I learned about a nipple shield from a consultant, so thankful for that. But then they all had all these opinions and thoughts on what and how it should work and it just caused so much confusion! Try different ideas and advice, and see what works for you!

7. Nursing Bras. Nursing bras are convenient, but you don’t have to have them. I actually buy one or two good nursing bras to wear when I go out of the house, and live in sports bras the rest of the time. They are easy to just pull down and don’t cost as much! I definitely suggest waiting to buy them until you have the baby though. I cannot say how many times I bought a nursing bra and it was too small once my milk came in…and those things are expensive! You can try them on in store and purchase them on Amazon for cheaper versions!

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8. Build a stash. It’s a great idea to build a frozen stash so that you can leave or have supply for emergencies. When my daughter was born, my milk came in so fast I had to pump before every feeding for her to even latch. So I had a huge freezer supply right off the bat. It’s a great idea to pump in the hospital when your milk first comes in to get a base to your stash. With my boys, I would do a pumping week every so often. I would take a week or two and pump right after my two morning nursing sessions when my milk was fullest. Wait about an hour after you feed, pump, and store! Don’t worry if you can only get a couple ounces. I can never get more then 2-3 when pumping and nursing. If I skip a feeding, or pump before I leave, I can get 4oz which isn’t usually what they’re eating. They eat more than you can pump usually, and that is okay!

9. The first 8 weeks suck. It’s going to be hard, it’s going to be exhausting, you’re going to starve, and it’s going to take time…but give it the first 8 weeks. Just stick with it and you will see so much change after that! I tell all my new mom friends….just push through and it will be so much better! You will want to give up, and it’s okay. You will feel like all you’re doing is feeding a baby, that you are completely tied down to feeding a baby, and you might cry your eyes out over it all. It’s okay! I think we all feel that way sometimes, but it does get better. You’ll develop a routine and flow that work for you!

If you read this far, you deserve some sort of reward. But new moms, this is for you, because these questions deserve to be answered! Veteran moms, you know you wish you knew too!

What would you add to this list?