5 Tips for Successful Lactation

Breastfeeding can be a hot button issue. Whether you’re camp, “breast is best” or if  “fed is best” is your rallying cry, you can’t deny that when a family is grown through adoption, preparing to breastfeed can look a little different. 

Here are my 5 tips for breastfeeding success: 

1. If you plan to breastfeed any child, find a good lactation consultant. Breastfeeding is natural, but to a new mama it can feel foreign. In my opinion the best lactation consultants get in there, grab your boob, and make it happen. A great LC will adjust to what feels right to you and will never force you to do something just because it worked for someone else. 

2. If possible, plan ahead. It's all about stimulating those nipples. If you don’t have access to a breast pump, you can have your partner help by sucking and stimulating (who said lactation can’t be fun)

3. Have an SNS* ready for last minute placements. The sooner you start skin to skin, the easier it will be to get your milk to come in.

4. R-E-L-A-X, curl up on the couch with a good book, a cup of tea, and a couple lactation cookies while you pump. 

5. If it doesn’t happen naturally, it’s ok! There are so many wonderful ways to bond with your new babe. 

*SNS- supplemental nursing systems

SNS’s are popular amongst mamas (and some dads) that can’t breastfeed immediately following the birth of a child. A SNS is simply a small bag that hangs from the individual’s neck, it holds formula or breastmilk. Two tiny tubes extend from the bag and attach directly to the skin around the nipple. The baby is brought to breast and sometimes the sucking sensation is enough stimulation to signal the brain to produce milk. It can also be an incredible bonding experience between parent and child, whether or not milk is actually produced. There are two main SNS’s on the market. One is made by Medela and the other is made by Lact-Aid. Both work very similarly, but the Lact-Aid seems to be a  favorite for new moms.