Follow my blog with Bloglovin My tips for breastfeeding success

As a new mum everyone seems to want to tell you how amazing breastfeeding is for babies. We are bombarded with "breast is best" from our doctors, midwives and health visitors alike. I do agree with this to an extent and I have been lucky enough to be able to exclusively breastfeed Rafe since he was born, but not everybody can or wants to do this, and that's okay too. 
There is already so much guilt you can feel as a mum. I always doubt myself as to whether I am doing a good job or whether I should be doing things differently. How a woman feeds her baby shouldn't be something she should be made to feel guilty about by society.
Breastmilk is often referred to as the "perfect food" for babies and it is well know that it contains everything a baby needs aswell as antibodies, BUT aslong as a baby is healthy, happy and fed nobody should feel bad for bottle feeding whether it's by choice or not.

These are some of the things that have made breastfeeding a lot easier for me and have stopped me from giving up when things have got difficult (or painful).
First of all I would say when you first start breastfeeding it can hurt, this could be caused by an incorrect latch or I found my nipples were sensitive at first because I had never breastfed before. Also around day 3 post birth when your milk 'comes in' your boobs will feel enormous and hard and probably quite painful, try and persevere if you can because this stage is temporary and it should get easier.
These are some of the things that I did which I found really helped me;
Firstly invest in a good quality, supportive nursing bra. This really is an 'investment'. I have tried a few different brands, some of which offered zero support and made me feel like a massive frump, (and when you have just given birth and are already wearing massive knickers and hospital compression stockings that is the last thing you need!)I have recently discovered the 'Cake lingerie' t-shirt nursing bra and I love it! Don't get me wrong it is by no means sexy but it actually supports your boobs, looks good under clothes and is super comfortable to wear. I found the sizing pretty accurate, I am usually a 32DD so I ordered a cup size up and a 32E and it fits perfectly. I bought mine on Amazon and I think it should be avalible from Figleaves aswell and its around the £30-£40 mark so a bit pricey for a bra but I definitely think it's worth it.

The next pricey purchase is for the Lansinoh pure lanolin nipple ointment. It does cost around £10 for a 40g tube, which seems a lot, but this could be the difference between sticking with breastfeeding or giving up. When I first started breastfeeding I applied this after every single feed. This may seem excessive but it really helped. You don't need to wash it off before feeding your baby and as your (poor, long suffering) nipples get used to breastfeeding you can apply it less often. I just use mine at night before bed now.

The next thing I recommend if you are struggling is asking for help. This sounds obvious but I think it can be quite an embarrassing topic to ask about. Make sure before you leave hospital you know how to latch your baby on properly. Don't despair if it doesn't happen straight away babies have to learn too but ask a midwife to help...and if you still don't get it ask them to show you again. They are there to help you, don't feel bad asking for assistance if you need it. There are usually plenty of breastfeeding support groups around aswell that your health visitor should be able to tell you about, they are good not only for advice but also to meet other mums who will probably be feeling exactly the same as you.

Breastfeeding is thirsty work, always have a drink to hand...and no I don't mean a large red wine as tempting as that may be! I recently bought a litre, BPA free water bottle, I found that I was getting very thirsy and dehydrated so by ensuring I get through at least two of these a day and by making sure I always have it nearby I can keep track of how much I'm drinking.
Breast pad wise I've only tried two types the superdrug disposable pads (don't recommend) and the Boots ones in the 90 pack. These are really good, they contour to the shape of your breast and are individually wrapped so you can pop them in your bag and they stay clean.

One disadvantage of exclusively breastfeeding is that it can be difficult and even awkward to do in public. I know it is the most natural thing in the world but I personally would be too embarrassed to feed my baby in a public place. I recently bought a 100% cotton breastfeeding cover off of Amazon which is incredibly useful if you want to go out or if you have visitors and makes feeding a lot more convenient. 
I have got and Avent electronic breastpump and I am planning to start expressing when Rafe is three months old so that Richard can feed hime some of the time...and I can have a glass of wine...or two! I will post a review on it once I have used it.
Good luck to everyone else on their breastfeeding journey. Just remember it DOES get better!

Jx