Hi, my name is Regina Kincaid. I qualified as a midwife in 2005 in Germany, and have since worked in maternity hospitals in England and Ireland. In 2016, I also became an international board certified lactation consultant, short ibclc. Since 2015, I have been living with my husband and three children in the Republic of Ireland. Currently, we are expecting our fourth child any day. As a mom myself, I have been very fortunate to have had three very positive breastfeeding experiences.

Which is why I would like to share my basic breastfeeding tips as a mother as a professional so that you too can have a successful breastfeeding journey. In this video, I would like to talk about what you Do already during pregnancy, to prepare yourself for breastfeeding. When pregnant most moms see giving birth as the main hurdle that they need to overcome and focus on preparing for labor and delivery. But in my opinion, it is equally as important to think about the postpartum time. while breastfeeding is completely natural, it doesn't come naturally. To most of us.

It is an acquired skill, which we have to learn and practice just like a toddler has to learn to walk. The only difference though is that toddlers see how grown ups work. Which brings me to my first point. We live in a society in which breastfeeding is not very visible. The first time we are actually exposed to the act of breastfeeding is on And when we're holding our newborn babies for the first time, and this can be very daunting. This is why it can be helpful to make contact with a group of breastfeeding moms while you're still pregnant to actually see breastfeeding.

Find a group you feel comfortable with. And most moms welcome pregnant women as they have been in the same situation just a few weeks before. On the same note, it is advisable to take a breastfeeding class and gather as much information as possible beforehand. Take your partner along to so they can also get a better understanding of what it means to breastfeed and support you. In most classes, effective positioning and attachment off the baby at the rest will be explained. So my next tip is to watch as many videos Effective positioning and attachment and also practice with a doll or a cuddly toy.

This might sound a little bit silly initially, but if you get used to dry practicing and holding a doll in the different preset positions, and the traditional positions would be usually the cradle hold the cross cradle hold. So really practice supporting the babies back in the different positions. Another a traditional hole is the rock behold. And this dry practicing will make it easier later on when you actually have a moving baby. Research has shown that women whose partners are supportive of breastfeeding have a better understanding about breastfeeding, they breastfeed for longer. And basically this means surround yourself with supportive people.

And if possible, connect with someone you know who has breastfed successfully. And this could be a friend, a sister, neighbor, etc. And just like you choose a birthing partner for labor, it can be helpful to organize the so called breastfeeding body to visit you in hospital after giving birth to support you there. And this brings me on to my next point, your postnatal stay in hospital. Check out the arrangements of the hospital you're planning to give birth it has the hospital UNICEF baby friendly certification, how many ibclc has the hospital maybe some of them make life on the postnatal Ward or was trained lactation consultants. after discharge from hospital have a list of phone numbers and details of health care professionals ready to be able to contact should you encounter problems.

So prepare this list whilst you're still pregnant, save it in your phone. So if you struggle, you know who you will be able to contact. Discuss breastfeeding also with your general practitioner during your antenatal checks and find out how supportive they are breastfeeding. Depending on their training, their knowledge can vary. internet forums can be a great source to tap into during nighttime feeds. also learn about common breastfeeding challenges such as sore nipples or encouragement.

This doesn't mean that you will definitely encounter those issues, but it will better equip you how to deal with them should they occur. Also familiarize yourself with the technique of hand expressing your own breast milk. Hand expressing can be such a useful tool to deal with a lot of breastfeeding problems, such as blocked milk ducts if you're if you know how to hand express the milk off your breast by yourself without a pump. It can solve a lot of breastfeeding challenges. And I'm planning to make a separate video on this topic to in the final weeks of pregnancy when you're nesting like me right now. Set up a nursing station Just like you would set up a nappy changing station.

So what is a nursing station? It basically means have everything within reach that you need for when you're breastfeeding. So for example, you could have a small basket or a small box that you fill up with items that you want to have close by when you're sitting down and breastfeeding, and fees in the early days can last long. So for instance, half the following items close. So I've just prepared a big wash bag. And I would have, for instance, a granola bar because breastfeeding will make you quite hungry and you will need an extra 500 calories.

I have a Muslim square for spit up. pilots to catch a needle cage, have a drink close by. It's very important because breastfeeding will make you very thirsty. possibly some nipple cream. Also have your phone close by if you want to be able to be contactable or if you want to be able to answer your phone so you don't have to like reach over. And maybe a magazine, anything that you can think of that you would like to have clothes for when you're sitting down for half an hour an hour, for however long breastfeeding can take in the early days.

If you have a toddler or an older child, make them a feeding basket to put some snacks in a box or a basket. Some books and toys. If they want to stick with you and the new baby, they can be kept entertained. I'm finding Don't put yourself under pressure. But think about your own individual goals be that you aim to breastfeed for three or a month, six months or a year. With these basic antenatal tools you can set yourself up for good start.