Skin to skin is amazing.
Filed under:
Baby
When I first got home with Chester I had read a lot about skin to skin helps to encourage breastfeeding and bringing your milk in. This was hard as I had a constant stream of visitors for the first 2 weeks. Don’t get me wrong I loved seeing people but all I really wanted to do was live in my dressing gown with my boobs out enabling Chester to be skin to skin.
Two nights after being home Chester still was not successfully latching. I felt like I was failing and very emotional. The midwife visited me for breastfeeding support but typically Chester was fast asleep the whole duration. That night I decided to lay with Chester on my skin and and an amazing thing happened Chester began to nuzzle around in search of milk. Don’t get me wrong he nor I was expert at breastfeeding but I was excited he was trying. This gave me the strength to power on. In the first few days and weeks your are beyond tired and exhausted. All you really want to do is sleep and hibernate. But in reality you just can’t.
From then on I spent a lot of time doing skin on skin and practising a good latch. This is what I found hard. I would spend ages getting Chester to latch then once on even if painful I would feed as I was scared to take him off and reposition as it had taken so long to get him on. Don’t panic if your at this stage it gets easier the more confident you become and the old saying is practice makes perfect and don’t worry you’ll get plenty of time for that.
My hints and tips for skin on skin.
Try to do skin on skin at each feed if this means spending the first few days in a dressing gown so be it.
Limit your guests and visitors as this can really affect establish feeding especially if your are struggling.
Talk about it. My sister and my Mum were my rocks in those early days and really encouraged me on even when I was so close to giving up.
Use breastfeeding groups.
Be proud of what your doing. Your doing an amazing job.
I always happy to talk to anyone.
Love Laura
Two nights after being home Chester still was not successfully latching. I felt like I was failing and very emotional. The midwife visited me for breastfeeding support but typically Chester was fast asleep the whole duration. That night I decided to lay with Chester on my skin and and an amazing thing happened Chester began to nuzzle around in search of milk. Don’t get me wrong he nor I was expert at breastfeeding but I was excited he was trying. This gave me the strength to power on. In the first few days and weeks your are beyond tired and exhausted. All you really want to do is sleep and hibernate. But in reality you just can’t.
From then on I spent a lot of time doing skin on skin and practising a good latch. This is what I found hard. I would spend ages getting Chester to latch then once on even if painful I would feed as I was scared to take him off and reposition as it had taken so long to get him on. Don’t panic if your at this stage it gets easier the more confident you become and the old saying is practice makes perfect and don’t worry you’ll get plenty of time for that.
My hints and tips for skin on skin.
Try to do skin on skin at each feed if this means spending the first few days in a dressing gown so be it.
Limit your guests and visitors as this can really affect establish feeding especially if your are struggling.
Talk about it. My sister and my Mum were my rocks in those early days and really encouraged me on even when I was so close to giving up.
Use breastfeeding groups.
Be proud of what your doing. Your doing an amazing job.
I always happy to talk to anyone.
Love Laura
