QUESTIONS FOR MOMMIES WHO BREASTFEED!!!

From what I read there isn't a way to over feed a breastfed baby. Also there isn't a way to know if baby is full other than baby's natural ques. Which babies are exceptionally good at telling you. Breastfed babies naturally eat more because breast milk digests faster than formula because it's so full of nutrients baby needs. As for pumping for bottles, when you pump unless you plan on using it within 24hrs of pumping you have to deep freeze it.

@santistevanmommie, okay thank you!

You're welcome

Ok so pumping first... If you pump it lasts for 4 hours. In the fridge it lasts for 24 hours. You have to freeze it if you want to keep it for longer. I don't remember how long it keeps for in the freezer. As for actually breastfeeding, it is MUCH easier than websites/ books make it sound. I let my baby suck from one boob until he turns his head and unlatches. Your baby WILL tell you. He will wine and complain if you keep trying to offer it to him and he doesn't want it, trust me :) once he does that with the side you started with, offer the other boob. If he doesn't want it, he's full. If he does, then he emptied your first boob and will then drink and do the same thing when he is full! Now, the next feeding if he didn't want the second boob start with that side. If he did want the second boob, still start with the second side because chances are he didn't finish it and could still get the benefits of the hind milk from the side. The baby will let you know when he/she is hungry :) trust me! If they are crying and you are bouncing, playing, and nothing is working, chances are they are hungry. Offer your booby :) nature really makes it much easier. I never followed any time or schedule. I just let nature take its course! The baby knows what is best for them :)

for the record, breast milk lasts 6-8 hours at room temp, 3-5 days in the fridge, and 6-12 months in the freezer. and you can't refreeze milk thats been thawed out. but you DON'T have to use pumped milk within 24 hours. I just wanted to clear that up so you're not stressing about that in the future.

for the record, breast milk lasts 6-8 hours at room temp, 3-5 days in the fridge, and 6-12 months in the freezer. and you can't refreeze milk thats been thawed out. but you DON'T have to use pumped milk within 24 hours. I just wanted to clear that up so you're not stressing about that in the future.

but breastfeeding is natural, your body and baby know what they're doing. as long as your baby is having wet and dirty diapers you have no reason to stress about not having enough milk. don't be quick to jump to supplementing with formula unless you have spoken to a lactation consultant and SHE says you need to. because 95% of the time she will reassure you that you have plenty of milk :)

and at first a lot of mom think they aren't making a lot of milk and supplement with formula the first few days baby will just get colostrum and keep eating every what feels like every 10 mind or every hour doing so help the baby help your body produce more like so don't think your baby is not getting g any your milk will come in fully like 3-4 days after you will know because you boobs will start to hurt and get rock hard ,as for bottle feeding I wanted to do that so his dad could fee him but he decided he only liked my boob to eat with so he doesn't take bottles which in return means I do all the feedings,I'd wait a week or two before giving a bottle so baby learns to latch and breastfeed well then maybe introduce bottle so there's no nipple confusion which non of my kids had that issue ,my youngest just like to be breastfeeding fed won't take my milk from a bottle and baby will pull away when full and if she doesn't she will squirm around from being so full my son does that some times he 6 month and sometimes he will fall asleep eating I agree with @crunchymomma about the hours and days if breastfeeding milk

this helps alot

@mrsmoore, I got that Magnet on my fridge lol, and my daughter prefers boob all day long so her daddy doesn't get to feed her much either :/

@aboutellesbabe, @crunchymomma @mrsmoore thank you guys so much! That really does help. No one in my family has breastfed before so they have no idea which leaves me clueless.

Also don't let the hospitals pressure you into formula feeding. Make sure if you think you are not producing enough milk you talk to a lactation consultant, not the nurses. Hospitals are sometimes paid to endorse a certain formula and I've heard of stories where the nurses will tell you that you are not producing enough and should switch to formula. If they do this to you just say that you are going to get a second opinion from a lactation consultant :) sorry if I had some wrong hours for pumping! The nurses in the NICU told me those times, but maybe that was just hospital policy :) glad to hear that you have longer in the fridge than I thought! Good luck darlin you will do great. Just follow your instinct and do what feels right to you when it comes to breastfeeding :)

honey most of your questions will have the answers and come natural when you have your baby. and you should have a lactation consultant to help you.

@crunchymomma, lol I need a magnetic one!