I’ve only ever breastfed. The beginning it is hard. Your baby eats all the time and your nipples get raw and it’s painful with babe eats. Once you get pasted the first few weeks it gets easier. After the first couple months it’s a breeze. So easy, you don’t have to go get a bottle you’re already prepared.

So have go easy on your self because you and babe have never done this before. Make sure to ask for help. Talk to a lactation consultant! We have a breastfeeding support group through the hospital that I went to at least once a week, more right in the beginning, with both kids.

Persistence! You can do this!

I could just not make it work with my first baby so I pumped for the first year instead. Hard as well but worked better for me. This time around, my son latched right away and I’ve had no issues besides constantly nursing and a bit of pain when he first latched but make sure he is getting a whole mouth full of ur breast and nipple and not just the nipple. The more they have in their mouth for that first latch, the less pain I’ve found. Have ur lactation consultant show you the proper way to get ur breast in his mouth (that sounds so silly but honest truth). I also found that the football position was the easiest for me to nurse until I got a hang of it. I also used my maternity pillow to hold my baby up cause I hated the boppy. At first I would also make my hubby give me the baby after I was all set and ready to nurse. You got this mama!!

and remember baby regulates your milk production. Keep that baby on the boob as often as possible and look for feeding cues before crying starts like rooting (when they stick their tongues out and make a little fishy face), sucking on hands etc. eventually you will establish a pattern but there will be times you feel all they do is nurse.

Nursing apps are awesome bc it helps you keep track of which side you nurse from and there’s a timer. switch boobs and let baby be the one to unlatch

Expect it to hurt like hell for a little bit and to get frustrated. It’s all normal. But magically at some point your nipples will turn to steel. For me it was around 1-2 weeks.

Make use of a lactation consultant if there is one in the hospital to ensure you both have the right latch.

A mom told me before I had kids to imagine what it’s like for you to take a big ole bite of a burger that’s how you want to give your baby your boob😂she wasn’t joking

In the beginning don't expect it to be easy. It hurts so bad the first couple of weeks. Keep a basket filled with chapstick, snacks, and water along with your phone, the remotes, chargers by you. You will feel like you are constantly nursing (because you will be) since baby's belly is so tiny and is definitely not the same as giving a bottle of formula. Eventually you and baby should get the hang of it. Don't be too hard on yourself, you will both be learning as you go. 💜