Tips for Breastfeeding Successfully During the Holidays
Its the most wonderful time of the year, right? Well, whether you had your baby a week ago or 10 months ago… You’re likely still in the thick of baby care.
By now, your family may be familiar with your feeding goals for your little one, however your extended family may not. There is a big push for “normalizing breastfeeding” which we are TOTALLY on board with. However, I often still feel uncomfortable navigating these waters with grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. So my hope with this is to provide you with some tips that may make the holidays a little more comfortable for you and your family.
First things first: Talk with your spouse!
I know, your spouse isn’t the one doing the breastfeeding, so he shouldn’t have a say. BUT we disagree. In order to make the holidays as stress free as possible, yall need to be a team. Talk out your desires, priorities, situations you want to avoid, etc so that you have plans and safeguards in place as needed. Being on the same page and communicating can go a lonnnnng way! (Mom feels supported, baby gets the best care, and Dad gets brownie points when he steps up to the plate!!)
For example: Mom really wants to prioritize feeding on demand, but that may result in having to skip the perfectly timed meal or proposed family picture. So, when mom chooses to feed or steps away dad is prepared to say “The baby is hungry right now. It typically doesn’t take long, but everyone will have a better time if we can make sure our baby is happy too.”
Talk with your family
For breastfeeding moms everywhere: THIS is huge. The generations before us didn’t have all the education, knowledge, efforts, products, or support to promote breastfeeding. The holidays provide a perfect time for you to step in and tell them about your daily life, the knowledge you’ve gained through your experiences, and how these choices are good for your family.
I realize this is a tough one, because someone else may not always agree with the choices you’ve made for your family. If someone in your family disagrees with you, it is okay. It is also okay to say “this is what works best for our family,” so that you ultimately agree to disagree. This dialogue at least opens up the space for your family to learn more about you… as well as giving them information that may help them with the next breastfeeding mom they encounter. If you decide you want to open up this area for discussion prepare your heart for comments that you may not like and be willing to accept or respect if someone disagrees with you (or suggests something you don’t want to do).
Example #1: Mom exclusively pumps and has to pump every 3 hours - even while she is with family- to pump milk for her baby.
Aunty Sue: “You sure do have to pump often, wouldn’t it be easier to just give formula? That’s what I did with my kids and they turned out fine.”
Mom: “I’m so glad that worked for y’all and your kids did turn out great. I chose to do this because there are so many health benefits that have been discovered about breast milk, so all of this time and effort is well worth my time spent pumping. It works great for my family.”
Example #2: Remind your family what your typical feeding schedules and routines look like before gathering. This allows them to have realistic expectations of what commitment you are making to the gathering and they won’t feel disappointment or caught off guard with your commitment to your little one.
Protect your supply
This is a lot easier said than done… but in order to successfully breastfeeding during the holidays, you have to protect that precious milk supply and meet your babies needs. Do this by continuing to remove milk every 3 hours, don’t delay feedings, and don’t skip pumping sessions.
Example #1: Great-grandmother asks to feed the baby a bottle and you skip a feeding session. This can (and likely will) negatively impact your milk supply. You can combat this by saying “I plan on feeding the baby, but I would love your help burping and rocking her,” or you can make sure to remember to pack your breast pump and milk storage bags.
Example #2: If you are a working mom and typically exclusively pump during the week days, its important to still remove the amount of milk you typically pump in a day. Some moms pump more than their baby eats at the breast. If that is you and you suddenly take a break from pumping to only nurse… you may go back to work and see a dip in your milk supply. Pumping some in addition to nursing may be the best choice for you.
Be Prepared
Whatever you do, prepare! Think through possible situations, plan out your day, and be ready to advocate for the way you’ve chosen to care for your little one… then pack accordingly. The last thing you want to do is forget your pump, forget storage bags, or forget your nursing cover.
