Things I would like to know before I gave birth: Breastfeeding

When I was pregnant I attended as many classes as I could find. Through my insurance, hospital and private. I attended 2 different breastfeeding classes and went over breastfeeding briefly during 1 (Preparing for Delivery and Postpartum). When talking about breastfeeding all videos show a happy mom, usually smiling from ear to ear, breastfeeding her baby. They show different feeding positions that said mom is so comfortable doing and baby is cooperating, with the perfect latch being all cute. In the beginning of my breastfeeding journey I was far from being happy, or even smiling. My intention is not to scare future moms but I wish I could go back in time and let myself know what the reality is. Cause there were many, MANY days that I felt like a failure.It hurts! So, so much! Your nipples will feel like they will fall off. I cried every time my baby latched. Pain went away a minute later then I just felt sore. And because some of you will ask, her latch was excellent per 3 different LCs. If you exclusively breastfeed then it’s going to be you waking up for every feeding. Your SO can and should wake up with you to change the diaper, get you some water, rock the baby to sleep but non of that really matters because all you want to do is sleep for more than 2 hours. But you need to feed baby every 2.5-3h counting from when you start the feeding not from when you finish. Newborn babies can feed for up to 45 minutes. You do the math.If you decide to pump, you need to first figure out how to make a day last 48 hours cause between feeding the baby, pumping, washing and sterilizing your pump and bottles you will probably be at hour 26! I pumped for a while cause my baby wasn’t gaining weight and I kept telling my husband “I feel like it’s 1000 o clock”!! I literally pumped for maybe 3 weeks and when I think about that time I feel like it lasted for 3 months.Honorable mentions: stress about how much baby ate, stress if baby is gaining weight, hunger, thirst, no time to eat, no time to drink, washing your hair every 10 days = success, thirst, leaking, engorgement, clogged ducts, spilled milk, milk on everything, did I mention thirst? I know all that sounds dramatic and scary. But let me tell you! IT IS ALL WORTH IT!!!! When the pain is gone, baby latches like a dream, feeding are 4h-5h apart, you find your position, and stop leaking everywhere, then yes you will look at your baby, smile and be happy! The bond, the way your baby will look at you, the “nipple in the mouth smiles” (my personal favorite) and the feelings you get when you realize how awesome you are! Unmatched!! So keep fighting mama! It freaking sucks but it is beautiful on the other side! On the other side, breastfeeding is as easy as breathing♥️ via /r/pregnant https://ift.tt/mHXFY31