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Breast/Chest
Feeding

Learn about reasons, challenges and the joys of nursing your baby.

For the most comprehensive database of resources and support available please check out La Leche League Int. for probably all of your nursing needs. 

Disclosure: We are not lactation consultants nor do we claim to have a fully comprehensive database of nursing resources. If you are experiencing difficulty with breastfeeding we implore you to seek professional health for the mental and physical wellbeing of both you and your baby. Thank you.

Image by Nick van den Berg

Why Nurse?

Healthy Babe, Healthy Parent

Nursing protects children against disease, illness and in some cases death. Antibodies are passed from parent to child through breast milk to ensure that you baby is safe.

Post partum nursing helps to reduce the risk of post delivery bleeding and helps heal from the trauma of childbirth. Parents who breast/chest feed are a bit more likely to get back to their pre-pregnancy weight fast than those who formula feed.

Your body knows exactly the correct nutrition for your growing baby depending their stage of life. 

Breast/chest fed children have been noted to have reduced risk of other morbidities as they age, such as: asthma, diabetes, heart disease, obesity and even some types of cancers. 

Parents who have nursed their babies have decreased their own personal risk of breast ovarian cancers, and may also have a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The Basics

Precious Package en Route

There's always so much to do getting ready to welcome a new life into the world!

The most essential aspect of preparing to nurse is confidence and a good support structure. Nothing extra is necessary but sometimes a few supplies might help.

Helpful Supplies:

Nursing Bras

Nursing Pads

Nipple butter for sore nipples

Reusable icepacks

Sling

Breast pump (if you plan to store milk)

Milk storage bottles or bags

Support nursing pillow - like a Boppy Pillow

 

Make your intention to breastfeed known, some parents do not want their baby to feed from bottle. Ensure that your medical team and family are aware of your decisions. 

Build nursing into your delivery plan and try to get baby to latch as soon as possible. Initiating breast/chest feeing within the first hour after delivery is ideal. If that is impossible ask for a breast pump or begin hand expressing colostrum. 

You have probably noticed your breast changing physically to prepare for your baby's arrival. 

You are a beautiful, unique person and every baby is unique - there is no perfect system - find the one that works for you and your little one. Trust your intuition!

Basic Phases of Nursing

Not everyone feels let down. Once your baby successfully latches, you may feel a let down. Some report this as feeling like a surge of pressure, or a tingling sensation, while others don't feel a let down at all. The sensation of sucking stimulates the nerves in and around the nipple and signals a release of a hormone called oxytocin. Oxytocin is known as the "love" hormone, which sounds much better than a neuropeptide. We credit it with playing an essential role in lust, love, labor and let down. Oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland. This hormone plays a crucial role in the bond that you will form with your baby. You probably felt some of that same sensation when you were making that baby also, after all, it is all about the lovin'. When your milk lets down you may experience some minor pain which you may in time come to associate with relief. You may even feel some lumps in your breast or like everything there is engorged before your baby drains you breast. If you feel lumps or a hardness that does not resolve after the feed, be alert. Hard pea like lumps may be plugged ducts, and larger firm areas may be the beginning of mastitis. If you are experiencing either of these, call your OB or Midwife as you may need a prescription for an antibiotic. Let down can also occur from a number of other triggers that you come to associate with your baby nursing. You might hear a baby cry, look at a photo of your little one or even when you think about your baby. Not going to lie to any of you... oxytocin can be released when your intimate with our partner too, so if that partner is into nipple play - warn them, they might be in for a milky shower.

After let down has occurred you may move on to the expression phase. During this phase milk actually comes out of your nipple and into your baby's mouth or a collecting system if you are pumping. The easiest way to handle the expression phase is nursing your baby, but you may also need or want to pump if you are away from your little one. You can express milk with a breast pump and there are tons of models available and they are available in a range of prices. If you intend to pump you may want to make the investment to get a double electric pump. At this point there are literally wearable breast pumps that will make your breasts appear larger than necessary if you plan to wear them around work. Wearable pumps are not intended for building supply, they are only recommended for maintaining already established full milk supply. If you are only going to pump sometimes you can probably get away with a manual pump which will for sure also increase your grip strength. You can also successfully express manually with your own hands. You never know when you may be unexpectedly away from your baby without your pump. Pumps can also be rented if you don't want to make the investment or go through the tedium of digital expression. If you have health insurance, your insurance company will likely cover the cost of one new breast pump for each baby you have.

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The information provided on this website by BOSOMii is for informational and educational purposes only. We are not medical doctors, and the content on this site should not be construed as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Before making any decisions or changes regarding your health, wellness, or medical care, we strongly recommend consulting with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed medical practitioner.

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content by BOSOMii © 2025

illustrations  and web design by Roundhouse Acres © 2025

original art credited to artists listed on page, contact owner for permissions for personal use. 

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