10 things new mums need to know about breastfeeding in 2023

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Breastfeeding – it’s supposed to be the most natural thing in the world but the fact that in many cases it is not is just one of many things new mums don’t know about breastfeeding. I myself struggled hugely in my mission to breastfeed – having not been able to get my daughter to latch for three whole months and so exclusively pumping my way to insanity during that whole time. And so when I was contacted by mum of two and author of the book The Secret Mums Club Donna Reed about letting the cat out of the bag about breastfeeding, I knew I just had to give her the floor.

Donna ran into problems with breastfeeding and was on the verge of giving up but she so desperately wanted to continue.  She developed her own approach and often wondered how many mums had been in her position and how many mums could she have helped.  Donna wants every mums to know that 100% exclusive breastfeeding in line with the guidelines set by the world health organisation is the very best for baby but when a mum wants to give up for whatever reason there are choices before going on to 100% formula.

She shares her secrets in detail in her new book The Secret Mums Club but I’m lucky to have her sharing her top ten tips on breastfeeding for new mums here and now….

1 . Breastfeeding is a skill for both you and your baby to learn and doesnt happen on day one.  Allow up to 6 weeks for you both to get breast feeding truly established.

2 . Your baby will not judge you only learn from you.

3. Its okay to say you’re not okay!

4 . Stock your freezer with healthy meals before baby arrives, ideally dont plan to be cooking meals at all in the first 2 weeks.

5. Do not attempt any sort of baby routine in the first 6-12 weeks it won’t work!

6. A glass of wine is absolutely fine while you are breastfeeding.

7. Once baby is fed and settled you can have some time to yourself even if its just going for a walk or getting your nails done. Its a misconception your baby needs to be with you 24/7.

8. After the first week take time to have a meal with your partner and talk through how the whole experience has been for both of you.  Its good to talk.

9. I recommend at least 2 “onesie” or 2 pyjama days in the first week after birth to just focus on sleeping and feeding your baby to get breastfeeding working well for you both.

10. If things are going wrong seek help, no question is a silly question.  Your health and wellbeing is just as important as your babies.

Bonus number: Be aware that something called  cow’s milk protein allergy or milk rash exists. CMPA is an allergy – not an intolerance – which is where the body detects a substance it thinks is a threat (in this case cow’s milk protein), triggering an abnormal response by the immune (defence) system. Think your baby might have milk rash/CMPA? If they are experiencing these symptoms then you may want to investigate further.

Donna firmly believes is not just the physical action of breastfeeding that equals success its about your mindfulness in all that you do which lays the foundation for it to succeed.

“A child will never remember the number of hot dinners you made them but will always remember the times you didn’t play with them”.

Welcome to the secret mums club.

Donna xxx

The Secret Mums Club is available now on Amazon.

Are you a new mum trying to get to grips with breastfeeding? What has been your greatest challenge? Or perhaps you have been there and done that and want to share your own experience? Do leave a comment below.

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15 comments

  1. I’ve had four children, and breast fed them all. I’ve experienced all kinds of highs and lows, and it is by no means text book. It can be so difficult, and so tiring. I had mastitis with my third, and ended up wearing cabbage leaves in my bra! That was so hard to deal with and keep going. It really is about learning about yourself and your baby. If you can do it, it’s worth it all. And if you can’t, I would never judge you.

  2. Happy Mummy equals happy baby is something that someone told me as a first time mother and I think it’s the best advice I could have been given. Breastfeeding can be such hard work for some and for others it can click and be lovely, but there is so much pressure on mums to do it and if it doesn’t work out for them there should be no guilt! I wasn’t breastfed as a baby, and I turned out ok (well others may disagree) and I’m still very close to my Mum who is a wonder. Saying that, some great tips above for those who want to stick with it, it also helps knowing that it does get easier after about 6 weeks.

  3. It is so important to ask any questions you have and to remember that it takes time to get it right. I felt like a failure for the first two weeks until we worked it out!

  4. i wish someone had told me that its a skill both the mother and baby need to learn. i felt to miserable when baby couldn’t latch on well and everyone treated me like i was intentionally depriving my baby of food…like i was a bad mum for not knowing what to do….sigh

  5. I wish i had read up on breastfeeding before i had my bubba, it definitely was not what i expected. Our first 6 mths were hard but we are still going strong at 18mths thanks to awesome support online

  6. This is the sort of advice I can get behind, and so often lacking from “breastfeeding experts”, especially the reminder that your baby won’t judge you for not being a master straight away. I breastfed both my girls – the first time it took me 8 weeks before I could feed her without pain, and the second one still took 3 weeks even though I supposedly knew what I was doing. I love the point too that there are lots of steps in between 100% breast and 100% bottle.

    And someone loved this post so much, they added it to the BlogCrush linky! Congratulations! Feel free to collect your “I’ve been featured” blog badge 🙂 #blogcrush

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