PREPARING FOR BREASTFEEDING

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Petrina O’Halloran founder of Mama’s Boobie Box gives some helpful Breastfeeding advice.

It is easy to think about how to prepare for breastfeeding after you have had your first child.

I was so naive at the start and never even thought about the problems I would encounter.

I thought you just stick your baby on your boob and that’s it, the baby will take it from there.

The below are my top tips for preparing for breastfeeding while still pregnant:

Get some breastfeeding books or do some research whilst you are still pregnant especially on issues you could encounter, like problems latching, mastitis, engorgement, suitable bras etc.

There is a great book by Diane Wiessinger called “The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding”.

Professor Amy Brown also has a range of books on breastfeeding.

Know all the support groups and websites you can use before the baby is born, some are available 24 hours and you may need to talk to someone at 3am.

Make sure your partner or family member is there with you for the first few days, as if something is going wrong with feeding, you cannot think rationally with little or no sleep, so it can be difficult to assess what is going wrong.

Surround yourself with other breastfeeding mums or those that will offer support, comfort and a good ear if you have concerns.

Let your friends and family know you plan to breastfeed and the reasons why so they can support your decision.

You will have your boobs out a lot, if this gives you anxiety think about investing in a good breastfeed- ing cover, or clothes that will suit your needs.

Be realistic about how hard breastfeeding is, and don’t feel like a failure as a mother if it is not working out as you expected. It is a skill you have to learn, so give yourself the time and patience to do that.

About the author

The founder of Mama’s Boobie Box, Petrina O’Halloran (originally from Galway) had been living in London for the past 10 years, and most recently held a role of Financial Controller with Notonthehighstreet.com.

She moved back to Ireland with her husband and little toddler Isobel during the pandemic in 2020, to achieve a better work/life balance and rear her children with family closeby.

When Petrina first began breastfeeding Isobel in 2018, she identified a need for Mama’s Boobie Box, as some practical products are not readily available.

It was also through her own struggles of breastfeeding that she realised more needed to be done to support breastfeeding women.

It was when she moved back to Ireland she decided to make this great idea a reality.

Through her social channels she also supports breastfeeding women by providing answers to all those unknowns you have when first time breastfeeding.

*Partner Promotion. 

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