By practice, trial and error, talking to friends who did it before me, and sticking with it in spite of cracked bleeding painful nipple which I thought was due to my red hair, fair complexion etc. By two weeks I was good to go and beyond all issues but the first week was hell. Bottles, the cylinder pump, hand massage and nipple shields were my helping tools although I'm sure they all contributed to issues. Having a sleepy jaundiced baby did not help either. I did have a supportive husband who helped me through and that was key as well as wanting it to work.
jane Ciaramella RNC-OB, IBCLC, MS

----- Original Message -----
From: [log in to unmask]
Date: Sunday, February 8, 2009 9:42 am
Subject: how did you learn?
To: [log in to unmask]

> I learned to breastfeed by just doing it. I couldn't stand to 
> hear my 
> babies cry (oldest is 33 yr) so breastfed despite cracked, 
> bleeding nipples and 
> likely abysmal latching. Getting water bottles from the nursery 
> and using a 
> pacifier likely didn't help either. I just thought I was 
> supposed to have 
> damaged nipples because of my fair skin. I co-slept because I 
> couldn't sleep 
> with my poor child in the next room in her crib and because I 
> got permission to 
> from my Lamaze instructor who later became an LC. I nursed 
> lying down on my 
> side with trial and error just trying to not cause nipple pain. 
> I remember 
> hand expressing when engorged and just massaged and squeezed 
> the heck out of 
> my breasts. I also found the cylinder hand pump I had so I 
> could leave a 
> bottle and go out (was told this was important to maintaining a 
> marriage by above 
> Lamaze instructor, and being the compliant girl I was then, I 
> followed 
> through) was painful so hand expression easier or a combination 
> sometimes used. 
> 
> For me, without any family or even friends who breastfed then, 
> it was just 
> sticking with it and instinct that got me through; that and a 
> tremendous 
> supply. Poor firstborn child, somehow survived my learning curve.
> 
> Barbara Latterner, BSN, RN, IBCLC
> 
> 
> Those of you whose firstborns are older than 28 or so:
> 
> How did you learn to breastfeed effectively? How did you learn 
> to hand
> express? How did you learn to breastfeed lying down? =20
> 
> Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC, LLLL Ithaca, NY USA
> www.normalfed.com
> 
> 
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