Book Title: Now You Too Can Pump

Book Author: Celine Claire

Introduction

Food for thought. When women use their boobs to sell everything ranging from cars to cheeseburgers, nobody gives a damn. But, when women use their boobs to feed a baby in public, almost everyone loses their minds over that. This may be one of the paramount motivations for many women resorting to using breast pumps.

Fear? You don’t know fear until you’ve stuck your precious nipple in your teething baby’s mouth. Your baby’s bite marks on your nipples can make you develop resentment towards breastfeeding them. This is why some mothers prefer to use breast pumps to play it safe.

When mothers are asked about their awful breastfeeding fears, they mention things like "Not enough milk," "leaking," "swelling," discomfort," "latch," and more often, "biting." Given that lactating professionals encourage mothers to breastfeed for at least one year while introducing complementary foods at around 6 months, it is simply understandable why mothers fear their babies to circle on their breasts.

Biting of mums’ breasts usually occurs at the end of a breastfeeding session when a baby is no longer swallowing and suckling. So, here is the thing. If babies are well-latched, their mouths are filled with breast tissue, and biting is most likely to occur.

Some babies, especially those who are teething, tend to bite or gum your breast without realizing that it is painful for mom. If the biting happens to you, you just need to press your baby's face into the breast for a few seconds. Doing this will cause your baby to release your breast so that they can breathe. Then, firmly tell them, “No biting.” Wait for several minutes before offering them your breast again. After a short time, your baby may learn that biting has unwanted consequences and that they shouldn’t do it.

However, if your baby has failed to adjust accordingly, then you need to resort to using breast pumps to save yourself from the pain caused by bites.

Attention! Another shortcoming of breastfeeding is the pain that mothers experience. Various studies indicate that 8 out of 10 mothers report that breastfeeding is a painful experience. A mother needs to know that pain and latch are synchronous. When your baby is poorly latched, your nipples get squished between the roof of your baby's mouth above their tongue and below it.

Moms can typically tell when their baby has a poor latch. They do so by examining their breast nipples before and after breastfeeding their babies. For your baby to have a good, deep latch, your nipple should be placed at the back of their mouth so that the nipple is not stretched out. Doing this will leave your nipple in the same shape before and after breastfeeding your baby.

If your baby is imperfectly latched, your nipple appears flattened or creased after your breastfeeding session. Even though having a good latch is the secret to eliminating pain during breastfeeding, some mothers achieve that good latch but still experience pain as they breastfeed for the first time.

Good enough, the nipple tugging, pulling, or any painful breastfeeding sensation you may experience at the start of breastfeeding lasts for only a few seconds and can quickly stop after a few weeks. If the pain persists throughout your breastfeeding sessions, don't hesitate to consult a trained expert in breastfeeding for some advice.

Are you curious about how to have a good latch? Well, having a good latch is fundamental to a successful breastfeeding experience. If you have specific fears about achieving a good latch, it is highly understandable. But, the solution is simple. Start by watching your baby for early signs of hunger, such as sucking on fingers or fists, wiggling, or squirming. Then breastfeed your baby after such signs.

There is no objective in waiting for your baby to cry. Crying is a late sign of hunger. Your baby is most likely to latch on poorly and less likely to breastfeed properly if you wait for them to cry. Always position your baby correctly at your breast to help them achieve a good latch on the breast.

Choose a breastfeeding posture, which is comfortable for you and your baby. Think about how you face the dining table while eating a meal and place your baby in the same way, with their chin, chest, and knees facing your breast. Tickle your baby's nose or lips using your nipple and wait for their mouth to open wide as though they were yawning. Then, quickly but gently position them on the breast, leading with their lower lip and chin.

Let your nipple point slightly upwards, toward the roof of their mouth. Ensure that your baby's tongue is over their lower gum, between their lower lip, and your breast. Their lips should curl out like the lips of a fish and lie against your breast. Whenever your baby is positioned well, you may see none or less of the darker area of your breast around your nipple (areola).

The darker section of your breast around your nipple you can see will depend on the magnitude of your areola and the size of your baby’s mouth. It is common to see more areola on the top, above your baby's lip, than on the bottom. Your baby's nose and cheeks may gently touch your breast, and their chin should firmly press onto your breast.

You will understand that your baby has a good latch if you hear them suck, swallow, and breathe in a regular pattern and when you feel that breastfeeding is comfortable for you.

It’s no secret that most moms experience leaking, especially during the early weeks when their babies are eating for almost 24 hours during the day and at night. Breasts that leak, drip, or even spray milk in the weeks or months after delivery are a common and normal postpartum sign that Breast leaking happens because of the let-down reflex, which is a powerful and regular part of a breastfeeding experience.

Although it can be inconvenient, embarrassing, and messy, leaking breasts indicate that you are correctly lactating. It's just your body getting used to making milk and the feeding schedule that you and your baby are developing as you breastfeed.

Leaking breasts have physical and emotional triggers, which is why you might find yourself suddenly soggy even when your baby is not around you. Hearing your baby cry or even a mere glance at your baby’s picture may trigger a squirt. You may also experience breast leaking if you’re running a little late for breastfeeding. You may experience breast leaking from one breast or both. Having an orgasm can also trigger a let-down, which is why you need to breastfeed before engaging in sexual activities.

Some moms feel a tingling sensation just before their breast milk starts to drip or spray, although other moms never getting a warning before the actual leaking.

One can’t tell when or where they may leak. So, you need to prepare ahead and wear the appropriate clothing. A white silk blouse may not do you better. Leaking, dripping, or spraying breast milk is a temporary problem, which should ease up as your body adjusts to breastfeeding. In the meantime, have some standby nursing pads so that you wear them inside your bra. Avoid using nursing pads with waterproof liners, as they trap moisture against your skin.

Seeing is believing. The other challenge that mothers experience is breast engorgement or enlargement. Breast engorgement happens when your breasts are painfully overfull of milk. It usually happens when a mother's body makes more milk than their baby can consume. With breast engorgement, your breasts may become firm and swollen, making it difficult for your baby to breastfeed. The good news available for you here is that you can treat engorged breasts at home.

What may cause you engorgement?

When your milk first comes in, in the course of the first few days after you give birth.

When you’ve developed a regular breastfeeding routine but can longer breastfeed or pump like you used to do.

Once you suddenly stop breastfeeding.

In cases when your baby starts breastfeeding less than usual. This can be because your baby is starting or increasing solid food intake or when the baby is sick and has a poor appetite.

As a new mother, your breasts start making milk in around two to five days after your baby is born. Before the two to five days, your breasts make colostrum, which contains essential nutrients that your baby's body needs immediately after birth. Colostrum is a sticky, thick, yellowish liquid produced by a woman's breasts towards the end of her pregnancy and within the first few days after her baby is delivered.

It’s absolutely normal for your breasts to feel heavy, warm, and swollen when your milk comes in at the start. This early breast fullness you experience comes from the milk you make and the extra blood and fluids inside your breasts.

Here are the benefits you will obtain from reading this book

The importance and possibility of exclusive breastfeeding.

How you, too, can breastfeed in public with more confidence.

How you can cope with depression as you breastfeed your baby.

Learn how to deal with the stress associated with breastfeeding.

Master the ways you can use to overcome anxiety while breast pumping.

Tips to help you handle pumping at work.

You will learn about the proper storage and preparation of breast milk.

Learn about the quantity of breast milk you can expect to get after pumping.

Details concerning breast milk banks.

Understand how to use electric and manual breast pumps.

What you need to recognize when buying or using a breast pump.

Master the common breast-pumping mistakes and how to solve them.

How to know the suitable breast pumps and their accessories.

The benefits of using breastfeeding logs.

Breast milk storage after pumping.

Learn about the best breast milk storage bags on the market.

Get the tips for pumping and storing breast milk.

Know the supplies you need for breastfeeding and pumping.

Learn about the proper cleaning of your breast pump and its accessories.

Learn how to travel with breast milk.

Learn about how to reduce your pumping sessions.

Master exclusive pumping and how to do it right.

Explore how to bottle feed your baby and the basics of bottle-feeding.

Understand whether you can mix breastfeeding and formula feeding.

Acknowledge the common breast-pumping problems and learn how to solve them.

How to increase breast milk supply when pumping.

Understand how to prevent or minimize engorgement.

What will the reader learn?

How to cope with the shortcomings of breastfeeding.

Benefits of having a proper breastfeeding schedule.

The best ways to pump.

Everything that moms need to know about storing breast milk.

How to survive pumping on a low budget.

How to survive pumping outdoors.

How to correctly bottle feed a baby.

About the author of this book

The author of this book is a lactation consultant who is trained, ready, and willing to help mothers to learn how to breastfeed. She is associated with birth units in various hospitals. She is most helpful to the following types of women;

Those who have never breastfed before.

Women who have experienced problems while breastfeeding.

Those suffering from chronic health problems like diabetes.

Women who have undergone breast surgery.

The ones breastfeeding more than one child.

Those planning to breastfeed as they work outside the home.

Women who need help on how to use a breast pump.

Women suffering from breast or nipple pain.

Those with babies who have failed to breastfeed correctly.

Those having babies with special needs, which may interfere with their breastfeeding potential.

Chapter 1: Emotions

Don’t feel bad, most mums do it!

You are not the only one exclusively breastfeeding+

Exclusive breastfeeding is when your baby only consumes breast milk. Here, no other type of food or drink is fed to a child. Not even water. Your baby can only take an oral rehydration solution or medicines, minerals, drops, or syrups of vitamins.

The World Health Organization recommends that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to help them achieve optimal growth, development, and health.

As an exclusive pumper, Mary felt like she needed to prove that she was opting for exclusive pumping and not exclusive breastfeeding. When her son was two weeks old, Mary felt like she had been milked by everyone in town. During her three days in the hospital, she had been assessed by three different nurses. One was a lactation consultant, a pediatrician, and our midwife.

On day 2, Mary's baby was dehydrated and limp. He was also unable to properly breastfeed. This was when Mary resorted to using an electric pump 12 times every day to extract her breast milk for her child.

One day five, Mary explains that she felt triumphant that she was officially feeding her baby with her own breast milk. But as her baby was still unable to latch correctly at her breast, she consulted three more lactation consultants, dragging herself through the haze of her first days of leaving the hospital, all while recovering from a C-section.

As her last resort, because none of these consultants were helpful, she also had to recover from a C-section wound. Mary decided to undergo exclusive breast pumping. Surprisingly, although she had consulted from a total of four organizations, no one informed her that pumping and breastfeeding were regular and that they could be healthier for her and her baby.

Instead, Mary was made to feel like a failure, and that pumping was not as good as breastfeeding. Worse still, no one ever told her about exclusive pumping. She wasn't told that pumping has its own set of guidelines and tactics and that the rampant breastfeeding advice wouldn't work for her. Mary wanted to do things differently!

No one directed her to the resources to help her during pumping. Unfortunately, she was always told to either breastfeed traditionally or do bottle-feeding with formula. To date, Mary believes that the information on exclusive pumping wasn't availed to her in the postpartum weeks because of the widespread advocacy for mothers to breastfeed at their breasts. The problem with this is that it ignores a variety of situations in which most mothers find themselves in as well as their need to strive for the absolute best for their children.

Lactation counselors are different. Mary consulted a particular lactation consultant who motivated her. This lactation consultant said that exclusive pumping was fine and that nobody has a right to speak against it whatsoever.

Mary emphasizes that exclusive pumping is breastfeeding. This is what only a handful of maternal health workers told her. Engaged in exclusive pumping, Mary felt like she was a disappointment to some medical staff and breastfeeding supports around her, who only saw her as a disappointment to motherhood.

Back in her vulnerable postpartum days, Mary only needed good information on exclusive pumping and encouragement to proceed. Despite all the lies and discouragement, she got, Mary didn't let go of exclusive pumping. She learned to put off all the discouragement with a plastic smile while asserting that what she was doing was actual breastfeeding.

You are not alone

When using the internet to get more help concerning exclusive pumping, then ExclusivePumping.com has excellent information to offer to mothers. This website receives more than 200,000 unique visitors per month. You don't need to fear that you may be misled by those who only follow the status quo.

Tremendous advice for beginners at exclusive pumping

To simplify your life as you breastfeed, a mother needs to get a hands-free pumping bra. This will let you pump as you do other things at the same time. Mothers opting for exclusive pumping need to purchase the right accessories, such as breast shields and nipple shields, in their proper measurements.

Even though let-downs may only happen more to mothers engaged in exclusive pumping than mothers who breastfeed at their breasts, first-time mothers in exclusive pumping shouldn't stop at their first attempt after they recognize a let-down. Most mothers can achieve only two let-downs in one pumping session, and sometimes more than that.

As a breastfeeding mother, fully emptying your breasts stimulates milk production and provides you with some extra milk, which you can store in a freezer for later use.

As advised by Britt Pegan, the owner of Milkface Nursingwear in Ottawa, mothers need to buy the right breast pump. She continues, “For long-term pumping, for the first 4 to 6 weeks, we recommend a hospital-grade pump.” “Consumer pumps are designed to maintain a supply, but in the first 4 to 6 weeks, you are trying to bring in and increase your supply.”

Mothers beginning at exclusive pumping need to know that hospital-grade pumps are costly but are safe to rent. They can be rented at breastfeeding support centers and pharmacies.

Another great piece of advice is that mothers need to own extra pump parts so that they don't have to clean them after each single pumping session in a day. Some exclusive pumpers choose to buy enough pump parts to cover an entire day to minimize their amount of clean-up and preparation.

In all your exclusive pumping activities, choose to follow exclusive pumping safety guidelines. The main risk you need to watch out for as an exclusive pumper is contamination. Not all advice on sterilization is created equal. For example, you might have heard that you can put pump parts inside a clean zip-lock bag in your refrigerator between pumping sessions to help you save time. This may be acceptable to do when your baby is older. Still, it's not recommended for newborns or infants with compromised immune systems. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention doesn’t recommend it.

Knowing the people who will support you and your daily rhythms can help you as you decide on your pumping schedule. Will your baby remain calm if you put him in a bouncing chair during certain times of the day? Do you have someone to help you carry your baby as you engage in pumping sessions? Whichever way you decide to conduct your pumping in, ensure that your mental health is well-taken care of before anything else.

Breastfeeding in public (self-conscious) +

Sadly, breastfeeding in public is still seen as taboo, although some women do it anyway. Other women who try to breastfeed in public often feel self-conscious and nervous. If your baby is hungry and you are in a public place, don't hesitate to feed him.

If you need to know how you will gain more confidence to breastfeed in public with confidence, here are some pieces of advice for you;

1.      Wear appropriate clothing. You need to know that when you are feeding your baby, you must let out your breast so that your baby can circle it with ease. But the less flesh you have displayed outside, the more confident you will feel. This is why you need to wear a nursing vest top under a typical top so that your breast is covered and the top of your chest isn't on display either. You simply need to lift up its top layer and pull down its bottom layer enough so that your baby can adequately latch on your breast.

With such clothing, the public will only see your baby's head and your vest top and not your breast. If you are self-conscious, this will let you feel more confident and at ease as you breastfeed in public places.

2.      Know when your baby is hungry. Babies usually want to be fed as soon as they feel hungry. If you fail to feed them, they may scream loud enough for everyone around to hear them, something which is quite uncomfortable to tolerate. So, ensure that you breastfeed your baby in time to limit them from screaming, which attracts many unwanted stares from the public.

3.      You can use a feeding cover as you breastfeed. Suppose you find it hard to settle peacefully because of breastfeeding in public. In that case, you can use an attractive feeding cover to hide your breast as you breastfeed your baby. You can carry this feeding cover with you whenever you plan to spend time outdoors with your baby.

4.      Choose a comfortable breastfeeding place. Breastfeed in an area, which will give you comfort and peace of mind. You can breastfeed in places usually occupied by parents and other grown-ups, as these people may care less when you pull out your breast to feed your baby. These places include coffee shops.

5.      As you breastfeed, put it in your mind that you are just breastfeeding your baby. After all, you have every right to feed your baby whenever he feels hungry. Remember that you are not committing a crime to breastfeed your baby in public, as you are only giving him food. You are not different from a mother who bottle feeds her baby in public.

Understand that breastfeeding is not sexual and gross. If anyone around you in a public place seems to be bothered by it, then they are the ones in the wrong and not you.

How to push through depression +

Postpartum depression isn’t some kind of weakness in mothers. Sometimes it is a complication that mothers experience after giving birth. If not treated, this depression can last longer in a mother’s life.

To push through postpartum depression, you need to know its signs and symptoms so that you can handle each one individually. The following are the signs of postpartum depression;

Excessive crying.

A depressed mood or severe mood swings.

Difficulty for a mother to bond with their baby.

Withdrawing from friends and family members.

Losing appetite or eating more food than usual.

Excessive fatigue or loss of energy.

Reduced interest in the pleasure activities that a mother used to enjoy before.

Intense anger and irritability.

Fear that you are not fit to be a mother.

A sense of restlessness.

Panic and anxiety attacks.

Thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby.

Suicidal or death thoughts, which are recurrent.

Reduced ability to think clearly, concentrate, or make decisions.

When you need to see a doctor

If you are depressed after giving birth, you may hesitate to accept it. But, if the symptoms worsen, you need to consult a doctor for immediate help. There is a lot of information you need to understand and combat postpartum biology. Suppose a mother is experiencing depression and anxiety symptoms. In that case, it's the job of a doctor or a clinician to ask her what parts of her day bring her peace and joy and what worsens her symptoms.

The doctor will ask the depressed mother how breastfeeding is going and then listen without judgment to her answer. Suppose breastfeeding is the primary bond between a mother and her baby. In that case, the doctor will build a treatment, which will protect that breastfeeding relationship.

The nuances of biology suggest that doctors need to think about the effect of breastfeeding on a woman's mood symptoms and that the result is different from one mother to another.

Postpartum depression in new fathers

New fathers can experience postpartum depression too. They may feel sad or tired, get anxiety attacks, and feel overwhelmed. These fathers may have adjustments in their sleeping and eating patterns or the same symptoms that mothers with postpartum depression experience.

In most cases, young fathers with a history of depression, relationship problems, or the financially unstable are at a high risk of experiencing postpartum depression. Postpartum depression in fathers or paternal postpartum depression can cause the same adverse effects as postpartum depression in mothers.

If your partner is a new father who is experiencing signs of postpartum depression before and after childbirth, go with him to a health care professional to seek treatment.

How to deal with stress +

Stress is how your body reacts and responds to change. There is good stress, and there's bad stress. Good stress is healthy and positive. However, bad stress is what you may assume whenever someone mentions the word stress. Bad stress is harmful and can cause health challenges.

Stress and breastfeeding

Stress can impact in a few ways. High stress levels in breastfeeding mothers can cause a problematic let-down reflex and decrease your breast milk supply. High stress levels in life are linked with early weaning.

On the good side. Breastfeeding can help a mother to lower her stress levels. The hormone called oxytocin that a mother's body releases when breastfeeding increases relaxation, reduces stress and anxiety. It also lowers blood pressure, and causes muscle contractions. Oxytocin is also known as the mothering hormone, the bonding hormone, the anti-stress hormone, and the love hormone.

To understand how to deal with stress after breastfeeding, you need to know what causes it, as discussed here below;

What are the causes of stress in breastfeeding mothers?

Experiencing pain during and after giving birth. Immediately after you give birth to your baby, you may feel pain from your child’s delivery. Then, when you begin breastfeeding, other issues such as sore nipples and breast engorgement can cause you even more discomfort and pain.

After making plans to have a natural childbirth without receiving any pharmaceutical pain relief and other medical interventions, but end up with delivery complications or an abrupt C-section, you can develop stress, guilt, and disappointment. You are not alone. However, suppose you plan for the best childbirth experience while still acknowledging that there's a possibility that your childbirth may not go according to your expectations. In that case, you can better prepare for the flexibility, which helps navigate all the challenges you may encounter during and after childbirth.

Did you know? Pain is a type of stress on your body. So, visit a doctor to give you proper guidance and prescription. Be sure to inform your doctor that you are a breastfeeding mother so that you receive the appropriate medication, which is safe for you and your baby.

Relief from the body pain can help you relax and minimize your stress levels. Once your pain reduces, you will easily breastfeed without a lot of worries on your mind and instead concentrate on producing more breast milk for your child.

Self-consciousness and lack of peace because of exposing your breasts in public as you breastfeed. Suppose you are a mother who is self-conscious or embarrassed about exposing your precious breasts in public. In that case, you can get so stressed about breastfeeding your child in public.

You may also have worries about getting visitors at your home, who you don’t want to see you opening your bra to breastfeed your child.

Then, when you have moved out of your house, leaving your baby behind, you may worry that your child may get hungry any time soon in your absence. This can also cause you stress. To add to that, if you have moved out with your child, you may become stressed about finding a private place to breastfeed that child, especially if you fear crowds seeing you do so and throwing insults at you.

Understand that such fears are more significant in the early days after giving birth, especially if you are a new mother. But over time, you will most likely become more comfortable as you learn and accept to breastfeed amidst crowds, which you once saw as a threat to your comfort as you breastfeed.

Reluctancy to breastfeed because of busy schedules and fear for breast sagging. Due to little breastfeeding confidence, you may get worried about your breastfeeding capability just because you doubt your breast size, your diet, your work schedule, your availability for your child, among other reasons.

But worry not. Feel free to talk about all your breastfeeding concerns and limitations with your doctor, a local breastfeeding group or club, an online support group for breastfeeding mothers, trusted friends and family members, and others you deem fit.

All these people can be the support system you need to answer all your breastfeeding questions and concerns. They can help you overcome unnecessary stress and worry, thus leaving you feeling better and more confident.

Experiencing challenges during your early days of breastfeeding, such as the pain you may get when your baby latches on your sore nipples. The early breastfeeding challenges you may encounter, such as getting your baby to latch on and sore nipples, can feel hectic and stressful.

Do something about the stress and uncertainty you may feel in the future by researching and learning more about breastfeeding before your child is born. This will help you get help latching your baby correctly from the first breastfeeding session immediately after childbirth.

Feeling drained and tired after taking care of your newborn child. Yes! Taking care of your newborn baby is a tiring task, which requires utmost dedication and attention. When all this child care is combined with other life responsibilities, it can lead to exhaustion, fatigue, and overwhelm.

To fight off the fatigue and exhaustion, try to sleep when your baby is also asleep and leave other demanding tasks and responsibilities for a while. Don't hesitate to ask for assistance from your partner, other relatives, and friends. You can also hire a housemaid to help you handle some household tasks as you take care of your child.

No one will think the lesser of you if you reach out to the right people. Those in whom you place your trust will only be glad to help you out.

Trying to adjust to the changes in your body due to pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. There is no doubt that as a mother, your body and hormones change a lot during pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding. These changes include weight gain, breast size changes, mood swings, swollen feet, among others.

But, remember, these body changes didn't happen overnight. They developed slowly over nine months as your baby was growing inside you. So, you need to remain patient and give yourself some time to recover from these changes since they developed slowly over time.

Having fears about whether your breast milk is enough for your child or not. Some of the primary concerns that breastfeeding mothers have are whether they are making enough breast milk for their babies or not and whether the breast milk from their bodies is fit for their babies to consume.

Even if such doubts are understandable, they are usually unnecessary. Naturally, most women make nutritious breast milk regardless of their daily food intake and daily life situation. You just need to ensure that your baby is latching on correctly and breastfeeding very often so that you make a full and healthy supply of breast milk for them.

Trying to cope with your child's temperament, especially if it so annoying to you. Just like adults, babies are different. Some newborn babies are easy to tolerate. They eat well and sleep between feedings per day. On the other hand, some newborn babies have a more challenging disposition. If your child sleeps for a short while and cries a lot most of the time, it can become difficult to care for such a child, especially if you don't have much support and help.

Always get assistance if you feel like you can’t do child care alone.

Experiencing relationship and family problems. Some partners don't want you to breastfeed for fear of sagging breasts and so much concentration on the child instead of the relationship. This can be stressful for you, especially if you need to bond with your baby.

Taking your baby home can cause some uncomfortable adjustments for nearly everyone in your house. Your baby can be a big-time screamer during the day and at night, which may cause complaints from others in your household.

Separation and divorce in couples can be significant stressors, especially for new moms.

Financial shortages despite the increasing need for the necessities of life. Money is a center of problems for almost all families. Things become tight, especially if you are a mother who is granted an unpaid maternity leave off work or when you decide to become a full-time stay-at-home mom, without a stable income source to buy the increasing needs of life.

Whereas it’s ideal to plan for your finances before you become pregnant, doing this is not always a good option. So, talk to your partner about the possible budget and financial concerns during your pregnancy so that you make plans in advance on how you are going to deal with all the financial needs when your child becomes a member of your family.

Dealing with criticisms and negative opinions from friends and family members. Even though breastfeeding is gaining more acceptance today than before, some people still make ugly and hurtful comments to mothers who choose to breastfeed in public. What's more confusing is that some of these hateful comments are said by people you call family and friends.

Whereas it's easier to brush off all the hurtful comments from strangers, it can be challenging for some mothers to forget the harsh words made by friends and family members.

Despite all the negativity you encounter as you breastfeed, always remind yourself why you chose to do it. Where possible, you may educate some friends and family members about the goodness of breastfeeding and also tell them that their hurtful comments are not doing anything to help you.

Trying to live up to the seemingly perfect standards as exhibited on social media. Today, social media over-emphasizes the need to be the perfect mum through edited images and HD videos. Suppose you compare yourself to other mothers who post many photos on their social media accounts to show that they are stylish and worthy of public attention and social post likes. In that case, you may feel like you are not living and parenting according to the social media standards.

This can leave you feeling out of sorts and not modern enough according to social media expectations.

When faced with such a challenge, try to understand that social media posts are only a snapshot in time, and often, people post what they think are their best moments. Some mothers just create moments to feign happy motherhood even when they are facing some hardships like any other mother out there.

What are the healthy ways for new mothers to cope with stress?

One minute you were child-free, and the next, your life is 13 diapers per day, cuddles, cries, breastfeeding, coos, and a fuzzy memory of what your life was like before having a baby. All this may be a shock to your daily routine. The following are the healthy ways for new mothers to cope with stress;

Move out of the stressful situation provided that you will be safe when you are away. Go out for a walk, take a stroll with your bare feet on the grass just to spend some quality time with yourself. Sometimes we need this, and it's okay. Don't feel like a guilty mum if you need to go somewhere alone for 5 to 10 minutes.

First, make sure that your child is safe before leaving him behind. Then go decompress! Do something for yourself.

Take some slow, deep breathes. Concentrate on inhaling and exhaling to help you calm down. You can also try deep abdominal breathing, progressive relaxation techniques, meditation, and prayer. All these tactics have been proven to make us relax and give us a broader perspective so that we are better equipped to handle life's challenges, including motherhood.

Talk to someone you trust about your stressful situations. If sharing your concerns with your friends, family members, workmates, or counselor can help you get better, then do it. They could have some valuable information to add to your life and leave you feeling better than before.

Engage in some physical exercises. Exercising your body can help you relieve your stress since it boosts the release of endorphins into your body. Endorphins are natural feel-good chemicals, which can alleviate your stress and leave you feeling better.

You can choose to exercise together as a family. Pick activities, which you all enjoy doing, rotate and allow every family member to pick what activity will be done in a day. The actions you may choose from include walking, jogging, biking, swimming, dancing.

Remain flexible. Understand that the first year of your new baby's life requires a high level of adaptation from you, the parent. Allow your baby to teach you about structure, flexibility, and creative problem-solving. Yes, babies are life-changing because of the challenges they tend to bring their caretakers.

Always learn to respond and adapt to the issues that your baby brings in your life to stand on a better side and avoid unnecessary stress as a new mother.

Keep an activity log. Write down your baby's feeding, sleeping, and crying habits. This helps identify their activity patterns and provides you with a record you can use for instructing housemaids who you leave with your child. You can also use this activity log to care for your child with minimal stress.

Find a good support group. This group could be just other girlfriends, other new mothers who are in similar situations like yours, and may be older women who have experienced stressful motherhood at the start and can readily offer perspective and wisdom that is helpful on your case as a new mom.

Either way, make it a group of people that make you comfortable about being a new mother and those with who you can ably share your sincere feelings and receive positive and constructive feedback in your stressful situation as a new mother.

Take off some time to laugh. When was the last time you had a good belly laugh with your partner and baby? Look them in the eye when having conversations with them. Use humor to surpass stressful situations associated with new motherhood. Studies show that we tend to hold a lot of tension in our faces, and having a good laugh can help us release tension, making us forget about all the things that we were stressed about before.

Rethink your priorities. Jennifer Shu, a pediatrician and the co-author of the book entitled; “Heading Home With Your Newborn," says that only indicate lists of essential tasks that must get done on your regular to-do list tasks. With important tasks, if they don't get done, then your family's health, safety, and well-being are at risk.

Outsource people and use machinery and automation to do other non-essential tasks in your house on your behalf.

Sign up for a meal delivery service. If you can’t find enough time and energy to cook your meals, outsource them by signing up for a meal delivery service, provided that you have the financial means to do this. This will help you eliminate the need for tedious grocery shopping, menu planning, and cooking.

Don't consume drugs and alcohol. Consuming drugs and alcohol can worsen your stressful tensions. They can easily contaminate your breast milk and harm your baby, who breastfeeds on your breasts.

Try to learn and understand the signs of stress in your life as a mother. Typically, when we find ourselves in stressful situations, we notice our blood pressure rising, our heart rate going up, and we may feel our chest pounding non-stop or even getting a bit dizzy. Take notice when you feel these physical signs or when you experience mood swings. Your body is trying to communicate something to you that requires your attention and action.

How to avoid anxiety while pumping +

Don't panic about your baby staying hungry. Many new mothers can sometimes act as if they must constantly be breastfeeding and can become stressed about their babies not receiving adequate food. In such times, worrying and getting a bit stressed is normal. The challenge lies most in the stress getting worse and eventually leading to a reduction in a mother's milk supply to her baby. And no! You wouldn't want something like this to happen to you and your child.

You are advised to do the following to avoid anxiety while pumping;

Develop a timetable for pumping and follow it appropriately. If you find yourself spending a lot of time pumping, it will do you well once you choose to develop a timetable for pumping and follow it appropriately. For instance, you can determine your baby's milk needs in ounces and then establish the number of pumping sessions you will require to produce their weekly breast milk supply.

After that, you can decide if you will be pumping once a day or more often so that you can prepare your baby's milk in advance even when you are away. When your baby is 8 years old, you can begin to supplement his breastmilk with some solid foods so that your anxiety towards pumping and feeding your baby regularly decreases.

If you are a mother who breastfeeds your baby regularly and pumps for the days you are not with your baby, you don't need to worry. However, suppose you feel like pumping is consuming a lot of your precious time and causing you unnecessary anxiety. In that case, you need to consult a trusted therapist or obstetrician-gynecologist to help you develop good pumping habits.

Speak to professionals/loved ones+

Chapter 2: Going Back to Work

Schedule/Preparation +

As a medical doctor, Snigdha Jain, MD, felt as if she was more prepared than most mothers to tackle the working mom lifestyle. But when she sauntered into the hospital after maternity leave with her breast pump in tow, she didn't anticipate the frustration and guilt she would face while pumping at work.

Caring for her patients during long shifts while trying to maintain her milk supply was a lot more stressful than she expected.

When she had to stop pumping after some nine months, she felt like a personal failure. Looking back, she knew that it was amazing that she had made it that long. Snigdha Jain, MD, does not want other women to stress themselves out as she did. This was why she formulated a list of six challenges and strategies that helped her overcome the challenges linked with pumping at work, making her feel like a good mother again.

The following are the six challenges associated with pumping at work.

1.      Getting started can be tricky. In the early days of her career, Snigdha Jain, M.D. thought that breastfeeding and pumping looked easy. She had worked with expectant mothers on latching, and she watched lactation consultants assemble and clean breast pump gear in a matter of seconds. That's why she looked at the whole pumping idea as easy-to-implement. It was until she became a mother that she found that pumping required learning a few basics.

A worthwhile strategy for you. Consult a lactation consultant as soon as you can after delivery. A lactation consultant is an expert who can help to coach and support you as you learn to use the pump.

Even though she delivered on Christmas day, the lactation team was there every day to help Snigdha Jain, M.D., overcome latching difficulties, breast soreness, and cleaning and assembling of her pump.

2.      Schedule your pumping time. Many working-class moms don’t have the luxury of a flexible pumping schedule. Breaks for doctors are