Do I really need a breastfeeding preparation class?

I didn’t take a class on breastfeeding before I had my first child. A class on childbirth? Check. Infant care? Check. My thought was, well, if I have any issues breastfeeding, I will just figure them out when the time comes.  Why waste my time and money on something that I may not need?

How wrong I was.

Granted, my case was on the extreme end of the spectrum. My firstborn did not latch properly from the beginning. He seemed to do fine in the hospital, but our second night home was when things changed. He just would not stop crying. I would nurse for hours at a time – he was constantly at the breast all day and night – and he would not stop crying. And the pain. Every time I put him to my breast, the pain was excruciating. I would dread nursing him but kept with it because I didn’t know any different. After numerous calls over the next few days to the advice nurse, I took him in to my pediatrician, a nurse practitioner, who also happened to be a Certified Lactation Educator, thankfully. She took one look at his latch and suggested I see an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) as soon as possible. While his weight gain was not in the realm of alarming, she was concerned that the milk was not properly transferring given his latch issues, and she was correct. Thus began the endless cycle of trying to nurse with an SNS (supplemental nursing system), pumping, medicating nipples, and doing it all over again hour after hour, day after day. My life was on a loop, and this loop was not helping my postpartum anxiety or mental health.

So, why give all of these details?

If I had taken a class on breastfeeding, I would have known that nursing should not cause unbearable pain, and I could have reached out for help before so much damage was done to me physically and emotionally. I also would have learned different holds and positions that I could have tried in an attempt to make both my son and myself more comfortable. I would have known that there were resources out there to help like IBCLCs whose job it is to help mothers and babies work together to build successful nursing relationships. I would have been taught how to use my pump prior to it being an emergency and having to call a friend in a panic to help me figure it out. Mostly, I would have had more confidence in trusting my own instincts and understanding the cues my baby was giving me. While I still would have faced the physiological issues that I did with his latch, I would have been better equipped with the tools and resources to manage it in a healthy way during an already difficult and exhausting time for any new mother.

My intention is not to scare expectant mothers. Breastfeeding is never “easy”; at the very least most women experience soreness, exhaustion, and a feeling of being overwhelmed. I support my clients as they struggle with the confidence in knowing that their newborn is getting nourished, and I work with them to make the process more comfortable. Should I suspect more significant physiological issues, I direct them to the proper resources and support.

In the end, my son and I are a success story. After three months, multiple lactation consultants, nipple shields, pumping, bodywork, lip and tongue-tie revisions, and tears, we were able to get the hang of things. He nursed for almost two years, and I am forever grateful for the help I received in making our story a positive one.

Check with your midwife or OB-GYN about resources available and/or contact the following locations for information on breastfeeding preparation classes:

Natural Resources, San Francisco

Pomegranate Prenatal Yoga and Parent Center, San Anselmo

Then Comes Baby, Oakland