Last Updated on April 27, 2024 by Natalie

8 Ways to Reach your Breastfeeding Goal

I’m happy to share that according to the CDC, more moms are breastfeeding and for longer.

Despite the move in that direction, there is still a way to go.

The report shows that nearly 25% of moms exclusively breastfeed up to 6 months.

Breastfeeding is hard.

I don’t think most people know that it’s hard until they experience it first hand or are close enough to get to truly watch someone who is going through it. 

I watched from the very close sidelines as one of my sisters struggled with breastfeeding. She wasn’t able to push through very far with her first for several reasons but successfully breastfed her second…and third and fourth.

It’s not uncommon for women to throw in the towel just a couple of weeks in. Many breastfeeding women I have known dreaded feeding time and cried through it with chapped and bleeding nipples.

I knew how challenging it was before I had my baby. And I knew the hardest part to get through are the first few weeks.

Get past that hump and your chances for reaching your breastfeeding goal increase substantially. Simply knowing this was helpful.

My goal was to be able to nurse my baby for a year but I spent time trying to mentally prepare myself to not make it very far, as I do not accept having lack of control very well.

My journey had its share of challenges including thrush and the threat of mastitis. But still, I didn’t just meet my breastfeeding goal, but I surpassed it.

One day shortly after giving birth, my sister in law was visiting and hanging out with my husband in the family room while I was nursing my newborn in the bedroom next door.

I could hear my husband telling his sister about my recent challenges with breastfeeding and then he said it.

“I wish I could breastfeed. It seems easy.”

I wanted. to punch. him. in. the. throat.

It’s not only insensitive. It’s ignorant.

And my husband should’ve known better because he was so closely watching me from the sidelines.

Breastfeeding is hard. And no one should minimize it as being anything otherwise.

But good news: it all worked out.

I breastfed my son until he turned 4. I’m just as surprised that I nursed a toddler as anyone could be. I’ve never known someone who breastfed that long.

Here is how I made it through.

1. Expect the Challenge

Knowing breastfeeding will be a challenge is helpful, in itself.

It’s not just about knowing you may experience pain.

Know that you will feel like you’re nursing around the clock.

Especially when your baby is cluster feeding, which happens quite a bit at the beginning.

Know that after you feed the baby, he may get hungry again in 10 minutes.

Know that you won’t know how much milk the baby is getting since you can’t measure your breastmilk. And you’ll likely worry that it’s not enough.

If your baby has the appropriate number of wet diapers, trust that he is getting what he needs.

Know that your milk doesn’t come in right away and that the tiny bit of colostrum you’re making is all your baby needs.

2. Know Your Why

Despite my attempts to mentally prepare myself to not get far, I knew I wasn’t going to take it well if I didn’t manage to do it.

My determination was relentless.

It was so important to me to breastfeed for several reasons.

Some of my whys included:

• The bonding with the baby. It’s something no one other than I could provide. I love how we stare in each other’s eyes and how he plays with my hand while he drinks.
• The mental and physical health benefits for the baby. Like higher IQ.
• Your breastmilk is customized to your baby to give him what he needs. When the baby is on your breast, their saliva initiates a feedback loop that has the mom’s brain and body deliver the nutrients baby needs, which changes as baby ages and depending on what’s going on i.e. if baby is fighting a cold. Very cool.
• It contains antibodies that protect the baby from getting sick or help them recuperate faster. Since newborns haven’t developed their immune system, if mama is exposed to the same environments as baby, her immune system builds the antibodies to fight whatever they’ve come across and she will transfer it to the baby via breastmilk. Cool, again.
• It’s convenient. You don’t have to worry about cleaning bottles or packing anything for feeding when you’re on the move. You have everything you need on you and no preparation required.
• It’s free. With all the stuff you need to buy for the baby, I am happy I don’t need to add formula to the list.

I have a lot of whys.

And I didn’t even get into the breastfeeding benefits for mom.

Knowing my whys was what made me push through the excruciating pain and actively seek out ways to minimize it.

3. Load Up on All the Educational Opportunities

I went to a breastfeeding course at the hospital before the baby was born and took my husband with me.

It seems silly to take a course without the baby but do it anyway.

In that course, they encourage you to ask the nurses in the hospital for help breastfeeding.

So I did.

I asked all of them.

Everyone had something different to offer.

My first latch after labor until the last one before I left the hospital was perfection.

But I still asked.

I even requested that they send a lactation consultant to my room.

She had a lot of helpful holds and tips and she was VERY hands on.

Expect it.

There is no better way for them to help you.

4. A Good Support System

My sister, who I mentioned earlier, has been heavensent during my breastfeeding journey.

Having someone, who struggled with breastfeeding and eventually got it right and went on to do it with 3 kids close by is invaluable.

When I had a question, I’d call her.

It was her who told me about the awesome triple nipple prescription cream that I called my OB for (more on that later).

She showed me how to breastfeed laying down.

I would also talk to other moms who were big breastfeeding advocates.

My husband, who sat through classes and consultations with lactation specialists alongside me and took notes, would remind me of tips I had forgotten (as I would forget everything) and go fetch me my breastfriend pillow.

Despite his error with the comment to his sister, my husband is definitely part of my support system which makes a huge difference.

Also, there are a lot of online breastfeeding communities that offer support.

5. Get a Lactation Consultant

For seriously!

This tip is queen.

As I mentioned, I was killing it when it came to breastfeeding while I was in the hospital.

The minute I came home…it wasn’t working anymore.

I came home on a Thursday.

On Friday at noon I had my first appointment with a lactation consultant.

The one that helped my sister finally get it right with her second baby.

Her name is Anita and she works out of Mercy Hospital in Miami.

I didn’t give birth at Mercy but that makes no difference. 

My husband went with me and he took notes.

When I had challenges after that, I would call Anita, even if it was a Sunday, and she had answers.

I went to her a second time a couple of weeks later when I needed a refresher.

There are so many things to think about from what to do with your hands, how to hold the breast, when and how the baby’s mouth should open for the perfect latch.

You’re bound to need help at first. 

Anita also holds a free support group meeting every Tuesday that I have attended a few times.

Her part in my success breastfeeding has been crucial.

If there is only one of these things you can do to help yourself in your breastfeeding journey, it should be this one. 

6. Thrush

Ok so thrush is not a way to be successful breastfeeding.

Quite the opposite.

But knowing how to get through it may mean the difference between continuing breastfeeding or having to cut your journey short.

When I had thrush, it took several phone calls and a couple of visits to my OB before I finally got a prescription. 

The best thing I did for myself with thrush was to educate myself and be my own advocate.

I did this by reading online and talking to my trusted support system.

All my symptoms pointed me towards thrush but my OB nurse was stumped.

I guess I must’ve lacked a symptom she was used to seeing, though I don’t know for sure if that’s why.

My nipples felt like they were on fire!

I remember the pain that I’d feel when the soft material of my pajama made contact with my nipples, putting on my bra or even when I would reach up for something on my night stand, causing my nipple to rub against my nursing pad.

I wanted to scream, and sometimes I would, when my baby would latch on.

My nipples were red, smooth and shiny.

I dealt with the pain for weeks. I could understand how it would make someone quit.

Fortunately, I finally got my prescription and I felt better in just a couple of days. 

I used triple nipple (AKA All Purpose Nipple Ointment APNO) in combination with taking the antibiotics.

APNO is amazing.

It’s made up of three ingredients. An:

1. Antibiotic
2. Anti-inflammatory
3. Anti-fungal

If you have any pain in your nipples while breastfeeding, I recommend you call your OB to ask for a prescription.

7. Convenience Tools

There are so many tools out there to help breastfeeding moms make life a little easier.

Use them!

I wrote about the ones that I really found most helpful in this post.

That Does It!

Let me know what you think of my top 6 ways to be successful breastfeeding and what helped you get through the hard parts in your journey.

If you have any questions or concerns and don’t have someone you can ask, send me a message. I’m happy to help any way I can.