Real moms share breastfeeding mistakes they wish they hadn't made

Share this with new mums and moms-to-be.

As a first time mom, you will learn a lot 'on the job'. None of the parenting books, blogs, or valuable advice can help you deal with the avalanche that hits you once the baby is born. One day you are pregnant, anticipating a little bundle of cuteness, the next minute you are holding a fragile little being that you are responsible for. You have to keep the baby alive, safe and well-fed. You will go on an overdrive, trying to make sense, handle a bazillion things at once and coming up with solutions to baby problems that are unique to you. You will make a few goof-ups too, and that's okay. Forgive yourself. You are a first-time parents after all. And newborns are designed to withstand innocent mistakes their parents might make. As a first-time mother, I reflect on things I did and often think what would I have done differently. And I am sure a lot of mothers ponder over it too. And most of the times, I end up thinking how I would have handled breastfeeding differently. So to share the wisdom, so as to benefit other new mums, here are a few breastfeeding mistakes that real moms wish they had never made.

• Introducing formula: Baby not gaining enough weight, crying in spite of feeding or simply because elders feel so. DO NOT question your breast milk and the quantity your body is making unless a lactation expert says so. A lot of women start formula feeding without realising that breast milk is enough nutrition for the baby's first 6 month.
• Not starting pumping early on: I wish I had started pumping breast milk and feeding my baby since her early days, says a mother. Pumping milk helps you feed the child even when you are not around, or need to get some work done. Definitely a boon for working mothers.
• Not breastfeeding my baby in public: Many women prefer formula feeding in public over breastfeeding. There should be no shame or embarrassment attached to breastfeeding in public. If people can eat whenever and wherever they like, why not babies?
• Trying to stick to a schedule: How often or far apart your baby feels hungry depends on a number of factors. How much did your baby urinate, or poop, how much she ate during the last feed, whether she is having a growth spurt. Feeding the baby on demand is the best way to go.

Have you made any mistakes you wished you hadn't? Share them in the comments.

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