My Keys to Succeeding at Breastfeeding

No, I'm not a professional of any kind, nor have I written any books or personally conducted any studies. I am however a breastfeeding mother. An educated breastfeeding mother. One that did not have everything "click" and go smoothly somehow from day one. One that struggled, was given MANY professional opinions, and had to dig through the research and sleeplessness with the support of my husband.

But, we made it. My 8 month old son is happily breastfed on demand and is the most adorable chunk I ever did meet. Below are some of the ways we succeeded, and hopefully they can help YOU succeed too!

1. ASK FOR HELP. Quickly. Breastfeeding should not be painful. There may be some new mom discomfort, the equivalent of chapped lips on a chilly day. More than a minute of PAIN and you should seek help, before bigger problems ensue.
2. HAVE A LOW PAIN THRESHOLD. Seriously. See #1.
3. ASK QUESTIONS. Don't just listen and obey the pros. Ask questions. Contradict them. Ask for proof or research to support their proposed course of action. Tell them when/if another professional suggested something else. Find out where their breastfeeding "expertise" is from. 
4. DO YOUR RESEARCH. There are plenty of actually useful breastfeeding help sites and forums with supportive moms willing to help. If an answer seems confusing or wrong, or you just can't get one, chances are the answer is out there, even if it isn't in person. You may be exhausted and nursing at all hours, maybe some helpful reading will make you feel better. And, you know, help.
5. ACCEPT YOUR SITUATION - THEN CHANGE IT IF NECESSARY. I know it can be really really hard to accept that it's just not working, or its exhausting, or not what you imagined. But you NEED to accept it. The sooner you do, the sooner you can relax, or seek help if something is wrong. The long long nights won't seem so long when you stop waiting for sleep and it just happens. The pains will be less painful when you know that you will seek help and they won't last much longer. But first you have to accept your situation. Sometimes denial can bite you - hard.
6. GET REFERENCES. Not all help is equal. Not all professionals are experts in every aspect of their field. If you think you have a specific issue, find out from those in your area who was most helpful, and what personalities would mesh best with yours. You may learn that you don't like being ordered how to treat your child, or you're not willing to accept being told to just learn better positioning. Parenting and breastfeeding groups or forums are a good resource here.
7. TRUST YOURSELF. Stand up for yourself. Be willing to get a second, third, fourth, fifth, etc opinion. Read my breastfeeding story here. I was told so many conflicting things. Once I analyzed my meeting with each professional, I either dismissed them and their opinions or saw them again (if necessary). Of the group, there ended up being only two that felt right. Plenty that disagreed with me. But I learned to trust myself as the only mother of my son, and I alone ultimately knew what felt right for our breastfeeding relationship. And it applies in oh so many other areas of parenthood (which is helping me NOT be a first-time helicopter mom hahaha).
8. BE PREPARED. Something I was not. I wasn't prepared for nothing to go right with breastfeeding. So I prepared myself to do whatever necessary when it did. Through the blood, tears, sleepless nights, crying, conflicts, appointments...we did it. WE DID IT. Because when I wasn't prepared, I changed that.
9. HAVE SUPPORT. We wouldn't have succeeded at it without it. You had support for your birth, right? What makes breastfeeding - something still so taboo in our society - any easier? I'd give birth again over having such a hard start breastfeeding, but I wouldn't give breastfeeding up. If it weren't for all the all-night texting and calling and emailing and Facebook-ing...I would've lost it. I needed that social/emotional/mental support. And my husband was pretty dang AMAZING too. Get support people. Kick out the non-supporters until your breastfeeding foundation is firm and smooth. Surround and immerse yourself in your support.