The Munchkin is 10 ½ months old today, and, I’m proud to say, still nursing. When she was first born, I had heard from doctors, nurses and countless other moms that the best thing I can do for my little girl would be to breastfeed her for her first year. Ok, simple. If so many people recommended it, why wouldn’t I do something that was so beneficial for her?

Well, it turns out that there were a lot of things that I didn’t know about nursing that I wish someone would have told me besides, “just do it.” There were a lot of challenges I wasn’t expecting.  Now, I’m not at all saying that I regret my decision. If I had it to do over again (and hopefully I will as we would like The Munchkin to have siblings some day), I would still do it without a doubt. But there are still some things that I wish I had known:

1. It isn’t easy. Maybe you’ve heard this before, but one thing I had to keep reminding myself in the early days was that babies aren’t born knowing how to nurse. Yes, they have a sucking reflex, but this doesn’t mean they come out of the birth canal ready to chow. You will both need a little practice to get it right. Actually, make that a lot of practice.  It was probably a few weeks before The Munchkin and I got into a good breastfeeding groove, but that’s ok. It all worked out eventually.  As long as your baby is growing and has at least five wet and one poopy diaper per day, everything’s good.

2. You will freak out about something. You might as well just accept it now so that when you catch yourself having one of these moments, you will recognize it and be able to move on. I thought I was ready to nurse my baby. I had read a few books, watched some videos, even took a few online quizzes to test my knowledge (which I passed with flying colors, by the way). But nothing prepares you for the reality of it. It’s stressful knowing you’re the complete source of nutrition for your baby. She has colic, you have to figure out if it’s something you ate.  She seems too sleepy to be getting adequate nutrition, you panic about how to keep her awake long enough to eat.  Add sleep deprivation and the hormonal rollercoaster that is postpartum life, and you’ve got the makings of a nervous breakdown. But just take a deep breath and a step back and remember that what you’re feeling and experiencing is NORMAL. Even if it’s not, normal normal (like there is a problem with your supply, or your baby is sick) you’re not alone. And your anxiety about it is  normal. Once you get your bearings, it’s ok to ask for help. There are plenty of resources out there for you. Most pediatrician’s offices have a certified lactation consultant available for just such a situation, and you can find tons of support through organizations such as La Leche League, or even Web sites like Sheknows.com or breastfeeding communities on Babycenter.com.

3. You will need a good breast pump. If you’re planning on going back to work, or know you’ll be spending frequent extended periods away from your little one and want to continue breastfeeding, don’t cheap out when it comes to buying a breast pump. It can seem appealing, especially when you already have to buy so much for a new baby, but when it comes to pumps, you get what you pay for. Since your body produces milk based on demand (i.e. your baby suckling) a cheap pump that doesn’t have good suction can cause a decrease in supply and a lot more problems than it’s worth.  I recommend a good electronic machine with both a cord and battery back up, like the Medela “Pump in Style” brand (not getting anything in exchange for recommending that, just sharing my own experience).  And another tip you’ll want to remember: buy some backup membranes and pumping parts. For one thing, all that sanitizing every single time you pump gets old fast so having a few backup parts can make the day a little easier. For another, while the machinery of a good pump is built to last, the parts (like the membranes and breast shields) don’t seem to hold up as well. You can find them in the baby departments of a lot of stores, like Target, Babies R Us and even Meijer. Trust me. It’s worth it to have backups on hand.

4. You will leak. Think you’ll be able to turn on and off your milk like a faucet? Think of it more like a faucet with a bad seal. While it is true that the let down of milk is stimulated by the suckling of your baby at your breast, it doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes, especially when it has been a little while since your last nursing session, other things can trigger the let down of your milk, such as the sound of a crying baby (even if it’s not yours) or sometimes just the mere thought of your little one. When this happens to you (and, it will) don’t panic, just be prepared.  The first time I experienced it was after I returned to work. I happened to glance at the clock and think that The Munchkin was probably eating, and whoosh, hello milk. Luckily, I was wearing breast pads that day so my secret stayed inside my shirt, which brings me to my next tip: Breast pads are your friend. Try a few different kinds to figure out what works best for you. I prefer the disposable kind, but be careful here. Some of them are so thick it can look and feel like you’ve got a maxi pad stuffed in your bra. Try to find a thin brand (again I recommend the Medela here, and nope, still not getting anything in exchange for the tip) and wear them when you’re out in public.

5. Pacifiers are ok. As long as they’re not you. When your baby is first born, you will read and hear a lot of reasons not to use pacifiers. It can result in nipple confusion. It’s a sleep prop. They’ll mess up your baby’s teeth. I  was so anti-pacifier that we refused to register for one and the minute I saw one in her mouth at the hospital, I pulled it out and tucked it into the far reaches of the diaper bag. I thought I would never think of the dumb thing again, but, how quickly lack of sleep will change things. The Munckin would wake up in the night, seemingly hungry. I would attempt to feed her, only to find that she would fall asleep within minutes. So, I would put her back in bed, where she would then proceed to wake up and cry again. This cycle continued for weeks until one night The Hubs went in to try to calm her down (we were at a point where if she saw me in the night she would cry to nurse) and he said, “It’s like she just wants to suck on something.” It hit me then. While we weren’t giving her a plastic pacifier, she was still using one. I was it.  Finally, out of sheer exhaustion, we gave into the pacifier and let her try it. She slept, I slept, The Hubs slept. It was beautiful. I hated seeing her with it, but if it meant a good night’s sleep for all of us, it was worth it. Sleep is crucial to growing, eating and the general sanity of parents – all of which I, for one, greatly value.

6. You will probably want to sleep in a bra. What? Why would that be? Glad you asked. There are two reasons. First, because of the leaking I mentioned above.  Unless you enjoy the feel of milk soaked t-shirt (or whatever it is you sleep in – and hey, if that’s you, I’m not judging), you’ll probably want to be able to sleep with some breast pads inserted in your bra – at least for the time when your baby first starts sleeping through the night because this is usually the longest stretch between feedings, making it also the most likely for leakage. The second reason? Gravity. Yes, full breasts are heavy breasts and heavy breasts become saggy breasts. Give the gals some support and you won’t be pushing them aside to button your jeans one day. Most maternity stores and departments sell “sleep bras” that  provide a little support, but are pretty comfortable to wear. I don’t even notice mine anymore. If you don’t want to fork over the dough, a decent sports bra will do the trick, but I find the “sleep bras” are a bit more comfortable for overnight wear.

7. It’s a pretty effective form of birth control. Surprisingly, no one ever told me this, but breastfeeding does in fact suppress your menstrual cycle. In fact, I was a little surprised no one mentioned it to me. According to Kellymom.com, exclusive breastfeeding (and the word exclusive is important here as it means that you have to meet certain criteria pertaining to the frequency of feedings, length and the age of your baby) is 98-99.5 % effective as long as certain criteria are met. If you want to read more about that, click here.

8. You will still need to use birth control if you really don’t want to get pregnant. Despite the fact that breastfeeding can be used as birth control, the reality is a bit different. First, the factors you have to meet (i.e. baby under six months, nursing day and night on demand and no menstrual cycle) can be demanding. Second, it seems to me that there is a large opportunity for human error. You may think you’re nursing frequently enough when your body suddenly doesn’t and whoops, someone ovulates. You would have no way of knowing you might be pregnant right away, especially if you don’t have many symptoms. My advice if you don’t want another little one any time soon (or ever): use a back up method of birth control.

9. You will burn calories. This is definitely a great benefit to breastfeeding. Many women report that breastfeeding helped them get back to their pre-baby weight sooner. But, did you know that you also get to eat more? Yeah, it’s true! According to What to Expect When You’re Expecting, breastfeeding actually burns 500 calories per day. That means that you need to consume an extra 500 calories each day to compensate (that’s 200 more than you needed to eat while you were pregnant!). You can read about it on their site here.

10. It is totally worth it. Yes, it’s demanding, stressful at times and even downright exhausting, but the benefits of breastfeeding far outweigh any of the inconveniences. Not only is it the most nutritious thing you could ever provide for your child, but it helps boost immunities, promotes bonding, and studies show it even boosts intelligence. It’s calming (for both baby and you), and personally, knowing that I’m providing her with everything she could ever need from a nutritional standpoint is definitely worth it. It truly is an act of love.