Take your time!
Dear Heather,
Unlike the impression (?breastfeeding is so natural you don't need to learn it?) breastfeeding is a 'social skill'. It means that we need to learn how to breastfeed. I agree with everyone, saying that 'breastfeeding classes' are ridiculous, but the sad fact is that hospital policies, the lack of knowledge amongst medical trained people about how to breastfeed and how to really support and coach a mother, and social (un) acceptance are due to the fact that breastfeeding attempts are failing.
If mothers would stick to nature, not interfering (like they like to do in hospitals with bottles, pacifiers, separating mother and child, destroying the natural reflexes of the baby, lowering milk-production through the use of schedules) and we do what our instincts tell us, we indeed do not need any breastfeeding classes. (for me, working in countries with high breastfeeding rates, where women have nothing else to offer than their own milk, where women live in close communities were every child is being raised with the site of breastfeeding women around them, wouldn?t be a challenging environment for me ? These people don?t need any classes or breastfeeding counselors!).
Fact is, we don?t live in natural environment anymore and we have to deal with pediatrics, gynecologists, mothers (in law), husbands, neighbors and everyone who seems to think to know more about breastfeeding than you.
Using the last trimester to prepare yourself to breastfeed, gaining knowledge, making yourself less vulnerable in a time when you?re so vulnerable, your chances to success will exceed.
So Heather, take your time, and prepare yourself to breastfeeding during your last trimester. You?ll be up to hearing all about it, you?ll be interested during this time of your pregnancy.
Enjoy your pregnancy; hopefully I?ll meet you later whenever you wish to prepare yourself for the most special episode of motherhood!
Sincerely,
Mary Broekhuijsen
Breastfeeding Consultant