Breastfeeding Nervousness...

I'm nervous about trying to breastfeed...I took a class the hospital offered, but I still seem confused... How often is the baby going to be to my breast? It sounded like it's pretty much an all day affair,lol!! Also, do you have to sleep in a bra? Wasn't sure if the milk would leak.  Any suggestions or  input would be great. I'm trying to relax about it ,but I didn't nurse my 1st born and I thought I'd give it a try this time...

Thanks Everyone,
Shannon

No major advice.. just some good luck.  I'm in the same boat.  I nursed my son for about 3 weeks and gave up because I was so stressed out about it.   With my next one I plan on taking a class and not giving up!   But I'm nervous as well. 
I guess my only advice would be ... yes I had to sleep in a bra... I needed lots of nipple cream.. and those bra pads because I was leaking all the time!  
Good luck! :)  You're getting so close! YEAHHH!

 nursed two of my 3 kids. the first just didn't take to it. i gave up quickly but i also had preeclampsia and a spinal headache.

my second i nursed for 6months. he did well for the first couple of days it was a learning process.

my third. she latched right on an hour after she was born. and i swear she didn't want to detach for two days. in the middle of the night was the most troubling. as soon as she would fall asleep i would delatch her and she would wake up and scream for me. paciffiers didn't do it. no body else holding her would do it , it was the breast or nothing! after my milk came totally in she did just fine. nursing every few hours.

Honestly for the first few weeks it feels like all you do is feed. But it does get easier and baby gets on a schedule. Get nipple cream...it does help. And yes you wear a bra to bed. But they have soft bras with no under wire you can wear so it's comfy. I also had to use breast pads. I would tend to leak through those at night so I cut super thick maxi pads in half and put those in my bra LOL! Not pretty but at night it worked. You will have several moments that you want to quit. But keep going! Your nipples will stop hurting and its soooooooooo easy at night to breast feed! No making bottles no cleaning bottles!! I always changed my son's diaper first before feeding and then he would fall asleep as he was nursing and then you can just put the baby right down. He slept a lot with me, I know you are not suppose to do that. But I did! I promise it is worth it!! 

Jackie

I was nervous too and I have done it before, each time is different. Right now at one week 4 days he is on the breast every hour and half to two hours-sometimes longer, it does seem like all day but it will get better. Yes you will need to sleep in a bra once your milk is in but they do make sleep ones that are supposed to be more comfy, I haven't tried one yet, my favorite bras so far are from walmart and I bought some from several stores.
Please try and relax as it is a hard thing to do but more rewarding looking down at that little face! I will be honest,  I have shed a few tears when he does as we are having a hard time latching on, but I promise it has gotten better each day as we are learning together!! :-)
hugs
Beth

I had an appointment with the lactation nurse at my pediatrician's office the day after we came home from the hospital.  It helped so much to be there with the nurse and my baby one on one.  I took the class too, but tell all my girl friends to skip it and make the appointment with the lactation nurse.  Honestly, the class didn't teach me anything I hadn't learned already by reading a few good baby/breast feeding books.
I was very nervous about it too because I felt so strongly about breast feeding.  It is hard in the beginning and sometimes it can hurt even if you are doing it correctly!  I slept in a nursing bra for the first week or so.  It was a sports type bra and very comfortable.  I did get some leaking, but not too badly except when my baby first started sleeping through the night, I would wake up with a soaking wet shirt. 
Funny thing, I was a wreck trying to feed my DD in the beginning because my boob was bigger then her head and I was always so nervous about her latch and getting her on the breast properly.  Fast forward nearly 7 months, my daughter grabs my boob with both hands and pulls her self with a wide open mouth to my boob, then she put her food up on my opposite shoulder and taps me with it.  Ah, how times change.
Good luck and you can do it!

Thank You everyone for all your advice and support. I guess it is a learning process for me and the baby. I will have to keep that in mind if it gets difficult...Thanks Again for responding!!

Hugs,

Shannon

 I will say it may not be easy at first, yes it does seem like the baby is always needing to be fed, especially if your milk is slow to come in or your baby is a slow nurser. It does get better though!
I don't sleep in a bra, I got a nursing tank and I use that. I only leak if I go more than 4-5 hours without feeding, so I just wear pads at night.