Lisa Wipfli talks breastfeeding as a new mum

Her husband is one half of Nova radio duo, Fitzy and Wippa, she’s mum to 18-month-old Ted and new bub Jack, and now Lisa Wipfli is making her own headlines. After finding herself unprepared for the issues associated with breastfeeding her first child, she has opened up to Australian women about the experience. We had a chat to Lisa, thanks to the team at Elevit, about everything she has learned and what she will do differently with Jack. Check it out below:

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What was the most surprising/unexpected thing about breastfeeding that you discovered when you began breastfeeding your first child?

I think the most surprising thing for me was, how hard it was. I thought it was just one of those things that came naturally to all women, but in fact it’s quite the opposite. I speak to very few women these days who say that breastfeeding is a breeze. Whether it’s low milk flow, latching issues, cracked nipples or mastitis, every woman has her own story of breastfeeding battles.

The other emotion I never thought I would experience, is the guilt of feeding my son formula. Before becoming a mum, this was something I hadn’t even thought twice about. Whether a child was breastfed or formula fed was ultimately a parent’s decision and it didn’t matter either way, however once I became a mum, I felt the pressure and judgement of other women / mothers if I didn’t continue to breastfeed for a long period of time. I tried so hard to pump as much milk for my son because I thought he would have a low IQ or have poor health (all the different facts that you read online) if I fed him formula. It is horrible to feel like you have failed as a mother when you can’t exclusively breastfeed your baby and I don’t like that advertising and some midwives, women and blogs are to blame for this pressure that is put on mothers.

What issues did you experience with breastfeeding and how did you combat them?

I thought everything was going perfectly for the first two weeks, however I quickly discovered that I had low milk flow and our poor little baby boy was a very hungry little newborn. Mike (Wippa) and I were ignorantly unprepared for any sort of breastfeeding issues so it was a mid-week late night crash course in sterilising and mixing formula.

We have learnt so much from this experience and this time we are far more prepared for any issues. However if it doesn’t work for me and I can’t breastfeed my second son, then I won’t feel guilty and I won’t be made to feel like a failure.

What are your top three pieces of advice for new mums when it comes to breastfeeding?

1. Be prepared. Talk to your friends who are mothers and ask them what sort of problems they encountered and ask them how they combated those problems so you know what to do if you encounter those same problems.

2. Don’t let anyone pressure you or make you feel guilty. You are the mother of your child and you can make your own informed decisions that work for you and your child.

3. Make sure you look after your own health. Try and eat nutritious meals, take a specific breastfeeding multivitamin to provide your baby with the right nutrients and support your own needs too, my pick is Elevit Breastfeeding*, and get sleep when you can. A healthy mumma = healthy and happy baby.

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Will you do anything differently when you breastfeed your second child?

This time, I have a hospital grade double breast pump ready to go, as well as a lactation consultant, special breastfeeding teas, cookies and natural tablets to help my milk flow. I will give it my best to exclusively breastfeed my newborn but I also won’t stress if I can’t produce sufficient milk. I will be juggling a newborn and a 18-month-old so I know I’m going to be a busy mother, so I will do the most I can, and be proud of myself whatever the outcome.

*Always read the label. Use only as directed.

Did you breastfeed your children? Can you relate to Lisa’s experience?