Hi G.! Congratulations on the new arrival & your decision to breastfeed! I will give you some advice based on my own experience. The hospitals are typically not the most supportive environment for breastfeeding. Between handing out free formula, giving babies pacifiers and sugar water, and not supplying new moms with immediate and knowledgeable breastfeeding help, your chances for success aren't the best. My advice would be to put in a request for a lactation consultant right before you start to push. They can take up to 6 hours to arrive after you request one! Also, some of the nursing staff will be your best friends, helping you latch on and learn positions, and others have no idea what they're doing. The first half hour after birth is very important--try try try to breastfeed and get help doing it those first 30 minutes. If you're not able to, it's not the end of the world--just try to get help from someone who's breastfed before. Lactation consultants are the best, but they could be very busy & unavailable. Most women have no idea how difficult it is just to learn how to breastfeed-both for you and your baby. But if you have people there with you to educate and support you, it's an incredible experience that's completely worth the effort. All the best of luck to you! I hope you get all the support you need!
