Are You Planning to Breastfeed? Here are some interesting things that actually happen when you are a breastfeeding mom.

Breastfeeding is one of the most amazing experiences for both a mom and her baby. Although there are some very odd and silly things that can happen when you decide to breastfeed.

Of course, everyone tells you about nipple pain and the leaking now and then but no one really talks about some of the insane things that happen to your body and some crazy things that you breastfed baby will do.

Here are 26 Surprising and very funny things that happen when you breastfeed your baby

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First 6 Weeks of Breastfeeding

1. Soreness at the Begining of Breastfeeding

So within the first few weeks of breastfeeding it is completely normal for your breasts and nipples to be sore – especially if it is your first time breastfeeding. This is simply an adjustment period.

Although you should not have intense pain. If this is happening every time you breastfeed your baby then you likely have a bad latch and need to take your baby off of your breast and try to latch again. This happens a ton in the beginning since you and your baby are learning how to properly latch onto the breasts.

Trust me your baby is just grabbing whatever comes near them and hoping for milk. Getting a perfect latch takes time and practice.

2. Your Baby Will Want to Nurse a lot in the Beginning

This is one reason that many moms assume that their baby is not getting enough breast milk from them and then choose to formula feed.

But this is not true. Right after birth babies need to take in a lot of calories and that’s where your breast milk comes in. Also, a baby’s stomach is only the size of their tiny fist so they can only take in so much breast milk at each feeding (even if they nurse for long periods).

And since breast milk is so easily digested, babies need to refuel frequently in the first few weeks of life.

3. Continued Contractions When You are Breastfeeding

Oh, you thought that the contractions were over? Nope! Your uterus has to get back to its original size before you were pregnant so your body contracts to help it tighten back up.

When you breastfeed, your body releases a hormone called Oxytocin that causes your breast tissues to contract and have a “let-down” (when your breast milk starts to flow). After childbirth, this hormone also helps your uterus to contract to go back to prepregnancy size.

And just in case you were wondering, you can even have these contractions when you have a C-Section delivery.

How Breastfeeding Affects a Mom’s Body

4. Your Breasts My Leak When You Think About or Hear Your Baby

It’s called nature for a reason. It’s natural. Your body is funny this way.

Many moms will find that they start leaking breast milk when their baby cries – or when any baby cries! It’s just one of those parts of breastfeeding. When your baby is on your mind your body is preparing for the next feeding.

So be sure to wear breast pads just in case.

5. You Might Have to go up a Bra Cup Size or Two

It is not uncommon for moms who breastfeed to have to go up a size or two in their bra cup size when they are breastfeeding. I found that regular bras were far too complicated for me to breastfeed in so I invested in these super comfy nursing bras and they are still holding up years later.

This is such a common question. “Will my breast go back to normal after breastfeeding?”

Honestly maybe! Here is what I can tell you from my personal experience.

Before getting pregnant with my first child, I was a size 36C and was very happy with that size. After I gave birth and started breastfeeding my first child, I was a 36D. And finally after breastfeeding my second child and now I am done breastfeeding I am a 38DD. They have not gone back down at all.

6. You are Burning Calories While You are Breastfeeding

Although it may not seem like it, breastfeeding actually burns calories for mama. In fact, it is estimated that a breastfeeding mom can burn around 500 calories a day just by sitting on the couch and feeding her baby.

It’s the best work out every right?

7. Strange Cravings are Still There

Did you think that the wild cravings would end with your pregnancy? Haha

Many moms crave foods that their breastfeeding bodies need and they are often very healthy foods. I craved scrambled eggs every morning for breakfast and I am not an egg person but I gave the boobs what they wanted.

8. Every time Your Baby Latches You’ll Get the Urge to Drink Tons of Water

I’ve talked with many different breastfeeding mamas and all of them seemed to have the same things happen when their baby latched on.

They craved water and lots of it. I am not completely sure what causes this but it always seemed that as soon as my baby would be latched and started drinking, I felt like I was dying of thirst.

9. Your Period May Stay Away

Many breastfeeding moms are lucky enough to avoid getting their first period for many months after giving birth. Some don’t get theirs until they are completely done with breastfeeding.

I was so incredibly lucky not to get a visit from Aunt Flo until my baby was 9 months old, but a friend of mine who was breastfeeding got hers 6 weeks after giving birth.

It is honestly just the luck of the draw.

10. Breastfeeding Makes You Sleepy

Even though you are likely already exhausted being a new mom, breastfeeding can make you even more tired. Here’s how.

The breastfeeding hormone called prolactin (which tells your body to make breastmilk) can cause you to get drowsy when you are breastfeeding. If you are trying to stay awake while breastfeeding a sitting upright position while nursing.

11. Your Breasts will Feel Like Hard Rocks When you are Engorged

It happens to every breastfeeding mom. At some point, your breasts will feel a little hard like huge rocks and you’ll be so happy to have your baby breastfeed to relieve you of your engorgement.

12. You Will Milk Yourself

As I mentioned above, you will at some point become engorged and need to express your breast milk in some way.

This happened to me several times. I would feel super full of milk and my baby was full and did not want to nurse. What? Yes, this happens. The best solution for this is to either use a breast pump or to hand express your breast milk to relieve the pressure and discomfort.

I admit I have done this many times – especially when I am in the shower and feel a little too full when washing.

13. During Let-down Both Breasts Might Start Expressing Milk

When your baby latches onto your breast and starts to suck, you have your let down and breast milk starts rapidly flowing to your baby’s mouth. But sometimes the other breast likes to join in on the fun and starts expressing on its own.

This happened to me every time I breastfed. I would start breastfeeding on one breast and the other side would start leaking – this is another time that breast pads are a lifesaver.

14. It May Feel Discomfort When You Let-down

I can only speak for myself as far as this weird thing that happened every time I breastfed, but right after my baby would latch I would feel a slight burning feeling in both of my breasts when I would have a let-down.

It never went away and happened every breastfeeding session until my baby finally weaned.

15. You May Leak Breast Milk During Sex

This one is kinda funny but also a little embarrassing.

The same hormones that help you to relax when you are breastfeeding can also cause your breasts to express milk when you are intimate with your husband. In fact, I didn’t know it happened until my husband told me about it. Haha

16. You May get Jealous of your Baby Taking a Bottle of Pumped Milk

Okay, maybe this was just me. When my husband first gave our 6-week old baby a bottle of pumped breast milk, I got totally worried that he would not want to breastfeed anymore.

But to my surprise, he actually preferred breastfeeding over the bottle of pumped breast milk. A win for mama!

17. You’ll be Feeling your Breasts to see Which One is the Fullest

If you ever see a mom in public feeling each of her breasts then she is probably checking to see which breast is fuller and the last that she nursed on.

This is so funny when you think about it but it’s a common thing that breastfeeding moms do. We get so acquainted with our breasts when we breastfeed that it seems so natural to touch them in public. Haha.

18. You Might Breastfeed into Toddlerhood

Breastfeeding is such a special experience for moms and many moms – myself included- miss it terribly when it’s gone. So that’s one reason that it is so easy to continue breastfeeding our babies after their first birthday.

I breastfed my son up until he was 16 months old and he started self-weaning.

Funny Things Breastfed Babies Do

19. Breastfed Babies Do Boob Checks

Breastfeeding babies know where the milk comes from and will often stick their hands down their mom’s shirt to make sure that the milk givers are still there.

20. Your Baby Will Get Squirted with Breastmilk

You know that let-down reflex that your breasts do when your baby starts sucking?

Well, when that happens breast milk starts shooting out of your breasts pretty fast at first and if your baby unlatches during this time, they will likely get a fact covered with breast milk.

21. Breastfed Babies Will Nurse for Comfort

Unlike formula-fed babies, breastfed babies find comfort through breastfeeding and will often want to nurse when they are hurt or tired. For them, breastfeeding is not just about nourishment.

It is a constant comfort for them anytime they need a little extra support from mommy.

22. Breastfed Babies Often Fall Asleep While Nursing

Just like mom, a breastfed baby will often fall asleep while nursing. This is often because breastfed babies will want to nurse before going to sleep.

23. Babies Love GymNurstics

Once a breastfed baby gets older, they often try the art of multi-tasking. Many babies will try to breastfeed while raising legs up in the air and even try to get into so pretty interesting positions while still breastfeeding.

24. Breastfed Babies Can Be a Little Handsy When Nursing

I am not sure why breastfeeding babies feel the need to grab things when they are breastfeeding but the do.

Some love putting their fingers into their mom’s mouths or even up their noses while breastfeeding. Others like to pinch or grab and pull onto their mom’s shirt.

25. Breastfed Babies Can be Very Territorial over the Boobs

Another funny thing that breastfeeding babies will do is become very possessive over the boobs.

I often had many times where my son would be nursing and if my husband got too close he would grab on tight to my breast. It was as if he was protecting them. lol

26. They Will Turn and Look in the Opposite Direction While Still Latched

As I said breastfed babies think that they can multi-task. But there will be times where your baby will be completely latched on and into breastfeeding and all of a sudden will turn to look at the dog that ran past them.

OUCH! this hurts because most babies do not let go of their latch and I guess they assume that the breast is supposed to go along with them.

Do you have any funny breastfeeding stores? I’d love to hear them.

Related Breastfeeding Posts –

26 Unexpected Things that Actually Happen When You are a Breastfeeding Mom