As soon as found out I was pregnant, I started researching the best tactics for parenting, including breastfeeding. I started attending La Leche League meetings before my bump was even visible. I learned about latching and holds.

I checked out books on breastfeeding from the library, and went to every community breastfeeding event I could find. I was convinced that with the right mindset and a ton of determination, it would all turn out fine.

Video: You can read all the books about what to expect when you’re growing a human inside you, but the fact sheets and stats don’t always tell you the real story.

You can read all the books about what to expect when you're growing a human inside you - but the fact sheets and stats don't always tell you the real story. Here's a two-minute video provides some rapid insights, from what makes the placenta so fascinating to what exactly is inside breast milk.

Jolie Kerr is a cleaning expert, advice columnist, and author of the New York Times bestselling book, My Boyfriend Barfed In My Handbag... And Other Things You Can't Ask Martha. Her flagship column, "Ask a Clean Person", debuted in 2011. Here on Lifehacker, we've launched a new iteration of it, focusing on parenting and all the messes it brings.