Breastfeeding is an ordinary process that your body arranges for all over your pregnancy. The absence of milk and struggle in breastfeeding are the chief explanations given by mothers for discontinuing breastfeeding earlier than the age of 6 months. While more than half of women in developed countries breastfeed for a few weeks or several months, how many others who wanted to do so have given up. Here are 5 breastfeeding tips to put all the chances on your side… if breastfeeding is your wish.
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1. Breastfeeding: Get Informed
Having milk is natural – 95% of women have it – but breastfeeding is cultural and must be learned. When we talk about the breastfeeding tips for new moms; it is essential to learn a little about how the breast works, how milk comes in, the baby’s correct position, and its growth spurt during pregnancy. In fact, the mothers around you have not always breastfed and often convey, without wanting to, certainly not very positive clichés.
The solution: You may read a good book or materials regarding breastfeeding. As another breastfeeding newborn tips, it is important to discuss these readings with the father-to-be and, possibly, with the people who will be around you during the first weeks of your baby’s life.
Here are a few tips for breastfeeding to help you start it at the maternity hospital:
- Breastfeed immediately after birth: Put your baby to the breast as soon as possible (ideally in the delivery room). As tips to start breastfeeding, the skin-tight connection between you and your baby activates your formation of milk and your baby’s reflex of suckling. This may likewise aid them to stay calm and may decrease constant worry. As a result, your baby will begin to seek out the breast which will produce more milk more quickly. Babies are habitually extra attentive and concerned about drinking at the initial hour after delivery. In the case of cesarean birth, mom or dad can embrace the baby’s skin-tight up until the baby can delight in their opening feed,
- Get help so that your baby latches on correctly – tummy to tummy, head slightly below the breast – to avoid cracks,
- Breastfeed at their request (even if it is 20 times a day at the very beginning!),
- As much as possible, keep your baby with you 24 hours a day,
- Do not give pacifiers or formula supplements, at least for the first three weeks, or even the first three months if you want to breastfeed your child for a long time.
- Controlling the technique: During breastfeeding, try to embrace your baby through your chest. Maintain your child’s neckline and shoulders inflexibly avoiding forcing the back of their skull. Babies habitually react to this density by pushing away by their fingers. You may eject little drops of your milk to arouse your babe’s tasting and smelling senses. Once your babe releases your chest and stops suckling strongly, belch your baby, and after that try to propose the second breast. When you want to end breastfeeding, softly touch your fingers to the corner of your baby`s mouth till you see that the connection is ended.
- Discover the sitting pose that works for you: There are many sitting poses while you are feeding your baby. Try to discover the simple pose that you and your child sense most comfy in. In the case of cesarean birth, you may require aid to find the adequate pose which will be good for both you and your child. Ask the nurses, your doctor, your midwife, or a consultant for help.
- Soothe Your Breast: At the beginning of the breastfeeding process, you must uncover your nipples in the air next to every breastfeeding. You may also keep a few drops of dried-out milk on your nipples. It may have a role in anti-infection. If you have pain in your breasts cold compresses may decrease the pain and tension, furthermore, you may softly massage them and warm them by means of a hot shower. All these processes will help also milk production. In the end, you will sense more relaxed.
2. Get Help
Many health professionals have taken on board the message that “breastfeeding is best” for both babies and moms, but not all of them know how to help young mothers do it. So, as breastfeeding tips for first time moms; if you can get in touch with the maternity team before the birth and ask any questions, don’t hesitate. For example, “How do you help mothers who choose to breastfeed?”, “What do you do if there are difficulties?” etc. Also, have the contact information for getting support in the aftermath.
When the time comes, you can also call on the midwife who followed you during your pregnancy. Finally, it is important breastfeeding tips that it´s better that you keep the number of a friend, cousin, or acquaintance who has breastfed for a long time and/or with pleasure. She will be able to support you if you feel down. It is essential to talk to friends or family members who have “successfully” breastfed but also to choose a maternity hospital that has a team with good breastfeeding skills. Also, not only how to feed the baby but how often should you feed the baby matters: You may find the ideal baby feeding chart that suits you best!
3. Prepare to Breastfeed
- Get ready your breasts for your baby: Actually, there is no need for a prior breast preparation. By nature, our bodies and breasts make themselves ready throughout gestation. However, this does not guarantee that the first feeds will not be painful or that you will not develop cracks. As good breastfeeding tips; we recommend that you use oily products in order to prevent dried nipples. As we mentioned previously, continuously massaging the areola with oily products has a very good effect on it.
- Prepare yourself… psychologically: The key breastfeeding tips are to have confidence in yourself and your milk and to know why you want to breastfeed and, above all, to be on the same wavelength as your future father. His support is essential! For men who are afraid of not being able to be with their breastfed baby, it is important to point out all the support they can give to their partner by carrying the baby in a sling, changing, or bathing him, but also by taking care of the house and/or managing the elderly.
- As tips for successful breastfeeding, take advantage of the birth preparation classes to ask all the questions that are on your mind. If you have opted for a midwife’s preparation, in a smaller group than at the maternity hospital, the questions will be even easier to ask. And if you take advantage of hospitalization when you come back from the maternity hospital, which consists in being followed over several days by a midwife, you will again have the opportunity to find help.
4. Equip Yourself
Although no equipment is essential to get off to a good start in breastfeeding; as breastfeeding tips, a few things can make you feel more comfortable:
- Get a lanolin cream or breastfeeding-friendly oil – which you won’t need to wipe off before each, feeding – even though breast milk is the most effective solution to chapping or cracking.
- You should also think about getting anti-leak pads (washable or disposable), which are useful mainly after the milk comes in.
- A nursing pillow will also prove to be practical, especially to relieve your back. Be careful with these newborn breastfeeding tips: your baby should not rest on it during feeding; it would be too far from you!
- Best breastfeeding tips concerning maternal clothing; last but not least, a comfortable nursing bra and a nursing bra that can be adjusted to provide good support when your milk comes in. If you’re a modest person, invest in a nursing top or pajamas for your stay in the maternity ward, so you don’t have to undress completely when visiting or if you’re sharing a room with another mom.
- Please avoid these easy breastfeeding tips which can befalse friends at the beginning: silicone breast pads, breast shells, and breast pumps, to be used during the first weeks only in case of extreme emergency (very painful cracks, severe engorgement, baby in the incubator…).
5. Breastfeeding: Take Advantage of It!
- Breastfeeding contributes to the development of the mother-child bond and creates a special relationship, a way of prolonging the pregnancy a little.
- Secondly, just because you are breastfeeding doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself to some shopping. If you’re giving up on pretty modern bottles and high-tech bottle warmers, it’s possible to compensate for this possible frustration by treating yourself to some nursing clothes, like pretty lingerie, a dress or a long tunic, useful to hide your (small) postpartum belly.
- You can also share your experience and your worries by attending breastfeeding support meetings offered by many associations. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people.
- As the most significant breastfeeding tips for producing more milk; don’t forget about breastfeeding and remember to rest and relax. This definitely will support your milk reproducing process. In the beginning, you may try to sleep or rest at the same time as your baby. Please do not forget that you have to give special intention to your nutrition. Eat healthy meals and drink often, don´t wait to become thirsty.
- And some final breastfeeding weaning tips; breastfeeding is not for every mother. Yes, it’s true that “mom’s” milk is better for the baby, but if breastfeeding is not a source of happiness, there’s no need to feel guilty. You may always basically shift to bottle-feeding.