Breastfeeding is the best way to give nourishment to your infant. Though mothers have been nursing since the beginning of time, breastfeeding does not come naturally to every woman. It is a skill that takes time to master. There is no right or wrong way to breastfeed. Breastfeeding is a process that mothers and babies learn together. Remember – practice makes perfect. The more often that you breastfeed, the more milk that your body will make.
Before your due date, you should instruct your healthcare team that you intend to breastfeed. Let your doctor know about your plans at your prenatal visits. Remind the nurses and other health care team members during labor and delivery. You need to inform the medical staff that you do not want them to feed your baby any other food or prepared formulas, unless a medical emergency arises.
Contact your hospital or birthing center and arrange for your baby to "room in" with you. Rooming in – when your newborn remains in the same room with you after birth – is not available at all hospitals, so you should ask about this policy ahead of time. If the hospital will not allow your baby to room in, ask the nurses to bring your infant to you for all feedings.
Fact: Breastfeeding success is improved by breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and then eight to twelve times over a 24 hour period. Say goodbye to a good night's sleep.
To improve your success at breastfeeding, you should try to breastfeed within the first hour of your child's birth, when your infant is awake and ready to suck. If you wait for too long, your little one might be too tired and sleepy to breastfeed.
Newborns are born with all the instincts and reflexes that they need to nurse. For example, babies are born with a strong rooting reflex – when you brush your infant's cheek, he or she has a natural instinct to turn, open his or her mouth and look for something to suck.
After your baby is born, say goodbye to a good night's sleep. In the first few days of life, your baby will probably need to be nursed every hour or two during the day, and a couple of times throughout the night. Over the course of 24 hours or a full day, you may have to breastfeed your baby at least eight to twelve times. Expect your baby to nurse for at least 10 to 15 minutes per breast.
When you are ready to breastfeed, the first thing you need to do is to find a comfortable nursing position. You may experience some discomfort at the start of your first feed, but extreme pain throughout the nursing session is not normal. In some cases, pain during breastfeeding might be due to poor positioning.
Fact: The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend four breastfeeding positions. The Cradle Hold, The Cross-Cradle Hold, The Football Hold, and Side-Lying Position.
There are four breastfeeding positions that ACOG (the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) recommends:
Cradle Hold - This position requires you to sit up straight. Using the arm closest to the nursing breast, you will cradle your infant. Your forearms should support his or her back, and your hand should hold his or her upper thigh or bottom. Use the bend in your elbow to support your baby's head. Your newborn should be lying sideways, facing the breast. His or her stomach should be facing your stomach.
Cross-Cradle Hold - Similar to the cradle hold, you will need to sit up straight and hold your baby against you. His or her stomach should be against yours. Hold your infant with the opposite arm of the nursing breast. (For example, if your baby is feeding on your right breast, use your left arm. If you are feeding from left breast, use your right arm.) Your baby's bottom should rest in the crook of your arm, while your palm supports his or her head. Using your free hand (the one closest to the nursing breast), guide the breast to your infant's mouth.
The cross-cradle hold gives the nursing woman more control of their baby's head. This is a useful position for newborns that are having trouble latching on.
Football Hold - Also called the "clutch" hold, this position requires you to sit up straight and tuck your baby underneath your arm like he or she were a football. Cradle your infant, facing him upward, in your arm. With your elbow bent, you will support your infant's head with your palm. The forearm supports the nursing baby's back. You can cup your breast with your free hand to help with latching. You may want to use a nursing pillow on your lap to make this position more comfortable.
The football, or clutch hold, is the preferred hold for women recovering from a cesarean delivery. It is also great for women breastfeeding twins. If you have a forceful let down (you produce too much milk), the football hold allows your infant to feed more easily.
Side-Lying Position - Unlike the other positions, you lay on your side to nurse. Your infant also lies on his or her side, facing your breast. Support your baby's body with the hand of the arm that you're lying on. You can also roll up a receiving blanket and tuck it behind your baby's back to help support him. Using your other hand, you can offer your breast to your infant. After your baby has latched on, you can use your arm to support your little one's body.
The side-lying position is a good choice for nighttime feedings. Just make sure that you don't fall asleep during your nursing session. Always return baby to his or her crib after you feed. This position is also ideal for moms recovering from a C-section.
The key to successful breastfeeding is getting your baby to latch on properly. An infant who doesn't latch on well will have a hard time getting milk, especially if your milk supply is low. A poor latch is akin to offering your baby a full bottle of milk that has a tiny nipple hole. In addition, a poor latch may cause you pain and discomfort when nursing.
Before you leave the hospital after delivery, make sure that you request a visit from a lactation consultant. Many hospitals have these breastfeeding specialists on their staff. You need to make sure your baby is latched on properly and that he's actually get milk from your breast.
A good latch should feel comfortable with no hurting or pinching. If you feel pain when you're breastfeeding, it may be due to an improper latch. Many nursing moms report that their breasts are tender when they first feed, but once they have found a comfortable breastfeeding position and their baby has properly latched, nursing did not hurt. If you find that you are in pain when feeding, it's possible that your baby is sucking on the nipple only. You will want to break your baby's suction and try again.
When your baby is latched on well, you should see little or no areola at all. If this dark area surrounding your nipple does show, you should see more of it above your baby's lips, less below. Your baby's lips should turn out, similar to a fish's lips. The lips should not be inward. In many cases, you may not be able to see your infant's lower lip. Many moms can actually see or hear their babies swallowing milk. Some infants do swallow quietly, and the only sign that they are feeding is a pause in their breathing.
If you are concerned that your baby was a weak suck, talk to your child's pediatrician or a lactation consultant. Sometimes, a health problem can cause your infant to have a weak suck. In many cases, he or she doesn't have a deep enough latch to successfully drink the milk from your breast.
Your nipple shouldn't be flat or look compressed after feeding. The nipple should be the same shape it was prior to your nursing session.
A newborn baby has a small stomach, and he or she cannot comfortable digest what an older baby can. At birth, your infant's stomach can digest only about one or two teaspoons of milk. After one week, his or her stomach can hold about two ounces. As your baby gets older, he may eat about three ounces of milk per feeding. It's normal for an exclusively fed baby to take between 19 and 30 ounces of breast milk a day. Once solid foods are introduced, he or she will drink less milk.
Keep in mind that every baby is different.
Tip: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends you breastfeed your baby when he or she is hungry, not based on a strict schedule, but not longer than four hours.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that mothers nurse according to their baby's needs. Nurse whenever your child is hungry, not based on a strict schedule. Your newborn will let you know when he or she is hungry. A hungry baby will nuzzle against their mom's breast, put their hands to their mouth, and make sucking motions. Crying is often a late sign of hunger.
Newborn babies will need to be nursed at least eight to twelve times in the first 24 hours after birth.
In the first few days after birth, you may need to gently wake up your infant to start breastfeeding. It's also common for new babies to fall asleep in the middle of feeding. To keep your newborn awake when you're nursing, you should unswaddle your baby. To ensure that your baby is getting enough to eat, you should wake him or her up if four hours have passed since the last breastfeeding session.
When you are breastfeeding, avoid watching the clock. Allow your infant to set his or her own nursing pattern. A majority of newborns will feed for ten to fifteen minutes on each breast. If you notice that your baby wants to nurse for a very long time, such as half an hour per breast, this may be a sign that he's not getting enough milk. You may want to double-check that he or she is latched on properly.
After your baby has emptied one breast of milk, give him or her the other. Your baby may not want to nurse anymore. Don't worry about this – you don't need to breastfeed using both breasts. The next time that you nurse, you will want to offer your infant the other breast.
Breastfeeding is one of the best things that you can for your new baby. Congratulations on this decision, and good luck!
You will want to breastfeed right away – preferably within one hour of your child's birth. This may not be possible in some situations, but you should aim to nurse as soon as you are able.
To breastfeed, you will need to find a comfortable nursing position. Next, you will need to hold your baby against your bare chest. Turn your baby's body towards your chest. You will want to cup your nursing breast with one hand, and support your baby's neck and shoulders with the other hand. Your newborn's head should be tilted back slightly so that when your baby opens his or her mouth, the tongue will automatically go down. This makes it easier for the breast to go on top of it.
Using your cupped breast, tickle your infant's lower lip with your nipple. This will encourage your baby to open his or her mouth wide. Pull your baby close to your breast, so that his or her chin and lower jaw touches your breast first.
Once your baby is latched on correctly, his or her mouth will cover the entire nipple and much of the areola (the dark circles surrounding the nipple).
Tip: Breastfeeding is a skill that will take practice and require lots of patience to be successful.
Don't freak out if your baby is having trouble finding the nipple. He or she may also have trouble staying latched on. Some babies latch on immediately, but it takes more time for others to catch on.
If your infant is not latched on right, you will want to start all over again. To do this, insert a clean finger between your little one's gums and your breast. Once you hear a soft pop, you should pull your nipple out of your baby's mouth. Start the process over again.
Keep in mind that breastfeeding is a skill that requires practice and lots of patience.
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