9 Quick Breastfeeding Tips
New mothers may find breastfeeding confusing at first. You may
not know exactly what to do or how to do it. Hopefully these
breastfeeding tips will help to get you started.
* Start Early - It is good to begin breastfeeding within
an hour after birth if possible, when the baby is alert and the
instinct to suck is strong. Although you will not yet be
producing milk, your breasts contain colostrum, a thin milky
fluid that contains important antibodies to disease.
* Feed Frequently - You should try breastfeeding your
baby at least every two to three hours. This will help to keep
your breasts soft and lessen or even prevent engorgement. Watch
for signs that your baby is hungry, such as changes in facial
expressions, sucking sounds or lip movements, and rapid eye
movement or restlessness during light naps. If you keep an eye
out for these signs, you can learn to anticipate your baby's
hunger. Breastfeeding on cue will help stimulate your breasts to
produce more milk.
* Good Positioning - Having the right positioning for
breastfeeding will play a major role in reducing nipple
soreness. Use you hand to support the baby's neck. The baby's
mouth should be open wide with the lips puckered out like "fish
lips", not folded in. The nipple should go back as far into his
or her mouth as possible. If you need help finding the proper
positioning, ask a nurse, midwife, or other experienced mother
for some help breastfeeding.
* Nipple Upkeep - When you first begin breastfeeding
your nipples may become very sore. After each breastfeeding
session rub a small amount of breast milk on and around each
nipple and allow it to air dry. This will help to prevent
cracking which can lead to infection. In cases where your
nipples do crack, coat them with breast milk, vitamin E oil, or
lanolin to help them heal. Be aware that some babies may have an
allergic reaction to certain moisturizing agents. Proper
positioning while breastfeeding is very important to avoid sore
nipples.
* Look Out for Breast Infection - If you experience a
fever or painful lumps and redness in your breasts, you should
seek medical attention immediately.
* Postpone Using Artificial Nipples - If you are going
to be breastfeeding your baby, avoid introducing pacifiers or
other artificial nipples too early. Artificial nipples require a
different sucking action than the real thing and it can be easy
for the baby to become confused. Try to wait until after a
couple weeks of breastfeeding before introducing any sort of
fake nipples.
* No Supplements Needed - There is no need to supplement
breastfeeding with sugar water or formula. Neither of these come
close to comparing with the nutritional complexity of your
breast milk, and they may interfere with the baby's appetite for
breastfeeding and lead to a diminished milk supply.
Breastfeeding your baby more often will in turn cause you to
produce more milk.
* Engorgement - When you first begin breastfeeding, you
will be producing a lot of milk, which can make you breasts big,
hard, and painful. You can help to ease this engorgement by
breastfeeding frequently until your body adjusts to produce only
as much as the baby needs. While your body adjusts, you can help
to relieve the pain by applying warm, wet compresses or taking
warm baths. Some over- the-counter pain relievers will help, but
consult your doctor before taking any sort of drug, since it may
be passed through your milk to the baby.
* Stay Healthy - A mother who is breastfeeding needs to
eat a healthy diet in order to produce enough good milk. You
should try and get an extra 500 calories a day, drink 6 to 8
glasses of fluids, and avoid drugs, alcohol, caffeine, and
smoke. You should also rest as much as possible while
breastfeeding, since breast infections are aggravated by
fatigue.