Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms, How to breastfeed

Breast milk is the best food you can feed your newborn baby for at least six months, as recommended by both the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is up to you whether you wish to breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby, but being a new mother, you should be aware of the benefits of breastfeeding when making your decision.

Additional tags: breastfeeding tips, how to breastfeed, breast sucking, women breastfeeding, nursing baby, breastfeeding pain, breastfeeding newborn, breastfeeding moms

First of all, breast milk has all the nutrients that a newborn baby needs to grow and stay healthy. Breast milk promotes a healthy digestive system; strengthens the baby’s immune system; improves IQ; helps prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS); protects against conditions like asthma, allergies, diabetes and obesity; and ensures healthy development in premature babies. Not just babies, breastfeeding is good for mothers, too. Breastfeeding helps your uterus get back to pre-pregnancy size faster. It also helps burn extra calories and you’ll get rid of that extra pregnancy weight faster. Furthermore, it reduces your risk of getting breast cancer, ovarian cancer, heart disease and diabetes. It’s also well-known that breastfeeding helps you develop a bond with your newborn baby. If you choose to breastfeed, bear in mind that it is a learned process. There are no hard and fast rules about how to do it. However, to improve your chance of success, there are many simple tips and tricks that you can keep in mind.

Get the Right Latch
Breastfeeding for the first time is not always easy. No matter how much you read about breastfeeding, the real experience is different. So, when you breastfeed your baby within the first hour after delivery, do not hesitate to ask for help. A maternity nurse or a hospital lactation consultant can show you how to position the baby to breastfeed and whether the baby is latching on correctly. Although it may feel uncomfortable when your baby latches on, it is never painful. If it hurts badly, then you may not have the right positioning. When you go home, surround yourself with a good support system and contact your doctor if you have ongoing trouble with breastfeeding.

Get Comfortable
Breastfeeding can be tiring, so you need to get yourself comfortable before nursing your baby. If you are feeling lots of pain from giving birth, support yourself with pillows. Then, cradle your baby close to your breast. It is recommended not to lean forward to bring your breast to your baby, as it can cause pain, especially soon after delivery. Always support your baby’s head with one hand and support your breast with the other hand. Make your baby open his mouth by tickling his lower lip with your nipple. If your baby is hungry, he or she will latch on and start sucking and swallowing in a rhythmic manner.

Look for Signals
Your baby will give you signals when he or she is hungry. He may root around searching for your nipple, put his hand in his mouth or look increasingly alert. Once you see a signal, all you need to do is pick up your baby and start breastfeeding. Initially, you may have to breastfeed about 10 to 12 times a day. Some babies may need more feedings. The more often you breastfeed your baby, the more milk your breasts will produce. As newborn babies instinctively have a heightened sense of smell, place your baby skin-to-skin. This will help your baby seek out the nipple to begin breastfeeding.