Breastfeeding Tips Ultimate Breastfeeding Guide

Ultimate Breastfeeding Guide for the New Mom

By Wendi Garcia

Being a first-time mom can make you feel as if you are a melting pot of emotions. You cannot contain your happiness, excitement, and contentment for having such a wonderful bundle of joy in your life. On the other hand, you are also anxious, exhausted, nervous, and scared.

But if there is one thing you are definite about, it is your desire to become the best kind of mom to your child. And you promise yourself that you will do all that it takes to raise up a healthy, intelligent, and happy child. This includes breastfeeding, which you may not know so much about.

Breastfeeding, which is truly one of the most natural intimate interactions between two human beings, is beneficial to your child in more ways than one. It is no wonder experts always say that breast is still best.

For one, breast milk contains antibodies that can effectively protect your child against many kinds of infections. It also reduces risks of health problems including childhood diabetes, leukemia, asthma, eczema, and so on. Various studies suggest that babies who were breastfed grew up less prone to illnesses than the non-breastfed babies.

Below you will find some valuable breastfeeding tips that would help you achieve success with your precious newborn.

Getting Started

As most moms can attest, the first few weeks of breastfeeding are the most difficult part of the journey. The first part, which is called latching, is often a challenge for most first-time mothers. To get a good latch, position the baby on her side so that she is facing you directly. Use a pillow to prop your baby up and hold her up to your breast.

After that, hold your areola with your thumb and fingers and have this slightly touch your baby’s lips. Repeat the steps until she opens up her mouth wide as if she is going to yawn. When she does, place your breast into her mouth, tilt her head forward, and direct her upper jaw onto your breast. See to it that at least 1 ½ inches of your areola are in her mouth.

The cradle hold is the basic form of holding your baby during nursing time. In this type of hold, you position your baby on your forearm, supporting her head in the middle part of your arm. Your other hand would support her bottom.

For moms who have had a Cesarean section, the football hold is the more convenient option. In this position, you place your baby on a pillow and you tuck her closely to your side. You would then rest your arm on the pillow and bring your baby’s mouth to your breast while using your hand to support her head gently but firmly. Another ideal alternative for mothers with C-section is the side-lying position, which entails lying side by side with your baby while nursing her.

Secrets for Success

Of course, even if you follow these basic steps, it is still possible that your baby would not cooperate. Follow these tips not only to increase chances of success but also to ensure that you are able to breastfeed your baby the healthy way.

- Find a quiet, peaceful and comfortable place to breastfeed your baby.
- Start immediately, preferably within the day after the day your baby is born.
- Avoid consumption of alcohol and coffee.
- Wash your hands and breasts prior to breastfeeding your baby.
- Soothe your baby by touching her gently so she can focus on sucking the milk more effectively.
- Burp your baby in between feeds to prevent upset stomach.
- Maintain a healthy diet. A diet of 300 calories is essential for a mother who is breastfeeding. Drink at least eight glasses of water each day.
- Do not give up. If your baby does not latch on even after a few days, do not think that this is not for you. Keep on trying until you achieve your goal.

Coping with Problems

Aside from the challenge of getting started, there may be a few other hurdles along the way. Here are the common problems and some excellent techniques for coping.

Sore, cracked, dried nipples

- Nurse using your less sore breast first to give your other breast a break.
- Do not pull your breast away from your baby’s mouth without first breaking the suction. This can be done by placing the finger on the corner of your baby’s mouth.
- Rub a few drop of breast milk on your nipples after feeding to keep them from getting dry.
- Do not wash your breasts with soap.

Breast engorgement or swelling

- Put a warm compress over the breast before nursing and a cold pack after.
- Pump or hand-express the milk to reduce the swelling.
- Massage the breast gently while nursing.

Leaking breasts

- Use a nursing pad to absorb the leaking milk.

Nursing in public

- Use a blanket or shawl to cover up during nursing.
- Express the breast milk by hand or with a breast pump and store it in a sterilized bottle, which you can give to your baby during nursing in public.