Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms
Breastfeeding is one of the most natural things the human body can do, and yet, it can be incredibly challenging for a new mom. Breastfeeding is a delicate relationship between you and your nursing baby. While your baby is learning how to suckle at the breast, you’re learning all it takes to help your new baby maintain a healthy latch and provide them the breast milk they need to survive and thrive at breastfeeding.
As a fellow breastfeeding mom, I wanted to provide some breastfeeding tips for new moms to help you prepare and succeed at breastfeeding your newborn. This breastfeeding guide will give you step-by-step breastfeeding instructions from preparing your breastfeeding station at home, to the different latch positions, how to know your baby is get enough breast milk, and ensuring your baby is getting enough breast milk to feel full.
I am not a lactation consultant, but I have breastfed all my babies and I can share my personal experiences to help you create a successful breastfeeding relationship between you and your baby.
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Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms
Breastfeeding at the Hospital
Vaginal birth, and a c-section both lead to the same thing- a baby! And, both can offer the same experience of getting your baby to the breast within the first hour of birth. I had a c-section and I was able to breastfeed my baby shortly after birth when I was in recovery. Make the request and make it known to all nurses that you want to breastfeed as soon as possible.
Try your best to keep your baby in your room and do skin-to-skin as often as possible. This encourages bonding and feeding because your baby can smell you and know milk is available. It is recommended to not give your breastfed baby a bottle or a pacifier for the first 2 weeks because it can cause nipple confusion. This is something you’ll need to figure out what works for you and your baby. I had great breastfeeding relationships with my babies, but they all had a pacifier within a day or 2 of birth. This was because they wanted to sit on the breast all day, which wasn’t working.
If your baby doesn’t seem interested in breastfeeding, you can hand-express some colostrum. You first want to wash your hands. Then, grab your breast and gently squeeze your breast while pulling it outward towards your nipple. You should start to notice a liquid coming from your nipple. You’ll want to put your baby on your breast and get that liquid on their mouth/tongue. This will encourage your baby to engage in breastfeeding.
How to Get Your Baby to Latch Correctly
When your baby is ready for a breastfeeding session, walk through these steps.
Skin-to-skin is best! Your baby will smell you, but it’s another helpful sensation, especially in the beginning, to feel your skin on theirs. Get rid of the clothes and the blankets when you’re getting positioned to breastfeed your baby. If it’s chilly and you need to use a blanket to cover them a bit once latched, that’s fine.
Once you’ve picked the breastfeeding position you want to try, make a “U” with your hand so you can fit the entire areola in your baby’s mouth. You want a full latch, otherwise your baby can and likely will make your nipple VERY sore. Your nipple should be towards the back of your baby’s tongue. If you find breastfeeding to be painful, you should ask to meet with a lactation consultant.
Once your baby is in position, check to make sure that you are belly-to-belly with them. So long as your nipple doesn’t hurt, you can tell your baby is safely drinking milk and everyone seems content, try your best to keep your baby awake and eating until they seem satisfied, not just because they fell asleep.
Remember to offer both breasts to your baby. First, this will make sure you’re offering them enough milk. Second, it will signal your body to continue to make enough milk to satisfy them. Your body operates off your baby’s nursing cues. The more they nurse, the more milk your body will naturally produce. If you plan to eventually offer breastmilk to your baby in a bottle. now would be the time to begin pumping at the end of your breastfeeding sessions and collecting that milk. Be sure you know how to safely store your pumped breastmilk.
Don’t try to keep your newborn baby on a schedule. Newborns don’t operate on a schedule. They’re learning how to do this just as much as you. If you notice your baby is showing hunger cues, you need to feed them, even if it hasn’t been “____” hours.
Another important thing to remember is that when your baby is first born, your breasts are creating colostrum. This is liquid gold and is actually a golden color. Your breast milk won’t start to come in for a few days up to about a week. Don’t worry though, your body knows what it’s doing, and the colostrum you’re providing is enough until your milk comes in.
Breastfeeding Positions
Football Hold Position (Clutch Position)
For the football hold position, you’ll need to put a pillow on your side you’ll be nursing on. Put your baby on that pillow and bring the baby to your breast. Wrap your arm around your baby’s back and support their head once they have a good latch.
Cross-Cradle Hold Position
For the cross-cradle position, you’ll start by lying your baby on their side in front of you with their head on your left, keeping them supported. Then, move your baby’s head to your right breast and help them latch in this position, again keeping their body supported. Their left arm should be up on your chest, and their right arm should be down towards your belly.
Side-Lying Position
For this breastfeeding position, you’ll want to lay on your sides and bend your knees up slightly. Put your baby on their side right next to your breast and help them latch. You’ll want to help keep them supported with your hand or a blanket.
Cradle Hold Position
For the cradle position, you’ll start by lying your baby on their side in front of you with their head on your left, keeping them supported. Then, help them latch in this position, again keeping their body supported. Their left arm should be up towards your chest, and their right arm should be tucked under your left arm.
What to look for in a great breastfeeding latch?
Your baby’s lips should be flanged around your entire nipple and look like they’re kissing your nipple.
When your baby drinks milk, they shouldn’t be pulling their lips down around your nipple. This shows the latch isn’t deep enough and you need to gently put your pinky into the side of their mouth and pull them off the latch and try to get a better latch.
Check that your baby’s nose is almost touching your skin. You don’t want their nose shoved up against you because when they’re eating, that’s how they’re breathing.
By the end of the first week of life, your baby should have 6-8 wet diapers each day. If your baby is having less than that, your baby may not be latching well enough to get the milk they need.
Your baby should stay on the breast until they seem satisfied. If they’re falling off your breast, or their mouths are dimpling instead of them just swallowing milk, you will want to re-check your latch.
The best way to know that your baby is getting a good latch at the breast is that they’re gaining way, seem satisfied, and you’re not experiencing nipple pain while they’re latched and eating.
Common Questions About Breastfeeding
How do I keep my baby awake while breastfeeding?
This was such a struggle with one of my babies. Once they got warm and comfy, they went right to sleep. What worked best for us was making sure to wake them up by taking their clothes off a few minutes before we were going to start our nursing session. I know that sounds terrible to make them uncomfortable, but it did give us better nursing sessions. Or, if they fell asleep during a nursing session, we would do that same thing to wake them up.
How long should a breastfeeding session last with a newborn?
Ideally, you want to have a breastfeeding session that lasts at least 10 minutes. If you have a quick letdown and your baby is engaged in drinking, they will fill up quickly. For others, it may take a bit longer. Personally, I tried to never have a breastfeeding session longer than 30 minutes because my babies often became disengaged with eating and I didn’t want to become a permanent pacifier.
How do I know if my breastfed baby is hungry?
Your baby will give you hunger cues. The most apparent one is crying. Babies will cry to let you know they need something. Another hunger cue is they will begin trying to eat their fingers. Babies will also start rooting or looking around using their mouths to try and get a breast to their mouths. This happens most often and is the most easy to see if someone is holding them, especially mom.
Breastfeeding is one of the greatest gifts you can give your newborn baby. Breastfeeding is a journey, and will likely have some hard moments. Even if you’re reading this and this isn’t your first pregnancy, be mindful that every baby is different, therefore the beginning of your breastfeeding experience will be different as well. As a first-time breastfeeding mom, don’t be too hard on yourself. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask for help. This could be help from a lactation consultant, or even help from a friend or family member who has been successful at breastfeeding.
I created this guide of breastfeeding tips for first-time moms to help you feel more confident as you prepare to breastfeed your baby. You’ve got this mama!
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