Tip #1. Breastfeed right away.When you first deliver your newborn, he/she will be looking for food right away. Your breasts will secrete a fluid that smells like the amniotic fluid your baby has been familiar with for the last 9 months so he/ she will naturally gravitate toward your breasts. It is best to initiate breastfeeding right away.
Tip #2. Ask for help! If your initial experience with breastfeeding is uncomfortable or painful, simply get some help. Each hospital will have lactation consultants that travel around to rooms where new babies are and their job is to help you. This whole experience will be brand new to both you and your baby! Don't be embarrassed to ask for someone to properly latch your baby onto your breast or answer any questions you may have. A great resource is your WIC office and the Breastfeeding Peer Counselors that are provided to help you. They are available via phone and can even visit you! If you are unsure of who your Peer Counselor is call your local WIC office.
Tip #3. Babies eat often. In talking with so many new moms there are usually only 3 things that take place for the first few weeks. Eating, sleeping (well for baby anyway) and changing diapers. Breastfed babies will eat very frequently and this is a great thing! Breastmilk is super easy to digest and therefore the baby's tummy's will fill up and empty frequently. Do not be alarmed if your baby wants to nursing often, this will help maintain your milk supply as well!
Tip #4. You DO have enough milk. Big bottles of formula can be intimidating for a nursing mother because she fears she cannot see how much her baby is eating and certainly feels like she cannot possibly create that much milk to satisfy her growing baby, but YOU CAN. As your baby grows your breasts will produce the amount of milk necessary for your baby. Generally if your baby is gaining weight and you are changing many diapers each day, your baby is getting enough. Also, when you feed your baby watch your babys mouth, do you see the transfer of the milk and your baby swallowing?
Tip #5. Avoid early introduction of a bottle. Using a breast pump and introducing a baby bottle with breastmilk or formula earlier than 4 weeks can potentially cause challenges with breastfeeding. Babies will start to prefer the bottle nipple over moms nipple because they do not have to work very hard for their milk. It will also cause much more work for a new mom to have to clean bottles.
Tip #6. Supply and demand. If you want to produce more milk nurse more often. If you don't use your breasts very often your milk supply may start to decrease. Breastfeeding 8-12 times per day is great!
Beware tip#1. Early formula introduction. Many times the hospital and formula companies will give nursing moms formula to take home just in case there are times you need to supplement your baby. The problem this can lead to is introduction of formula, usually at an early age which can effect your milk supply. It is best to talk with your WIC peer counselor or lactation consultant before introducing formula and let her know why you would like to introduce it and see what she can recommend. Usually a mom will introduce formula early because the baby wants to eat frequently and mom fears the baby isn't getting enough from her, but as I mentioned before, keep in mind your baby may eat very frequently at first and as the baby gets older and his/ her stomach can hold more, the feedings will space out. If your baby cries after a feeding it may not be because they are still hungry. Try to soothe the baby by putting him/her skin to skin, burp the baby, or change the baby's diaper.
Beware tip #2. Avoid a strict feeding schedule. When you are breastfeeding a baby, trying to keep him/her on a strict feeding schedule can be dangerous. Breastfed babies need to be fed on demand, meaning whenever the baby is giving you hunger cues (sucking on hands, turning head toward the breast, fussy) he/she needs to be fed. Waiting until the baby is crying can be stressful when trying to latch the baby to the breast and is usually your baby's last resort to getting your attention.
Beware tip #3. Sleepy eaters. Babies will sleep often during their first few weeks of life, but if your baby does not nurse at least 8 times per day, he/ she needs to be woken up to eat. Allowing a baby to sleep longer than 4 hours can be dangerous, so be sure to wake your baby up to eat often to maintain an appropriate weight gain.
Sit back and enjoy the experience of breastfeeding your baby. Find ways to de-stress and make time for yourself!
Remember each baby and mom is different. What works for some, may not always work for others. Your WIC office has great resources, materials and help for you. Always consult with your pediatrician if you have concerns about your baby!
Christy Redmond
Nutritionist Sr.
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