Breastfeeding can be a beautiful and rewarding experience, but it’s also a new skill for both you and your baby. It’s completely normal to have questions and face challenges in the beginning. Here are some of the best tips for new mothers to help you get off to a good start:
The Early Days: Bonding and Getting Started
- Skin-to-Skin Contact: Right after birth, and throughout the early weeks, holding your baby on your bare chest is incredibly beneficial. This “kangaroo care” helps regulate your baby’s temperature and blood sugar, promotes bonding by releasing oxytocin, and encourages your baby’s natural instincts to find and latch onto the breast.
- Feed on Demand: Don’t watch the clock. In the first few weeks, newborns need to feed frequently, often 8 to 12 or more times in 24 hours. Breast milk is easily digested, and their tiny stomachs can only hold a small amount. Look for early hunger cues like rooting (turning their head and opening their mouth), lip-smacking, or bringing their hands to their mouth, rather than waiting for them to cry, which is a late sign of hunger.
- Don’t Stress About Milk Supply: Your body produces colostrum, a concentrated, nutrient-rich “first milk” that is packed with antibodies. While it’s produced in small amounts, it’s exactly what your newborn needs. The more you breastfeed, the more your body will be signaled to produce milk, which typically comes in 3 to 5 days after birth.
Positioning and Latching
- Find a Comfortable Position: There are many breastfeeding positions (cradle hold, crossover, football hold, side-lying), so try different ones to find what works best for you and your baby. Use pillows to support your back and arms so you can relax your shoulders.
- Ensure a Deep Latch: A good latch is key to effective feeding and prevents nipple pain.
- Bring your baby to your breast, not your breast to your baby.
- Your baby’s mouth should be wide open (like a yawn), with lips flanged outward.
- The baby’s mouth should cover not just the nipple, but a significant portion of the areola.
- You should hear rhythmic sucking and swallowing, and your baby’s cheeks should look full and rounded.
- Nipple Pain is a Sign of a Problem: While some tenderness can be normal in the first few days, ongoing pain, cracked, or bleeding nipples are not. It’s often a sign of an improper latch. If this happens, gently break the suction by inserting a clean finger into the corner of your baby’s mouth and try again.
Mom’s Health and Well-being
- Stay Hydrated and Nourished: Breastfeeding requires extra energy. Drink plenty of water and eat a balanced diet with whole, nutrient-dense foods. Your doctor may recommend continuing to take a multivitamin.
- Rest When You Can: The early weeks are exhausting. Sleep when the baby sleeps, and don’t hesitate to ask for help with household tasks from your partner, family, or friends.
When to Seek Help
- Don’t Hesitate to Ask for Help: Breastfeeding is a learned skill, and it’s okay if it doesn’t come naturally right away. A lactation consultant is a valuable resource who can help you troubleshoot issues like poor latch, pain, or low milk supply. You can also talk to your midwife, doctor, or a breastfeeding support group.
- Check for Signs Your Baby is Getting Enough Milk: Your baby’s diaper output is a good indicator. After the first week, your baby should have at least six wet diapers and three or more bowel movements a day. They should also be gaining weight steadily and seem content after feedings.
