Are you needing some tips for successful breastfeeding? This post is for you.
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You’ve likely heard “breast is best” when it comes to nurturing and nourishing your newborn baby. Breast milk provides ideal nutrition tailored to fuel your infant’s development and offers disease-fighting components that boost immunity. Perhaps most special – breastfeeding facilitates a profoundly intimate bonding connection during feedings between mama and baby.
However, establishing a smooth and successful breastfeeding journey after delivery can come with hurdles from improper latching to issues like low supply or soreness. With patience plus knowledge of common challenges and helpful solutions, you can overcome early obstacles on your path to breastfeeding success.
When my first child was born I did not know I needed so much help to be able to succeed in breastfeeding. Thankfully, I have an amazing friend who is a women’s health nurse and she gave me the perfect tips to guide me to a great start. I have been sharing these tips with other new moms since then, and lots of happy babies have been breastfed as a result.
It’s important to add that if after trying everything, you decide not to breastfeed, you will still be a great mom. Breastfeeding is a joy, practical, and more economical, but it does not apply to every mom and every situation. So don’t feel bad if you cannot do it, for any reason. You are a great mom!
This post has the best tips we know for a successful breastfeeding journey.
1. Begin Skin-to-Skin
Attempt latching baby to feed as soon as possible after birth during skin-to-skin contact, which promotes instinctive suckling behavior thanks to familiar smells and closeness. Stay cuddled skin-to-skin routinely in the early days and weeks, even outside feeding times, as touch and nearness help establish supply.
2. Learn Proper Positioning
A deep latch where a baby takes the entire nipple and some of the areola in their mouth prevents damage and helps transfer milk most efficiently. Cradle baby tummy to tummy supporting their neck, with ear/shoulder/hip aligned, using multiple pillows to ensure their mouth comes directly to breast level.
3. Use nipple shields for perfect nipple shape
At first, it hurts a lot when the baby sucks on your nipples (sorry to bring this news now 🙂 The good news is that your nipples will strengthen and become ultra mega strong (like a callus will be created by the exfoliating effect of the baby’s mouth – this way the breast becomes resistant for each feeding).
The nipple shields only helped me a little at the beginning because my nipples didn’t stick out (everted) for my daughter to be able to grasp. They wore like flat. And these shields helped me create the best shape for her little mouth. (Check tip #4 for a suggestion of nipple shield to buy)
4. Use breast shells for comfort, hygiene, and milk collection
I used these breast shells until my first child was 8 months old! They were SUPER useful, especially in the beginning because your nipples are super sensitive or struggling with cracks (for this check tip #5). They help keep your clothes/bra from touching your nipples and give them some air, and they still collect milk that can come out later! Very cool!
For breast shells like these above, check this link on Amazon. For a combo of Nipple Shield & Breast Shells check this link.
5. Be Patient Through Discomfort
Most mothers experience some nipple sensitivity from a shallow latch, especially the first one to two weeks until the positioning process becomes more comfortable through practice over time. Consult lactation specialists as needed. Applying purified lanolin or gel pads can provide temporary soothing and relief. Remain patient – mild early discomfort often resolves. You can also use this Organic Nipple Butter each time you nurse and it will help heal your skin between nursing sessions, specially in the beginning when your nipples are more sensitive.
For a combo of Lansinoh Lanolin Nipple Cream, check this link.
6. Respond on Demand
Feed newborns whenever displaying hunger cues like rooting behaviors where they open their mouths and bob heads looking to latch. Allow them to nurse from the first breast as long as they are actively swallowing then offer the second for efficient emptying. Expect 8-12 daily feeds during early weeks. Responding to babies sets the stage for sufficient milk production going forward.
7. Investing Time in the Early Days
Frequent feeding triggers milk supply to meet the baby’s nutritional demands, so keeping the baby skin-to-skin prompts a response when rooting, allowing time per breast, and offering both sides continually signals your body to produce what is needed. Feeding length and frequency help establish patterns to inform supply regulation for the future journey.
8. Arrange Extra Support
Line up postpartum or lactation support where experts observe feeds to suggest helpful tweaks on areas like positioning and complicated latching. They detect potential ties and remedy concerns like low supply or oversupply and assure mothers through unwanted doubts during vulnerable early weeks. Surround yourself by encouraging friends, family, or support groups to persevere through common hurdles.
9. Refuel and Rest
Hydrate often, nourish yourself with protein/veggie-rich meals and snacks, accept meal assistance from loved ones, and sleep whenever the baby sleeps in these early days of round-the-clock feedings. Making self-care a priority allows you to put energy towards successfully building your breastfeeding relationship with your baby.
Conclusion
This post was all about tips for successful breastfeeding. Over time you will find greater efficiency in latching, patterns will sync, supply will be regulated based on the baby’s needs – and feeding will become an easier, special time together. In the interim, seek resources if challenges feel unresolvable. Persevering through hurdles in the initial pivotal weeks enhances your chances of meeting your breastfeeding goals and experiencing the incredible bonding journey. Have fun (as much as possible!) because this phase will pass super fast! Good luck, mama! You got this!
DISCLAIMER: This post is not sponsored by the products shown and talked about in this post. We mentioned them here because these products were used and were extremely important in the success of our breastfeeding journey. We hope they can help you with your journey as well! The links for the products mentioned above are Amazon affiliate links, and if you use them we will earn a commission by Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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