Breastfeeding How-To’s: Breastfeeding Is Easy If You Follow These Simple Guidelines

Breastfeeding is a wonderful time for moms to bond with their newborn babies while giving them important nutrients needed for their growth. Learning how to breastfeed your baby before giving birth will help you ease into your new nursing role as swiftly and comfortably as possible.

Here’s a list of breastfeeding aids a nursing mom should never do without:

- Breast pads to enable you to keep your breasts dry and prevent unwanted leaks.

- A bottle of Lansinoh Lonolin lotion to heal sore and cracked nipples.

- Nursing tops will offer you with a easy way to nurse your baby with their strategically placed openings so that you may breastfeed without exposing too much of your breasts.

- A baby sling to free up your hands while you are nursing your baby.

- Nursing bras to provide better support for your enlarged breast as your old bras will no longer fit comfortably.

How To Hold Your Baby During Breastfeeding

The most widely used breastfeeding position is the cradle position. Other positions include the cross-cradle (transverse), clutch (football), lying down and tailor positions but I cannot cover all of them in this article due to the limit on the article length. The cradle hold can be done in a sitting position on a chair or bed. You may put a normal pillow or nursing pillow on your lap to add more comfort. Ensure that your back is straight and your arms and back are supported comfortably. Place your baby on your lap or pillow in such a way that your bellies touch each other. Decide which nipple you want to start nursing from and rest your baby’s head on the corresponding elbow bend and adjust his/her position so that the mouth is directly in front of your nipple’s position. Use one of your hands to support your baby’s head and spine while your other hand may be used to hold onto your breast if necessary.

How To Get A Good Latch On

A good latch on will ensure a gratifying nursing experience for you and your baby. Conversely, an incorrect latch on will cause you a lot of soreness and result in insufficient milk to your baby. Breastfeeding should not hurt but there may be slight irritation at the beginning. Use one of your hands to cup your breast and brush your nipple on your baby’s lips to entice him/her to open wide. Bring your baby towards your nipple and make sure he/she has a big portion of the areola in his/her mouth. Detach your baby from your breast if you feel he/she has not latched on comfortably and repeat the steps above until you get a good latch on.

Frequency and Duration Of Breastfeeding

A newborn baby requires breastfeeding every 2 hours during the day and every 3 hours at night, which adds up to roughly 8 to 12 feedings per 24 hours. It is vital that you ensure your baby does not go beyond 3 hours without breastfeeding. Watch out for baby hunger signs such as sucking, increased activity, mouthing or rooting in between feedings to prevent your baby from going hungry. The average time of each nursing session varies and it typically lasts 20 to 30 minutes or however long your baby takes to be full. It is highly recommended to start breastfeeding as early as possible after child birth and maintain an exclusive breastfeeding diet for a minimum of 6 months. On average, a child will usually breastfeed till they are 2 years old.

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Please visit Natalie Williams’s web site at Pregnancy101.net to get more breastfeeding how-to’s, pregnancy tips and lots lots more.