Breastfeeding Tips and Tricks

Breastfeeding is one of those special moments of being a mother. It refers to feeding a baby with breast milk by opting skin-to-skin contact position. The health benefits of breastfeeding are incomparable to the other options of feeding the baby. Breast milk contains the right proportion of nutrients that are essential for the healthy growth and development of the baby. It is the healthiest milk that a baby can have in growing years. There is no other substitute or baby food that can replace breast milk, in terms of its nutrient content.

Not only for the baby, breastfeeding also provides certain benefits for the mother. As per the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, a mother should continue exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months after childbirth. Nevertheless, certain problems may occur during the duration of breastfeeding. With certain breastfeeding tips and tricks, it can be a lot easier and comfortable for both the mother and the baby.

Tips and Tricks for Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is a comfortable activity, but it requires time and experience to adopt the same. As a new mom, you might not know the convenient holding position of the baby while breastfeeding, which in turn can irritate the newborn as well. Try to relax and be confident with your choice. Following is a list of some of the important breastfeeding tips for new mothers.

Start Early
The earlier you start breastfeeding your baby, the sooner you will learn how to do so. Hence, consider holding and feeding the baby in the delivery room as soon as possible. You can take the guidance of a lactation consultant for breastfeeding tips and advice in terms of nursing and breast care. Nutrient wise, feeding the newborn with breast milk should begin within the first hour after childbirth.

Feed the Colostrum
Colostrum, a sticky and yellowish milk, secreted during or towards the end of pregnancy is enriched with antibodies and immunoglobulins. Feeding colostrum to the newborn helps in promoting the immune system and also, in excreting the first stool (meconium) after birth. It is often considered as giving the first vaccination of life.

Breastfeeding Position
Being in the motherhood stage, you need to learn the comfortable feeding position. Always support your back while sitting or lying down to feed your baby. You need to support the baby with your hand during feeding, rather than bending down or lowering your breast. When your baby starts feeding properly, you can feel a tingling sensation that marks the release of breast milk. Make sure you offer breast milk from both sides at each feeding.

Dealing with Breast Soreness
Tenderness and/or soreness of the breasts is commonly manifested during the first week of breastfeeding. This will subside slowly as the milk starts flowing from the breasts. In case of painful and persistent signs, you can consult with the lactation consultant to take care of the problem.

Breast Pumps
One of the factors that hinder breastfeeding is managing office work and baby at the same time. Breastfeeding tips for working moms include using breast pumps that are available in baby care centers. Depending upon the frequency of pumping, you can opt for either the manual operated or electric-operated breast pumps. You can talk to the lactation consultant for buying the best product that will suit your lifestyle.

Six Months and Longer
As already mentioned, exclusive breastfeeding for six months is a must for your baby's health. After your baby turns six months old, you can continue to breastfeed her along with supplemental diets like baby formula and semi-solid foods. Overall, breastfeeding should be done till the child becomes 1 ½ - 2 years old or more.

You can also take help from an experienced mother who could give you certain breastfeeding tips and tricks for successful nursing of your baby. With the growing popularity of feeding breast milk, four out of every five moms breastfeed their baby in the United States. As more moms become aware about the benefits of breastfeeding, it is becoming a conventional trend of motherhood. Eventually, the forthcoming generation will be healthy and strong because of these smart Moms!