Baby has arrived and you are ready to start with breast feeding, but you are not sure how to do it, which position to take, how many times per day baby should be fed or how to encourage baby to start suckling. At beginning it might be a struggle to find a comfortable position for baby and yourself but after a few weeks that will go easy as everything else. Breast feeding is the best thing you can do for your baby. For some new moms this goes naturally and they don’t have much trouble, but some run into difficulties. Don’t be discouraged because breast feeding requires practice and patience.
Milk from your breast is the best food you can offer to your baby and also the healthiest way to feed her. Through that milk baby’s body gets all necessary things and breast milk keeps baby safe from many diseases in her first year of life. Such diseases are ear infections, urinary infections, gastroenteritis, eczema, pneumonia and many more. Beside that, breast fed babies are healthier even in the later part of their life and it is proved that those babies less develop diabetes than babies who fed with formula.
Feeding your baby this way will take up to 40 minutes and that is why you should find a quiet and comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed during feeding. If noise bothers you, or you like watching tv while feeding your baby, you should follow that and find what works in your case. Whatever makes you relaxed and doesn’t disturb your baby is fine. Experiment with places or music and adjust surroundings to suit you both.
Make sure that position of baby in your arms is such that doesn’t cause you pain in arms or back. Some moms using feeding pillows which are available in better equipped baby shops. You can also use some cushion you have at home to support your baby. Use whatever you find comfortable for you and works well.
Make sure when baby latches to take a mouthful of your breast and if in any case you feel pain, stop baby from sucking by inserting your finger gently between your breast and baby’s gum and reposition baby. When baby latches properly, you won’t have to do anything except to watch and relax, baby will do everything else. For feeding your baby this way you will need breastfeeding bra because they provide better support and you can easily open hooks and feed your baby whenever you need.
If you are not sure which position is best for you, try one of these and experiment until you find one that suits you and your baby the most.
- Holding baby on your lap supporting with the opposite arm to the breast baby is suckling
- Laying on your side where your bodies are parallel
- Holding baby under your arm which is next to breast baby is suckling
- Holding baby on your lap supporting with the same arm next to breast baby is suckling
