How To Breastfeed Successfully
According to experts, the following tips can be kept in mind while breastfeeding:
- Nose to nipple: When you are getting the baby ready to latch, his/ her nose should be directly in front of your nipple. You can also try shifting the baby slightly so that the little ones nose is close to your nipple.
- Allow your baby to initiate: Be patient and wait for your baby to open his/ her mouth very wide before you bring the little one to the breast. If you rush and bring your baby to your breasts just as the little one starts to open, your latch will be too shallow.
- Remember it is called breastfeeding and not nipple feeding: Try to get your breast in the babys mouth as much as you can and not just the nipple. The latch will be deeper when a major part of the breast is in the babys mouth.
While supporting the little ones head and shoulders as he/ she looks for your breast, dont force the latch. Doing so would make them cranky and they would not intake the breast milk.
Where Can I Find Support And More Information
Breastfeeding can be hard. It may help to learn as much as you can about breastfeeding. Your caregiver may have you see a specialist called a lactation consultant to help you with breastfeeding. You can also contact the following:
- American Academy of Pediatrics Elk Grove Village , IL 60007-1098 Phone: 1- 847 434-4000
Option : Bottle Warmers
Bottle warmers are like the rice cookers of the breastfeeding world. You can set your breast milk to cook, then forget about it until its ready. Every warmer is different some require you to add water to steam the milk while others dont. Some are battery-powered while others use cords. Most will accept all bottle sizes. Some will even sterilize your pacifiers. To heat the breast milk, simply stick the bottle of milk in the warmer and follow the instructions. Before you heat up breast milk bags, make sure the bottle warmer you are using is safe for bags.
There are just as manyif not morevarieties of travel bottle warmers. Some will plug into the car adapter, while others include a thermal flask to keep your heating water warm. Other varieties include insulated sleeves, warming wraps or bands, or heating cartridges. Again, just follow the instructions to warm your milk.
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How To Prepare The Breast For Breast Feeding
Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for your baby. It contains exactly what your baby needs for nutrients, energy, and antibodies against illnesses. Your body will prepare your breasts for breastfeeding without you having to do very much. However, there are a few things that you can do to learn what to expect and get organized.
Part 1 of 2: Getting Ready to Breastfeed
Massage, but do not rough up your breasts . Massaging your breasts will help you relax and prepare you in case you need to manually express milk for the baby.
The massage should be gentle and not painful. Start at the above the breast and stroke with a circular motion while moving towards the nipple. Then move again to the outside of the breast in a different area and repeat, moving towards the nipple. Do this until you have moved around the entire breast. Do not rough up your nipples by scrubbing them roughly with a towel. This will remove the natural oils that your breast produces and may make them sore.
Determine whether you have inverted nipples . Some women have inverted, or flat, nipples which appear to have an indentation in the middle. You can determine whether your nipples are inverted using the pinch test:
Do not worry if you have inverted nipples . Many women with inverted nipples are able to successfully breastfeed without a problem. However, there are devices you can buy and techniques you can learn about to prepare in case your baby has trouble:
A Good Position For You And Your Baby
Holding baby with fingers in “C” shape
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How To Get Your Baby To Latch On
The following steps apply to when youre breastfeeding while youre sitting up and using cradle or underarm hold positions. A slightly different approach is laid-back breastfeeding, where the baby is using more of their natural reflexes to feed.
Once youre sitting comfortably, you can begin
Learning to breastfeed takes time to work it all out. Why not take a look at our video about helping your baby to breastfeed.
Experiencing a little discomfort when your baby first latches on in the early days is not uncommon . If the nipples look sore or cracked, or if feeding is painful during the whole feed or afterwards, or you feel you baby is not managing to feed properly, do get support early.
Could My Baby Be Tongue
Sometimes, a baby’s tongue is stuck to the bottom of the mouth by a band of tissue, which means the baby can’t open his or her mouth wide enough to get a good latch. Checking for tongue-tie isn’t a standard newborn test in the hospital or doctor’s office. If your baby isn’t latching on well and doesn’t seem to be gaining weight, see your baby’s doctor or nurse and ask about this. Fortunately, it’s a very simple fix. Once tongue-tie is treated by a medical professional, breastfeeding gets better for moms and babies.
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What Should Breastfeeding Mothers Eat
Breastfeeding burns calories, so it is important that you eat a variety of nutritious foods and drink plenty of fluids. You dont need to avoid milk, egg, peanut or other foods while breastfeeding. There is no evidence that avoiding certain foods will prevent allergy in your child.
You should avoid dieting while you are breastfeeding.
Latch Trick #1: Make Sure Baby Has An Asymmetrical Latch
Did you know that theres such thing as an asymmetric latch? And that its the BEST way to latch baby deeply?!
Ensuring baby is latched asymmetrically can increase milk transfer and decrease pain experienced!
A symmetrical latch is where baby is on the breast with the nipple in the center of the mouth like a bullseye. This is NOT the goal.
Instead
A symmetrical latch is when baby is on the breast with more of the lower jaw covering the areola and the upper jaw coming over top of the areola. You should see some areola still above the upper lip.
So look at that chin!
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Following Are Some Of My Favorite Resources On Latch And Positioning:
When the Back of the Babys Head is Held to Attach the Baby to the Breast by Robyn Noble DMLT, BAppSc, IBCLC and Anne Bovey, BspThy
Breast Compression by Jack Newman, MD. The purpose of breast compression is to continue the flow of milk to the baby once the baby no longer drinks on his own, and thus keep him drinking milk. Breast compression simulates a letdown reflex and often stimulates a natural let-down reflex to occur. The technique may be useful for poor weight gain in the baby, colic in the breastfed baby, frequent feedings and/or long feedings, sore nipples in the mother, recurrent blocked ducts and/or mastitis, encouraging the baby who falls asleep quickly to continue drinking.
Check Your Babys Latch
The key to pain-free breastfeeding is a good latch. When your baby is latching on, aim your nipple towards the roof of his mouth. This should help him latch on to the nipple, as well as some of the areola beneath it. Having both the nipple and some of the breast tissue into his mouth like this will help him feed properly. 3
Get your babys latch checked by a lactation consultant or breastfeeding specialist in the first few days. Theyll give you advice on overcoming any problems and may suggest alternative breastfeeding positions to help you feed your baby as painlessly as possible.
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Choose The Right Position
There are lots of positions for breastfeeding. Depending on your babys latch, how your birth recovery is going, your milk supply, and other factors, different positions may work better for you and your baby.
Note: Whatever position you choose, make sure you can hold it for a while. Nursing sessions can take anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes depending on your baby, their nursing patterns, and if they fall asleep on the breast.
Cradle or cross-cradle hold
With the cradle hold, the baby rests on your chest, in your arms, or on a nursing pillow facing you, belly to belly. Cradle the babys head in the crook of one arm, with your hand supporting their bottom. Its helpful to support the breast youre feeding with your other hand.
The cross-cradle hold is similar to the cradle hold, but you use your arms differently. Your baby will rest across you, belly to belly. Use one arm to support their head and the opposite arm to come around the babys back to support their head, neck, and shoulders.
The cross-cradle position allows you to have more control over how your baby latches on . Many moms find that theyre able to get their babies latched on more deeply with this hold.
These positions are the most familiar ones to moms, but it can be harder to get correct latches when using them. Make sure to provide enough support for your babys headthis is a big part of sustaining a good latch.
Underarm or football hold
Problems: Signs That More Support Might Be Needed
- Intense or excruciating pain.
- Pain that lasts through a feed or continues after the feed.
- Sore, cracked or damaged nipples.
- Flattened, creased or pinched nipples after a feed.
If you see, hear or feel anything that doesnt seem right, you can gently insert your little finger into your babys mouth to break the suction and let them come off. Then start again.
It helps you both if you can stay calm and relaxed. So remember to breathe and ask a midwife or breastfeeding counsellor for help if you need to.
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What Is Milk Let
Let-down is when your breast milk flows to your nipples. You may have a tingling, tight feeling in your breasts during let-down. You may have more than one let-down during each breastfeeding session. Let-down may happen when your baby latches on to breastfeed. It may also happen when you see, hear, or think of your baby.
Is Breastfeeding Supposed To Hurt
This was so confusing to me. I had a lactation consultant tell me while I was pregnant, that it is a myth that breastfeeding isnt supposed to hurt.
So I thought that breastfeeding was going to be a bit painful but figured wed get through it.
The problem is that I have a very high pain tolerance. I gave birth naturally, no drugs and while yes it was painful, it wasnt that bad.
So while breastfeeding was painful, I thought it was normal. Our second week in breastfeeding was so painful that I sobbed everytime my baby woke up to feed.
My point is, breastfeeding may feel uncomfortable at first, but it ISNT supposed to be downright painful!
Pain = something is off.
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Signs That Baby Isn’t Latching Properly
If you feel nipple pain while nursing, something’s not right. This means your baby is likely chewing on your nipple instead of gumming the areola. The fix: Unlatch , and try again.
Ditto if you hear clicking noises, which indicate your baby’s not latched on properly and is likely only sucking the nipple. Again, unlatch and start over.
Sometimes your baby may be so eager to suck that she grabs onto any part of the breast and continues to suck even if no milk is forthcoming. The result: a painful bruise on your oh-so-tender boob and a very hungry baby. Unlatch and redirect that misguided little mouth to the nipple and areola.
If she’s fussing, chewing, rooting and gaping, turning red, or making clicking sounds, chances are your baby’s getting a mouthful of boob and air instead of milk. Unlatch babys grip and begin the lip tickling anew to get baby to latch on with the nipple and the areola in the mouth.
In the beginning, it might take quite a few tries to latch properly. Keep at it. Your baby will be happier in the long run if those efforts bring a mouthful of milk rather than a mouthful of air.
Recognize Babys Hunger Cues
Learn to recognize your babys early hunger cues, signaling that he/she is ready to feed. Early cues include opening his mouth, moving his head side to side, sucking on hands and fingers. Fidgeting and fussing at this time are also indicators that your baby is hungry but dont wait for baby to cry. Crying is a late hunger cue and may make it more difficult to begin breastfeeding.
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How Do I Know The Baby Is Latched Properly
The first thing you will notice with a proper latch is that your entire nipple and at least an inch of your areola are inside the babys mouth. The babys lips should resemble fish lips and be flipped outward, with the babys chin pressed into your breast and the nose close to your skin but not blocked so they can breathe.
You will hear sucking and swallowing sounds from the baby, which is different from the clicking sounds they make when the latch is not deep enough.
Its normal to feel some pressure and slight pain at the beginning of a feeding session, especially during the first few weeks, but it should be manageable.
However, your baby didnt latch properly if you feel stabbing pain and soreness in your nipple that increases while the baby feeds. You will notice the babys cheek cave in as if theyre sucking from a closed-up straw and hear clicking noises.
Milk may dribble from the sides of their mouth, and they will want to feed again sooner or be fussy right after finishing because they dont feel satisfied.
If this is happening and you need your baby to get a better latch, gently insert your pinky finger into the side of the babys mouth before pulling the baby away. You need them to break the suction, or it will be very painful. Once they release the nipple, then try latching them again and resume breastfeeding.
How To Prepare For Breastfeeding By Finding A Good Pediatrician
When you prepare for breastfeeding, another helpful advocate for breastfeeding is a good pediatrician. If you love your OB/Gyn, ask for a reference. Ask other breastfeeding mothers who they would recommend.
Make sure the doctor and their staff are open to phone calls, questions, and have schedules that allow for last minute appointments. Especially if this is your first baby, you will need their assistance.
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Latch Trick #: Use The Cross
“The cross-cradle hold gives you more maneuverability to help get baby latched on. This position helps baby be in a position to open their mouth wider. Youre also able to use one hand to support and move baby around while using the other one to hold and support your breast. When baby is latched on well feel free to switch arms to the cradle hold.
-Annalisa Burch RN, IBCLC, CEIM, at Prenatal Insights
How To Get Baby To Latch
In the breastfeeding world, learning how to get your baby to latch is everything. It impacts comfort, supply, and overall breastfeeding success more than almost any other factor. So how do you get a great latch?
In a perfect world, babies would be born with picture-perfect latches right out of the womb. They would snuggle up, latch on, and nurse beautifully from their very first.
As it stands, though, babies ARENT born knowing how to nurse perfectly. Yes, some of them do latch onto it quite quickly, but others need more guidance.
Thats finetoo many moms feel pressure to do everything just right after they have their baby, but were here to tell you that its okay for it to feel hard. But remember, if your baby is having a hard time latching, getting help is important.
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