Breastfeeding – the right start

Breastfeeding your baby can be challenging and stressful. These tips from pregnancy and postnatal expert will put your mind at ease.

Breast milk might as well be liquid gold, with the immense benefits it provides both mother and child. Breastfeeding is a natural physiological process, yet many mothers struggle to do it and sometimes give up before even getting started. Why does this happen? Here are some things to keep in mind as you get started.

• The most important thing is prenatal education. Take a breastfeeding class during pregnancy, so that you have all the information before you get started. Once the baby is born, you will not have time to brush up on breastfeeding tips and tricks.
• Do a nipple check in the last few weeks of pregnancy to ensure your nipples are not flat or inverted. If they are, it does not mean that you will not make breast milk, but it can make the latching on a little more difficult. Being prepared will help ensure less stress and anxiety in the immediate postpartum period
• Invest in a good breast pump. This is not absolutely essential, but if your baby takes a little longer to latch you can use the breast pump to get the milk production started. In addition, you will be able to express milk and feed the baby your own breast milk rather than formula milk in case a top-up feed is needed.
• Do not miss out on the “golden hour” post-birth. The baby is in a hyper-alert state and also extremely scared since they are in a completely new environment. Your baby will find comfort in your arms and hearing your heartbeat. The baby also has a very strong need to suckle as this can also be comforting. Most babies who are put to the breast as soon as possible after birth tend to breastfeed like a pro. You may find it difficult to feed initially, but initiate breastfeeding and enlist the support of hospital staff.
• Feed the baby often, even waking up the baby for a feed in the initial few days. Take all the help from the nurses at the hospital to get your latch and position right.
• It is important to hydrate yourself well. Drinking plenty of fluids will help your milk supply in the long run.
• Last but not least – relax, smile, destress.

It is normal to receive a lot of advice from well-meaning family and friends. But this can cause a lot of anxiety.  Avoid listening to or getting affected by such advice. Trust your instincts and ask questions to your doctors about any doubts and queries.

Breastfeeding is natural, breastfeeding is healthy and, most importantly, breastfeeding is convenient

The right start can make all the difference in your breastfeeding journey.

Writer details:

Sonali Shivlani is the founder of Baby360degrees India which offers complete online solutions for pregnancy and parenting. She is the author of Prenatal Fitness 360, Parenting Mantras and Super Moms Recipes. She has worked with more than 40,000 families across India in her 17 years of practice. She is on the expert panel of Mother & Baby, BabyCentre and BabyChakra.