Breastfeeding has always been a rewarding feeling for mothers. But if you’re a first-time mother, you would know how difficult it is to get the hang of breastfeeding. However, you shouldn’t worry about that! Here are five tips on how you can employ a successful breastfeeding experience.
1. Focus on your baby’s feet.
Your child’s feet may be the last thing that you would think of when you’re breastfeeding them. But you should definitely keep an eye on it. According to Veronica Jacobsen, a lactation counselor, babies seem to nurse better when their feet are touching something. This could be your leg, a pillow, or a chair. Don’t just leave them hanging. This simple gesture would leave a more secure feeling for your child. The more comfortable they are with the set-up, the more they could focus on drinking milk from your breast.
2. Nose to nipple, belly to belly.
The trickiest thing that’s hard to figure out for all moms is the right positioning. Sure, there may be a lot of pictures or illustrations you can see online, but what really is the right position? The trick is this: you should position your nipple in front of your baby’s nose, and your bellies should touch each other. In this way, your child’s head is located directly in front of your nipple, and he won’t need to turn his head to latch on to your nipples. This means that you should not point your nipple at his mouth. Instead, point it at his nose.
3. Don’t push the back of your baby’s head.
When breastfeeding, you might be tempted to push your baby’s head slightly forward towards your nipples. Do not do this! This will only trigger your child to resist the force and move further away from your breast. What you should do is to put your hands at the nape of your baby’s neck and bring him swiftly to your breast.
4. Encourage your child to open his mouth wide.
Of course, you cannot verbally instruct him to open his mouth wide. But you can urge him to do so by positioning him properly. Bring your baby to your breast only after he has opened his moth wide enough. You can press between his shoulders firmly while you support your breast. This would lessen the pain that you’ll feel from your baby’s latching position.
5. Your baby will set the pace.
For the first few weeks, there’s no such thing as overfeeding for infants. Usually, they would ask for breast milk round-the-clock. They don’t have a fixed schedule yet so don’t expect that they will ask for food at this certain time. Also, don’t count the minutes spent on each breast. Let your baby drink from one breast until he finally decides that it’s time to move on to the next.
Again, breastfeeding is hard to get accustomed to at first. But with these five simple tips, you’re guaranteed that it’s going to be a lot bearable for you.
