Baby Breastfeeding Tips And Advices

A new mother is often confused about how to breastfeed the baby so that he gets the best of care. Here are a few breastfeeding tips to enable you to handle this new and unique experience with ease.

Prepare yourself mentally for breastfeeding. Inform your doctor about your decision to breastfeed before delivery. Know that breast milk is the best nutrition that you could provide for your child.

Start feeding your baby within 2 to 3 hours after delivery. This is the time that the colostrum comes. This creamy yellowish breast milk is rich in special nutrients which help your baby to build up his immune system.

Establish a breastfeeding routine. Most babies need to be fed every 3 to 4 hours, even at night. The baby should suckle for 10 to 15 minutes at each breast. This provides him with both the foremilk and the hind milk. Together they satisfy the entire nutritional needs of your child for the first six months of his life. you can continue to breastfeed up to 2 years or even more side by side other foods.

It is very important to assume the correct position for breastfeeding your baby. You mast be comfortable. Support your baby below his shoulder, turn his head towards yourself and offer him your breast. The baby will start searching for the nipple. Make sure that the entire areola is inside his mouth. Once your baby latches on properly, he begins to suckle. Most newborn babies tend to fall asleep within a few minutes after beginning to suckle. Tickle his feet or behind the ears so that he starts to feed again.

You must follow breastfeeding with burping your baby. While suckling, most babies also take in small quantities of air. This must be removed; otherwise you will have a fussy and colicky baby on your hands. Place your baby over your shoulder and rub or pat his back gently to help him burp.

Wear comfortable clothes and use accessories like the nursing pillow to give your baby easy access to your breast. Keep your breasts and nipples clean. Since leaking of milk is a normal physical reaction to the sound of your baby crying or during nights, you should keep soft absorbent cloths ready.

Do not worry that you are not producing enough milk. Milk production is small at first but it increases as your baby suckles. Here is a rough and ready way of determining whether your baby is getting enough nutrition. Babies gain an average weight of 28 grams per day after the fourth or the fifth day. Most babies double their birth weight at six months and triple it at one year.

If you are a working mother, you will need to express your breast milk and store it properly for later use. Expressing your breast milk is good for your health and it also helps to maintain the milk production. Store the expressed breast milk in sterilized containers and refrigerate immediately. You should discard any breast milk that has been stored for more than 48 hours. When you want to thaw the stored breast milk, hold it under warm running water. Do not microwave and do not refreeze thawed breast milk.

Eat well, eat healthy. Your baby needs the nutrition that you ingest.