Starting to breastfeed your baby can be a stressful and nerve wrecking experience. Based on our own experience of breastfeeding two children, we have prepared our top breastfeeding tips for you
Stay calm. If you start to feel uptight or wound up, take a break for a few minutes and then try again. Baby may be able to pick up on your anxiety.
Don't place high expectations on yourself. It can take a while before your milk flows, before baby gets the hang of latching, and before you get things sorted.
While you are still in the hospital or maternity ward, make sure the nurse helps you to latch baby every time you feed. Ring your buzzer to call the nurse.
Breastfeeding does hurt to start with. As the baby draws your nipple into their mouth it can be a painful tearful experience for mum. The pain should stop about thirty seconds or so after baby is latched. It may be like this for 3 or 4 days with a newborn. If the problem persists - seek help from your midwife, plunket nurse, doctor or a lactation consultant.
The key to successful breastfeeding is making sure baby has the correct latch. Put baby on your breast when their mouth is open wide and full. Pull baby's head to your breast - don't drop your nipple down to baby as you will get sore shoulders and back.
When baby is latched their lips will be covering your breast in a "K" shape that looks like the K on Cellog's Special K cereal.
Continue to read the rest of our Breastfeeding Tips
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