Understanding and caring babies at all stages

When you first hold your newborn to nurse, remember this is a learning experience for both of you. It's natural for newborns to show more interest in sleeping that sucking for first few days of life. Don't let this discourage you. There is no rigid schedule that needs to be followed while nursing your baby for the first few weeks. Try to nurse her frequently, atleast 8-10 times a day, the more you nurse, the more milk supply you get. If the labor and delivery goes on well, you can start nursing your newborn within 2 hours of the birth. Although your mature milk hasn't developed yet, your breasts are still producing a substance known as colostrum that helps to protect your baby from infections.

Two main factors to remember while breastfeeding are POSITIONING and LATCHING. How you hold your baby is called positioning, How your baby takes your breast is referred as Latching or attaching.

Positioning :
There are several effective positions in which you can hold your baby to nurse. Your comfort is very important, and can be affected by factors such as whether or not you've had a c-section. Don't hesitate to try different holding positions to find which works best for you.Whatever position you choose, remember not to hold the back of your baby's head pressed against your breast and make sure your baby's nostrils aren't covered by your breast as she nurses.

Latching :
When you start breastfeeding, you should focus your attention on getting your baby to latch on correctly. Many babies become sleepy in the day or two after delivery and may not nurse particularly vigorously. You can help your baby open her mouth wide enough to get the areola in her mouth (not just the nipple) by expressing a bit of colostrum from your nipple and touching it to the side of her mouth. Breastfeeding should not hurt, If it hurts, you are doing it in a wrong way. If your nipple becomes cracked or sore, then your baby is just sucking the nipple and not getting enough milk which makes her frustrated and suck harder causing blistered nipples. If your baby latches on incorrectly, do not hesitate to take her off the breast and try again. To do this, insert your finger in the corner of her mouth to "break the seal" before pulling your breast away. Remember, Breastfeeding is an art, It takes lots of patience and practice to ensure a successfuly breastfeeding relationship with your baby.