Even though nursing a baby is a natural thing, it is not an easy task as most new mothers have come to realize. Because of this reason, here are a number of tips to help you with breastfeeding your newborn baby.
1. Let the Baby Set His Or Her Own Pace
During the first two or three weeks, most newborns tend to breastfeed a lot. Therefore, it is important that you allow the baby to set his or her own pace when breastfeeding. Also, watch for any signs that may indicate that your baby is hungry such as lip movements, restlessness, stirring and even sucking motions.
2. Avoid Scrubbing Your Nipples
Scrubbing your nipples is not safe. Nobody knows who started this rumor of scrubbing the nipples will make them toughen up. Doing such a thing is not necessary, because the milk automatically soothes the nipples and what new moms are recommended to do is allow the milk to dry naturally. The best way of taking care of your nipples is by avoiding cleansers when bathing such as shampoo and use purified lanolin to help the nipples retain enough moisture. Wearing quality made breastfeeding bras will also help.
However, make sure that you use the purified lanolin after every breastfeeding session. Moreover, you can also use lanolin to soothe your nipples if they are cracked or very dry.
3. Sit Comfortably When Nursing
Your baby can take a long period to breastfeed, especially if he or she is hungry. Because of this reason, it is important that you sit in a comfortable position while nursing so that you do not get tired quickly. Sitting in an uncomfortable place or position will cause you to disrupt the baby when breastfeeding. Therefore, make sure that you are comfortably sited before you start breastfeeding your child.
4. Allow Your Baby to Feed Enough
It is normal for newborns to be constantly hungry. Because of this reason, you might find yourself breastfeeding your child more often. Especially when they start experiencing growth spurts, at this stage newborns demand nursing after every few minutes. These forms of feeding are known as cluster feedings and can last until the baby is nine months old. Moreover, cluster feeding also causes the mother’s body to produce more milk since the demand is high.
5. Do Not Rush to Use A Pacifier
Some babies might seem happier when they are busy sucking on a pacifier. But the truth is that introducing your child to a pacifier at an early stage can easily interfere with his or her natural way of breastfeeding. That is because sucking on a pacifier is not the same as sucking on the mother’s breast. Therefore, it is advisable that you wait for a few weeks before you can allow your child to suck on a pacifier.
6. Avoid Engorgement
Engorgement usually occurs when the mother’s body produces too much milk, yet the baby is not able to consume all of it. This causes the breast to harden and become swollen for days or weeks. The condition can become painful if it continues for a longer period. According to health specialist, the best and easy way of avoiding engorgement is by nursing your baby more often. However, if the condition still persists then you might want to try and use a pump, which will help you get rid of excess milk.
Conclusion
Breastfeeding might be challenging for most new mothers. But, with the help of these tips, you can be sure that your child will be able to feed enough without being disrupted and without causing pain to your nipples. Moreover, it is also advisable that you drink a lot of water during your few months of nursing. That is because water helps your body process enough milk for the baby.
