30 GENIUS BREASTFEEDING TIPS ALL NEW MOMS NEED TO KNOW

Breastfeed your baby in the first hour after birth, which is known as the golden hour. Ideally, soon after the baby is born, they'll put the baby on your bare chest so you can have skin to skin contact. While you support the baby's body, let the baby attempt to find his way to your breast and self-attach. 

If the baby does not self attach, ask the the nurses for help with positioning the baby so he can latch on to your breast. This early breastfeeding is important not only because it ensures that the baby receives the colostrum, or “first milk”, which is rich in protective factors but it also promotes bonding and helps your uterus contract.

If your baby is unable to breastfeed, then it’s a good idea to start expressing your milk early and frequently until he is able to latch.

When breastfeeding the newborn, relax and don't stress out. Your baby can sense if you are stressed out and may not latch properly. Just know that moms have been doing this forever, you are going to be okay and get the rhythm of breastfeeding eventually.

Get yourself comfortable when breastfeeding the baby. It will also help you with the correct position of the baby and getting the baby to latch. We recommend you take your own boppy pillow to the hospital when you go for delivery. Check out this post for our favorite nursing pillow. 

It is essential that breastfeeding moms stay hydrated while breastfeeding the baby.  Always have a large water bottle accessible near your favorite nursing chair. You are going to feel thirstier than normal.

Watch your baby's suckling. When the baby is nursing, she will suck eagerly and swallow regularly. Also know that when the baby first starts nursing, she'll swallow each time she sucks. Eventually, when she's had enough or falls asleep the swallowing will decrease. 

Keep an eye on your newborn baby's dirty diapers to see if the breastfeeding is going well. Your newborn will likely have four to eight bowel movements each day during the first few weeks of life. 

It is important that your baby latches correctly so feel free to ask for help. Most maternity wards have lactation consultants who  are great and a reassuring resource for new breastfeeding moms. 

The baby should be positioned where the mouth is level with the nipple, with the head tilted backward slightly and should latch onto the entire areola, not just the nipple. Watch the video below!

Here's how you know if your baby is latching well. You  will feel a pulling or tugging sensation on your breast and he is getting milk. 

If you feel a pinch when the baby is suckling then insert your finger into the corner of your baby's mouth to break the latch as soon as you feel pain -- and then try latching on again. 

Also let  some milk air dry on your breast after feeding, which can help reduce some inflammation and soreness.

Use nipple cream to keep your nipples soft and supple, and help with nipple inflammation.

Engorged breasts can also be relieved by applying a cold compress to the breast to reduce swelling and inflammation

You can also massage the lumpy engorged breasts with your finger tips while the baby is nursing to get the milk drained.

Leaking breast milk from your breasts is a common experience that occurs with breastfeeding. In the first few weeks after your breast milk comes in, it may drip or even spray out of your breasts at any time. Wear nursing pads to absorb the milk.

Your breasts might be too full with milk and can cause leaking. Try to get the baby to nurse more often if you feel your breasts are full.

You can also use a haakaa or a traditional breast pump to relieve the fullness from your breast and freeze your expressed milk for later use.

When it comes to breast milk supply, it actually depends on the demand. So the more milk that is removed from the breast, the more milk that will be produced. Have the baby nurse more frequently, longer sessions or use a breast pump to remove the milk.

Another option to increase your breast milk is to have the baby breastfeed and then finish off by pumping.

The amount of milk you produce also depends on your health. So eat healthy meals, keep your self hydrated and relax!

Try eating some delicious lactation cookies made with galactagogues, or milk-stimulating foods, like brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, flax seed meal and whole oats.

A good nursing bra or tank is an essential item in a nursing wardrobe. Nursing bras and tanks have special clips, snaps, or hooks that help a section of fabric fold down without affecting the support structures of the bra. Choose tank tops, button down shirts, v-neck t-shirts and wrap dresses for convenience and comfort. Jackets, vests, and sweaters are good to have on hand in case you need to quickly cover an embarrassing stain.

Take a little time to think about your nursing wardrobe  and purchase some items before your baby comes. After you have the baby, you are going to be so busy and the last thing you will have time for is going shopping for nursing clothes.