5 Tips for Successful Breastfeeding
Like every parent trying to make a decision, you are researching and researching, looking at all the resources available. You are making a pros and cons list, looking up “hacks” or gadgets to make life easier with a newborn. I’ve been there and I know exactly how stressful and overwhelming it can be. This blog post contains 5 tips for breastfeeding success that will hopefully make life easier for you and help solidify your decision to breastfeed.
Tip #1: Lots of skin to skin!
Skin to skin right after birth is beneficial to both mom and baby. Birth is kind of stressful for both parties, so taking a moment to snuggle, take a breath and enjoy the moment will help slow down heart rates, regulate breathing, and get that milk flowing. Being skin to skin, chest to chest also encourages your newborn to latch. If your baby is having difficulty latching and everyone is getting frustrated, go back to home base at the chest and then try again, 9/10 times that does the trick. And if you can’t go straight to the chest, that’s ok, just do as much skin to skin afterwards. Even dad can participate in this!! Here are some photos of my husband doing skin to skin with our daughter while I tried to take a nap:
Tip #2: No pacifiers for the first month.
I know you’ve probably already bought all those super cute pacifiers, one in each color to match their outfits, but try to avoid them for the first month. Waiting to introduce a pacifier until after breastfeeding is established will ensure that your baby does well at the breast and you’re not missing hunger cues. By offering the breast instead of a pacifier you are establishing your milk supply by feeding on demand, letting your baby practice sucking and swallowing, and meeting their need for warmth and comfort.
Tip #3: Feed on demand and try to not watch the clock.
You want to watch your baby and the hunger cues they’re exhibiting. Crying is a very late hunger cue, so you want to try and feed the baby before they get to that point. If you wait until the baby is crying, it might be harder to latch because you need to calm them down and then latch them to the breast. Your goal is to get between 8-12 feedings in 24 hours which comes out to roughly every 2 hours, but if your baby is hungry before 2 hours that is normal! On the other hand, in the first 24 hours of life, your baby might sleep 4,5, or 6 hours and that is also normal. Try to not go past 4-5 hours without latching though, because remember you are trying to establish your milk supply! Also, your baby will make up for the feeding on the second day of life. The second day of life cluster feeding is called “Second Night Syndrome” due to the constant (and I mean constant) feeding. I know it’s hard but just keep trying to get your baby to the breast and sleep as much as you can in between. I also highly recommend using hydrogel pads at this time. Some hospitals won’t have these so make sure you pack them in your hospital bag.
Tip #4: Involve your support person.
You are recovering from the equivalent of a 5K marathon or major abdominal surgery, you need rest! Have your partner bring you the baby, change diapers, wash pump parts, get your shower and toiletries ready. If you are comfortable enough, have your support person do a quality check on the baby’s latch and positioning. Maybe even have them help massage the breast while the baby is latched, this helps drain the breast and move milk down to the baby to encourage active sucking. Have your support person feed you your meals while you're breastfeeding. Have your support person take care of the baby while you nap (except for feedings). There are many ways that your support person can help and bond with your baby.
Tip #5: See a Lactation Consultant
Run to your nearest IBCLC or lactation consultant! Even if everything is going good, I still recommend going to see a lactation consultant. Establish rapport and a relationship with someone who can become your biggest advocate and supporter. If you suspect something is wrong, don’t hesitate to reach out, we want to help you reach your goals! If you see an LC for a certain situation and you don’t like their feedback, be honest! Tell them “I don't think this plan is working for me, can we try to come up with something else?” We are here to help you find a solution that works for you, we don’t want you getting overwhelmed or burnt out. Breastfeeding is not all or nothing and should fit into your idea of success.
