Are you a first time mother and scared how properly breastfeed your baby? Know the right way of proper breastfeeding for your baby’s full growth and development.
First-time mothers are usually both excited and afraid about nurturing their newly born babies. Most mothers even seek the help of their mothers or their friends who have had the same experience to assist them on how to raise their babies properly.
Breastfeeding Guide
As a guide, here are some important things breastfeeding mothers should know:
Breast size has no bearing at all on the ability of a mother to breastfeed her baby. Sometimes, women with small breasts produce more milk than those with full heavy breasts that consist mostly of fatty tissues only. The milk is formed in the glandular tissues that develop during pregnancy and passes to the small sacs in the breasts and out through the nipples.
After you have delivered your baby in the hospital, ask your doctor to have your baby brought to you for personal nursing, instead of giving him or her a bottle, as practiced in most hospitals.
The watery fluid called colostrum which precedes milk is important to the infant as it will provide the baby with a natural immunity from many infections. The colostrum also serves as a milk laxative that cleans out the first stool or bowel movement the baby passes out after birth. So, it is important that this fluid be given to your baby after delivery.
The best nursing position is lying down with two pillows to prop you up. Sitting down on a comfortable chair or a rocking chair while holding the baby in your arms is also an effective position for breastfeeding.
Relax and rest while nursing the baby. Offer one breast first, letting the baby suck it for eight to 10 minutes before offering the other breast. Make sure that your baby empties both your breasts to avoid painful gorging and less production of milk.
If you cannot breastfeed your baby because you have to leave for work or other errands, you can transfer your breast milk in a bottle and let the baby drink it. Some working mothers, however, choose to feed their babies with breast milk as soon as they got home from work at night to make up for their absence during the day.
Ask your doctor what to eat during your nursing stage. As a rule, your diet should be the same as during your pregnancy, with more intake of milk and protein foods. Your doctor may prescribe iron tablets or vitamin preparations. Before taking any drug and medication though, seek the advice of your doctor first.
Being a mother is not easy at all. However, if you see that your child is growing healthy and happy, you will realize that the difficulties you have gone through and the sacrifices you made are all worth it.