Mother’s Day 2020 special: 5 breastfeeding tips for new moms

Nursing your baby is not an easy task. But don’t worry. This Mother’s Day, we have rounded up some breastfeeding tips for new moms.

By: Sanyukta Baijal | | Updated: May 9, 2020 8:52 pm

Read on to know some simple and proven tips which will help you make it through the early days of breastfeeding.

No matter if you’ve just become a mom or have grown-up children, motherhood is a beautiful phase. Mother’s Day is celebrated in honour of all the moms out there who make extra efforts for their children. This is day is observed on the second Sunday in the month of May. Although Mother’s Day is a national holiday widely observed in the U.S., it is not a federal or public holiday. Often, this day is extended to generations of mothers, grandmothers as well as to all mother figures. Also Read - Things that could affect the taste, smell and quantity of breast milk

Motherhood is a challenge, especially for women who’ve just become mothers and are nursing little babies. According to a research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),83 per cent of mothers breastfeed soon after birth, while 57 per cent percent start nursing their babies six months later. This is a surprisingly low number considering that experts recommend breastfeeding especially for about six months. It is extremely crucial for a baby to have breast milk in the initial days as the benefits of breastfeeding range from prevention of childhood obesity to decreased risk of infection, SIDS, and allergies. Read on to know some simple and proven tips which will help you make it through the early days of breastfeeding. Also Read - Foods new moms should avoid after delivery

Anticipate your baby’s needs

Before waiting for your little one to cry, you can predict their needs by keeping a check on a few signs. Like for example when your baby is hungry he may turn or raise their head repeatedly, he may open his mouth, stick out his tongue and suck on whatever is near. So, if you see the child making such moves then feed him right away. Also Read - World Breastfeeding Week: Introducing solids while nursing

Let your baby decided how often he wants to be fed

Your baby knows his needs the best. Therefore, let him decide when he wants to be fed rather than you determining a strict timing for breastfeeding. Avoid setting a predetermined interval between feedings or taking longer gaps. Meanwhile, waking up a sleeping baby to feed him is also a big no-no. Remember, your little one knows how much he needs. So, don’t worry if nursing time only lasts ten minutes or goes on for forty minutes.

Keep a check on your posture while feeding

You may breastfeed your baby for a significant amount of time.Therefore, it is important to know the correct way of holding your baby. If you do this with an unsupported posture then it may get easily uncomfortable for you to keep sitting in the same position for a prolonged period. It may even cause pain in your neck, shoulder and back. Therefore, lie on your side with your baby facing you or sit in a reclined position with your baby lying in your arms. Put plenty of pillows to support your back and arms. This will make these positions comfortable for you to breast feed.

Help your baby in finding the right position

It will take time but your baby will find the breastfeeding position which is best for him. Meanwhile all you need to do is pay attention to how are they comfortable and in which position. This will make it easier for you to get into it quickly. Your baby should be positioned so that their mouth is level with your nipple and their head shouldn’t be turned much. And if possible, the baby should latch onto the entire areola, not just the nipple. However, having said that, don’t force these positions on your baby. Just make sure he is comfortable in whichever position he prefers.

Don’t worry if your breast milk leaks

Leaking of the breast milk is totally normal. Don’t be alarmed as it is quite common and often happens when your baby hasn’t nursed for many hours, when you think about your baby or even when you are emotional. This issue may completely disappear once your baby continues to nurse. However, in order to tackle the problem, you can place a nursing pad in your bra to soak the leaks.

Published : May 9, 2020 8:13 pm | Updated:May 9, 2020 8:52 pm

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