Breastfeeding can be a wonderful bonding experience between a new mom and her baby, but it can also be difficult, especially if you’re unprepared. That’s why we at Pediatric Partners of Augusta have compiled these seven breastfeeding tips for new moms. For more information on breastfeeding, you can talk to any of our pediatric consultants.
Get Prepped Beforehand
We highly recommend talking to your doctor or a lactation consultant before having your baby. It can be overwhelming to try to figure out everything in the moment, but it can be less so if you’ve done your homework on the best practices.
Breastfeed as Soon as Possible
Breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth – ideally within the first hour – not only gives you that important skin-to-skin contact you and your newborn need, but it also helps to start your breastmilk production by helping you to express colostrum, which is that yellowish breastmilk produced early on.
Practice Self Care
If you don’t take care of yourself, there’s no way you’ll be able to take care of your newborn. You should always make sure that you are eating well and enough; it’s actually recommended that you intake more calories while breastfeeding than during your third trimester. You should also take care of your nipples by treating clogged ducts and using nipple ointment.
Go Nose to Nipple
Your first instinct may be to align your newborn’s mouth with your nipple, but actually aligning it with his/her nose will encourage your baby to move up and latch on more deeply.
Practice with Different Positions
You don’t always have to breastfeed sitting straight up. You should try different positions to see what’s comfortable for you and your baby. This may mean laying on your side or even investing in a nursing stool.
Practice Pumping Before Going Back to Work
Unless you’re planning on staying home with your child, you may be going back to work before you switch to formula. If you decide to continue feeding your child breastmilk instead of formula, you should take time to practice pumping once a day before going back to work. This will make pumping easier when you have less time to figure things out, and it will allow you to get used to the machine.
Let Your Newborn Set the Pace
All babies breastfeed at different rates. If it’s already been twenty minutes and your child is still going strong, let him keep going until he’s full. You may choose to breastfeed him from both breasts in one sitting. In the same vein, pay attention to your child’s hunger cues – like pursing their lips frequently or becoming fussy – to know when to get ready to breastfeed.
At Pediatric Partners of Augusta, “we speak kid,” which means we help new moms and dads with life’s little bumps and confusions by talking in terms everyone can understand.
We now have three locations to better serve our patients. The Evans office is located at 411 Town Park Blvd., the downtown Augusta office is located at 1303 D’Antignac Street, Suite 2600, and the new Grovetown office is located at 5135 Wrightsboro Road. For more information about Pediatric Partners, please feel free to call the office at 706-854-2500, visit pedpartners.com, or follow the Pediatric Partners of Augusta Facebook page. Get in touch with us today for more information on breastfeeding and to talk to a Pediatric Consultant!
