Breastfeeding is a beautifully natural way to give your baby the perfect start in life and has been proven time and again to result in healthier babies and a closer bond between you and your child. It can be a scary prospect for first time mom’s so I wanted to put this little list of tips together to help you overcome any fears and give your baby the best start in life.
Join a Group
Many hospitals and local centers offer support groups to breastfeeding mom’s, here you can be offered professional information on tips and techniques and receive support from other mom’s. One woman’s experience will differ from another’s but with a support network you can be sure that someone has experienced any problems that you are going through.
Don’t Panic
If the milk flow isn’t right or your baby is having difficulty latching on remember that there are plenty of options and technical aides to help you. My first one latched on with no problems in the hospital but eventually we found it difficult to continue, the hardest thing but the most helpful to remember is just relax.
Do Your Research
Similar to support groups it’s vital that before you begin you do some research into things such as breast pumping, nipple care, encouraging your baby and much more. It is important that you are prepared for it all, remember forewarned is forearmed and if you are ready for anything you can deal with it far better.
Take Care of Your Nipples
The nipples can take a hammering during breastfeeding so it is important to take good care of them. There is a whole host of ointments and creams that will help you avoid, or at least, minimize the dreaded cracked nipple. Also remember that your nipples are likely to leak so make sure you have nipple pads at all times to avoid any awkward moments when out and about.
Dress Sensibly
The amount of retailers who now offer fashionable tops with a breastfeeding ‘function’ is staggering, shop around and make sure you look good and feel ready for whenever baby is hungry.
Don’t Be Ashamed
There is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about when breastfeeding despite what a minority of people say. Much has been made of public breastfeeding and it’s sad to see, if you are breastfeeding in a public place my advice would just be to do it tactfully. Being bold and brash and an ‘I don’t care who sees me attitude’ could result in unnecessary stress in public, but do not hide away all the time. My view is that a tactful feed in public keeps everyone happy and keeps you and baby calm.
Just remember that you are not alone and if something goes wrong it is imperative that you don’t get down on yourself, read, ask and relax, you’ll be just fine.