When you’re pregnant, it seems like everyone has a childbirth or breastfeeding horror story they want to share. Whether it is your mother, grandmother, neighbor, or the cashier at the grocery store, a swollen belly is an invitation for unsolicited stories and advice. Don’t despair (or Google, which often is the same thing)! I am here to share my top 10 breastfeeding tips as a RN, IBCLC, birth doula, and six+ year breastfeeding mom of three.
- Take a prenatal breastfeeding class.
If at all possible, do immediate skin to skin after delivery. Continue to do skin to skin for every feeding, as often as possible.- Stimulate your breasts by nursing, pumping or hand expressing within two hours after delivery, and at least every three hours after that.
- Signs of a good latch including the following: your baby’s ear, shoulder, and hip in a straight line with your nipple aiming toward the roof of your baby’s mouth. To start, you should “sandwich” the breast with your fingers in a C or U hold 1-2 inches behind the areola and aim towards the roof of baby’s mouth. We want a deep, asymmetric latch, baby’s chin tucked really deeply in the breast. Make sure there is as much breast tissue/areola in baby’s mouth as possible, not just your nipple.
- Gentle breast compressions while latched maximize colostrum transfer and help keep baby awake.
- Hand expression should be done after every feeding until your milk is in. Spoon feed whatever you get to your baby.
- Avoid pacifiers until your milk is in (except for medical procedures or babies in the NICU). Put your baby to the breast at every early hunger cue, including: fist to mouth, moving head side to side with mouth open, lip smacking, etc. A bonus here would also be avoiding the first bath until your milk is in.
- Apply a thin layer of coconut oil or nipple butter after nursing. Throw the Lanolin in the trash.
- Keep your baby in your room with you as often as possible.
- Get help early and often! Painful/bleeding nipples are NOT normal. Don’t hesitate to seek a second opinion if you know something isn’t working.
