How to Breastfeed a Newborn in the First Week After Birth

Breastfeeding brings food, love and comfort to a newborn. All experts agree that breastfeeding is the best choice for your infant. The benefits of breastfeeding for your baby include reducing the risks of allergies, colds, ear infections and other diseases. Breastfeeding also benefits you by creating a strong bond with your baby, lowering the risk of ovarian and breast cancer, and helping you lose weight. At first, breastfeeding maybe challenging, particularly if this is your first child. However, the following steps will help guide you in the learning process.

Instructions

1

Learn as much as you can about breastfeeding before the baby arrives, especially if you are first-time mom. You can take a class on breastfeeding and get help from lactation consultants.

2

Breastfeed your newborn as soon as possible after birth. You can breastfeed right in the delivery room. Studies showed that a babys sucking instinct is most powerful 30 minutes right after birth. This sucking instinct lasts about two hours.

3

Do not be alarmed if your milk first comes out yellowish. This thick and yellow milk is called colostrum, which is highly concentrated in protein, carbohydrate and antibodies. Colostrum comes in small quantity. It is easy for a newborn to digest. It supplies your newborn everything she needs in the first few days. Colostrum also has long-lasting effects beyond the first week, boosting your baby's immune system and helping your baby to fight against harmful bacteria.

4

Know that a good feeding position is important. There are several positions you can try. In the cradle position, you hold your baby with the babys head and neck supported by the crook of your arm. For the football hold, you can start by placing the baby on a pillow. You can then hold the back of the babys head in the palm of your hand and support his shoulder and spine with your forearm. Put the baby's legs between your body and arm. Hold the baby like you are holding a football.

5

Bring the baby to the breast, not vice versa. Once your newborn feels that your breast is close by, she will open her mouth. Make sure that the baby's lips are latched on properly to your breast. If you feel pain, release the latch and retry.

6

Establish your baby's needs by feeding him nothing else but your breast milk. Feed your baby whenever he is hungry and not based on a schedule. Don't worry that there is not enough milk. The more milk your baby feeds, the more milk will be made. Frequent feeding leads to the release of a hormone called prolactin into your bloodstream. This hormone, along with other substances, turns on production of alpha-lactalbumin, which causes more lactose and milk to be made.

7

In the first week, you may experience some contractions in your lower abdomen during breastfeeding. This is normal and often referred to as after pains. They help your uterus to regain its normal size.