14 Essential Breastfeeding Tips for the First 14 Days

essential breastfeeding tips

you have a time window to figure out how to breastfeed because your milk supply and ability to support your baby exclusively depends on it

it's a race between the breast and the bottle

i have compiled a list of must-know breastfeeding tips

beware this post is long as i wanted to make sure that i included all the information you need to know breastfeeding your newborn baby

breastfeed within the golden hour

the “golden hour” is a term that refers to the first hour after a baby is born

it is recommended that immediately after a baby is born

in this golden hour

it's quite an incredible and emotional process to witness

newborns recognize the unique smell of their mother's milk

the stages of the golden hour

usually minutes after birth your baby will start to move their head

watching especially this part gets me so teary-eyed

baby's gotta rest

minutes after birth your baby reaches the nipple through bursts of leaping

this is when your baby gets to know your milk machines

an hour after birth your baby will take your nipple

the american association of pediatrics recommends no pacifiers until breastfeeding is established

artificial nipples cause nipple confusion

this is especially bad in the early weeks as your baby needs to nurse often in order to build up your supply

incorrect bottle-feeding cause nursing strikes

mothers aren't really shown the way they should feed their breastfed baby

the proper way to feed a breastfed baby is upright and it is referred to as paced bottle feeding

laying position which means that their baby doesn't have to put in much effort to get the milk flowing

now if you have a baby that has breastfeeding established

you might have a baby that rejects the bottle entirely

related post: the ultimate guide to feeding your baby through a nursing strike

get lots of skin to skin

immediate skin-to-skin post-delivery is essential to breastfeeding success

delay in skin-to-skin may negatively affect not only a baby's ability to self-latch and breastfeed effectively but also the bond between mother and baby

reduced infant mortality

reduced risk of major infection in low birth weight newborns

promotes breastfeeding by building her milk supply

skin to skin has a lot of benefits

related post: ways to reduce your baby's risk

if your baby wasn't as effective at self-latching in the golden hour

this will mean that your nipples will take the brunt of the beating as your baby learns to breastfeed effectively

breastfeeding

break it phase of breastfeeding

it is also the most difficult

that is why preparing yourself

i wish i had myself

if i didn't have the amazing support network that i was blessed to have

don't be like me

along the way

if you would like to save it

disclosure: i have included affiliate to products that i have used and enjoyed. these are

this is especially stressed if the mother intends on breastfeeding as it is oftentimes critical to success

in fact

stage 1: the birth cry

welcome to your new world

this is the first cry of your newborn immediately post-delivery as a consequence of lung expansion. it has been noted that this doesn't always occur

stage 2: relaxation

in other words

hand movements. at this stage

stage 3: awakening

hello dearie

stage 4: activity

the emotional journey begins

it's just such a beautiful experience

minutes after birth you will notice increased mouthing and suckling movements as your newborn's rooting reflex initiates

stage 5: rest

throughout the first hour

stage 6: crawling

the destination is reached

stage 7: familiarization

usually minutes after birth

look around

stage 8: suckling

hooray

the first official breastfeeding session has begun

stage 9: sleep

all that work gets a restful reward

usually

this is why this first hour is so important to breastfeeding success

it is when the bond and the confidence between you and your newborn is established

missing this window make breastfeeding a little bumpier

so remember

skip the newborn bath and tell the family to hold off

related post: things i wish i knew before labor

if you can

via istock

after they have delivered and state their desire to breastfeed

pacifiers cause breastfeeding difficulties because of a phenomenon known as nipple confusion

via minbie

personally

nipple is different from sucking on an actual nipple

however

pacifiers suppress hunger cues

suckling comforts some babies to the point that they don't even notice they are hungry

go on a nursing strike

via loveandbreastmilk

here is a helpful infographic what that looks like

this is a problem because actual breastfeeding does require effort

however

this is why

also

don't eliminate the pacifier and completely

pacifier is also recommended in the first six months of life because it has been found to reduce the incidence of sids

use your intuition

the takeaway is to make sure that breastfeeding is established before introducing either

however

i know because i used one immediately

so

in a systematic review

reduces their pain

releases a hormone that relieves their stress and stabilizes their breathing rate

boosts their immune system

boosts their mental development as they experience a range of smells

facilitates their weight gain

helps them sleep better because they are less stressed

strengthens their bond

releases a hormone that helps lowers her stress and promotes her healing

helps her colostrum production

lowers her risk of a postpartum disorder

allows mom to rest

strengthens bond

so

take care of your nipples religiously

trust me on this one

you avoid excessive pain by taking care of your nipples before they become damaged

ways to prevent/reduce nipple pain

in order to reduce the amount of pain you might later endure