Tips for Getting Breastfeeding off to a Good Start (Mom to Mom #1)
October 6, 2006 by Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Filed under Mom-to-Mom, breastfeeding basics, pregnancy
Welcome to the first question in the “Mom to Mom” series! I’ll do the asking this first time, but if you have a question you’d like to pose or a thought you’d like to discuss, find out how to submit a topic.
Q: What should I do to prepare to get breastfeeding off to a good start? Do you have any advice for establishing a good nursing relationship once the baby arrives?
A: I’ll always be grateful to the mother who wrote in to a parenting magazine with the advice to commit to breastfeeding for eight weeks. Those early weeks are a learning period for both mother and baby.
Believe that you both can do it, but at the same time, throw out the notion that breastfeeding should come naturally and easily. You will benefit from arming yourself with resources and doing your homework in preparation. Take a class, read a book, attend a support meeting like La Leche League.
Once the baby arrives, breastfeed as soon as possible after the birth. If you experience any problems, seek help immediately. Work with a lactation consultant, post-partum doula, a breastfeeding support group or a La Leche League leader. With help, common problems with latch-on, thrush, and engorgement will resolve shortly. Generally, within eight weeks your milk supply will regulate and you will gain the confidence that comes from experience.
If after eight weeks you are ready to wean, you can do so with the assurance that you committed to working it out, and congratulate yourself on giving your baby your milk for those crucial first weeks. If you’ve made it eight weeks though, my guess is you won’t want to wean. You’ll have developed that special nursing relationship and you’ll have started to reap the benefits of breastfeeding.
Experienced moms, do you have any advice to share on how to get breastfeeding off to a good start? What did you do in the early days to establish a good nursing relationship? Did you write a birth plan, hire a post-partum doula, or take a class after the birth? Please leave a comment! You might also enjoy reading the Mom to Mom question about Recommended Reading for Breastfeeding Mothers.
I had the good fortune of having my mother-in-law to help with everything around the house while I took care of S. I had resisted asking for help early on but quickly realized that if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be doing anyone any good, esp. my new baby!
Hsien, I agree it’s wonderful to have help in those early days. I used to joke that it took four people to breastfeed: me, the baby, my husband to help prop up the Boppy pillow and get me and the baby settled with a proper latch, and my mother to bring me some water and a snack!
I have several friends with newborns who are nervous about breastfeeding or have recently talked about giving it up due to fears, frustration, or discomfort — I have been wanting a resource to give them that will be supportive and not judgemental. THANK YOU!
The days when a mother is recovering from birth and caring for a newborn can be so overwhelming. New mothers need all the support they can get. Thanks for passing along the website!