10 Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms Nathania, December 5, 2021October 11, 2023 In a “breast is best” era, moms are feeling an intense pressure to breastfeed their little ones. Having trouble with breastfeeding? Don’t worry! Most new moms struggle with this! You’re in a safe place. Read these 10 tips and you’ll be a breastfeeeding champ in no time! Number 7 changed my whole perspective!I struggled with breastfeeding too. When I first gave birth to my son, I felt like the biggest failure of a mother due to my inability to nurse my son. The nursing staff at the hospital I delivered never explained that sometimes it may take a few days for the milk to come in. They thoroughly shamed me and even went as far as to remove the formula from the room to “encourage” me to nurse. I remember feeling so defeated and crying because I had no idea what was “wrong” with me. Immediately after leaving the hospital my son’s father went to the pharmacy to pick up a can of formula and I finally felt the weight off my shoulders. Regardless of if my milk came in or not, my baby would be fine. He would get the nourishment he needed. When that finally set in, BAM, so did my milk! 15% of new mothers are not able to continue with breastfeeding as long as they originally intended.There are many factors that can impact a mothers ability to breastfeed her newborn. Some women choose not to breastfeed, while others have a low supply because of things like post partum depression, chemotherapy, stress or anxiety, mood altering drugs, etc. Regardless of what symptoms you may be experiencing, here are 10 tips for you to maximize the breastfeeding experience you share with your child. pexels-pixabay10 Breastfeeding Tips for New MomsTip 1: Consult a lactation specialistYou can consult a lactation specialist at any time! You can contact someone from the day you find out you’re pregnant or even when your little one is two weeks old. Ask questions! Any question you have, trust me, they’ve heard it before! I never even considered this when I was pregnant, but consulting a specialist can be a great decision if something like a breastfeeding class is just too much for you. This brings us to our next tip…Tip 2: Take a breastfeeding class before you give birthThere are plenty of places you can go to get a breastfeeding class before giving birth. If you are a member of WIC, you can contact them and ask what they offer. The hospital you plan to deliver at may also have options for you. You can even trust the lovely google and just search for classes in your area. I remember being completely naive during pregnancy, thinking that there was no point to such a simple thing. “You just put your nipple in the baby’s mouth. What does there need to be a whole class for?” I had no idea what I was talking about! I opted out of taking those classes and regretted it when I gave birth and had to call a specialist in twice for a consultation. Tip 3: Nurse your baby as early as possibleExperts recommend you try your best to breastfeed your baby within the “golden hour” or first hour of birth. I delivered my son through a complicated emergency c section, so I did not have the luxury of delayed clamping or getting him to nurse immediatey after birth. However, once I was rolled into the recovery room, I finally got to hold my son and experience skin to skin. A recovery nurse spent about 30 minutes trying to help me force my nipple into my sons mouth so he could get the nutrient rich precursor to breastmilk known as colostrum and promote milk flow. Photo by William Fortunato from PexelsTip 4: Eat healthy and drink waterDid you eat any vegetables today? Have you eaten a fruit? Are you drinking water? If you’ve answered no to any of these questions you know what to do… Trust me, I know it is not easy. The first few months of my sons life, I was in my final semester of college. I was surviving off peanut butter and jelly sandwiches because it was quick to slap together in between class sessions. I was not taking care of myself at all. It impacted my health, my weight, my overall confidence as a woman and mother. I had to remember that what I was putting into my own body was also going into my son’s body. Trust me, just eat right. Save yourself… and your baby’s tummy! Tip 5: Continue taking your prenatal vitaminsYou can continue using your prenatal vitamins or go ahead and take some postnatal vitamins. Either way, make sure you are taking some kind of vitamins recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Being able to produce a lot of milk is great, but producing quality milk is amazing! What’s the point if you’re not packing as much nutrients for your little one as possible. Tip 6: Talk to other breastfeeding momsThere are so many resources for breastfeeding mothers out there, but sometimes the best resource is someone who is experiencing it the same time that you are! There are tons of groups on facebook that breastfeeding mothers can find they fit into. There is also a social media app exclusively for mothers called peanut. Breastfeeding can be pretty tough, so finding other women who know what you’re talking about is can be refreshing. It can also be a great feeling to offer support and advice for other moms as well. Photo by William Fortunato from PexelsTip 7: Nurture your baby how you choose There are always going to be people opinionated on how you should be nurturing your little one. Bottle feed, nurse, pump, formula feed, the list goes on. In truth, do what is best for you and your family. Fed is best! Do not let anyone shame you for choices that have nothing to do with them. Tip 8: If you want to drink or smoke safely, pump rather than letting your baby latchBefore we even get into this tip, I just want to point out that marijuana can stay in breast milk for about a week. Keep that in mind if you are a thc lover. As far as alcohol, you should be waiting up to two hours after each drink before nursing or pumping. There are even strips you can buy that will test whether or not expressed milk has alcohol in it. If you like a glass of wine, or three I definitely think it’s worth the purchase! Pump and store when your milk is safe. Build up a supply, then pump and dump whenever you are participating in some extracurriculars. Tip 9: Try out different positionsWhen you are first getting started with nursing a newborn, there are so many positions you can try to see what works best for you and your baby. If you have an older baby or even a toddler, then you know not to take for granted the time your baby just isn’t very mobile yet. My son is at the phase where nursing upside down is his thing. Yes, you read that right. Tip 10: Buy a nipple butter or creamIf you take anything from this list, take this! Your poor, poor nipples will thank you for it later on. Trust me. It does not even need to be anything expensive. Earth mama on amazon, great choice!Photo by William Fortunato from PexelsAll in AllTake care of yourself on the inside and outside. Educate yourself on the ins and outs of breastfeeding with classes or a consultation. Finally, enjoy your little one as much as possible while they’re still little! Motherhood