Things Breastfeeding Moms Should Know

Things Breastfeeding Moms Should Know

Being a mom is a great responsibility and throughout this journey, you will be having a lot of questions about the newborn and how to be a good mother to your kid and many more. Believe me, I have also been through the same and was a seriously confused person when it came to motherhood.

While you are pregnant, you will be hearing many stories about other people’s experiences connected to pregnancy and childbirth. You will also be hearing stories about other responsibilities coming after childbirth and the main topic of discussion at that stage is breastfeeding. I have heard multiple stories from my friends and relatives about their breastfeeding experiences, some of them worked beautifully and some others went wrong. I was completely overwhelmed by all the information I got and was trying to demystify the process by trying to understand the basics of breastfeeding from authentic journals and also with the help of my doctors.

When it comes to breastfeeding, you will be hearing non-stop opinions from others. But remember, you are the one feeding your baby so you should be the one to find a solution that works for you as well as your baby. I will share with you some basic information about breastfeeding and how it is to be done from the information I gathered from various trusted sources. You can have a good read here and can choose the information which you find apt and suitable.

Before starting, let me share some information about preparing your breasts at the time of pregnancy. While you are pregnant, the glands responsible for milk making start to develop. There are multiple hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and also prolactin which play a major role in developing your breasts for feeding your baby. Your breast size will also increase while you are pregnant and also the area surrounding your nipples becomes darker which is an indication of the hormones doing their duty properly and you are getting ready enough to produce breast milk for the baby.

Another doubt is when is the best time to start breastfeeding? 

The answer is as soon as possible.

 Ideally, you should breastfeed your baby within the initial hour after the delivery. Whatever concerns or confusion arise, you can seek the help of lactation consultants who are readily available at the hospitals at your service.

Next is the frequency of breastfeeding. 

How often should you feed your baby?

Initially, your baby won’t be demanding much and there is nothing to worry about because it is normal for the babies to show such a pattern. This brief feeding can also help in producing more milk supplies in your body. As the days pass by your baby will start showing a pattern for the breastfeeding frequency and this will give a signal to your body about the quantity of milk to be produced and your supply will get adjusted to the baby’s demands. 

It is also important to note the way how your baby latches on to your breast. If the breastfeeding latch is good, then the baby would be able to remove milk from your breasts very efficiently which helps in keeping your supply plentiful and steady. Also, note that this would also help you in avoiding sore nipples.

Now that you got an idea about milk production and feeding patterns, we should also be aware of the effective and best positions to breastfeed. If your breastfeeding is effective, it encourages your baby to have a good breastfeeding latch. You can find many breastfeeding positions online and based on it, you can choose the one favourable to you.

It is advised that if the newborn is having trouble latching, you could try the laid-back position or a cross-cradle position. You can also check on other positions so that you can try them once in a while or more. While you are following changing breastfeeding holds on each feeding, it would help your baby to drain milk from different areas of the breast.

The production of breastmilk is based on supply and demand which means the more frequently your baby breastfeeds; the more you will be able to produce milk. There are three main stages that your breastmilk goes through in the initial weeks.

During the first 0 to 5 days, the production of Colostrum begins, which is filled with essential nutrients as well as immunoglobulins. Even though your body is not producing a lot of Colostrum, the amount produced would be enough to fill your baby’s demands with everything they need. From day 5 to 14, your breasts will be feeling fuller than they were in the beginning, and at this time your milk changes from colostrum to transitional milk. After 14 days, your breasts start producing mature milk that has a thinner consistency in the beginning and becomes thicker and packed with nutrients in the end.

While breastfeeding you must also be aware of the signs indicating that your baby is getting enough milk. If your baby is steadily gaining weight, going through six to eight diapers per day, and also having proper bowel movements you can easily infer that your baby is getting the milk required.

If you are having issues with breastfeeding, then there are a variety of products in the market that would help you through the process. For latching problems, you can seek the help of breast shells as well as nipple shields. To protect your clothes from leaking breasts, you can use nursing pads, and also for easy breastfeeding on travel or other conditions, you can rely upon a nursing bra.

Along with feeding the baby, it is also important that you must take care of yourself too. You must give yourself healthy nutrition to feed your baby. You must provide yourself time to heal and also have some proper rest. Taking a proper nap at regular intervals can be helpful to overcome the state of postpartum fatigue and also follow a healthy diet to maintain your health combined with slow and steady exercises.