|
|
|
|
|
Breastfeeding
Baby in the Beginning 
As
you approach the end of your pregnancy you will find that your breast
have become larger and possibly have lactated a bit, even though
you have yet to give birth to your baby. This is completely normal
and not lactating until your baby is born is also completely normal
too.
Another
thing that is normal and very natural is breastfeeding your baby
for the very first time. Now there is the chance that your baby
will be a little reluctant to nurse but this is natural and doesn't
mean that your breastfeeding relationship is ruined. All babies
are different and some will be more likely to
latch on and suckle than others, most of the time the very first
time that you breastfeed your baby they will latch on and suckle
with no or little troubles.
|
Breastfeeding
for the First Time
| The
way you hold you baby will be determined by the breastfeeding
position that you are using. Turn the baby so they are facing
towards your breast and |
|
take your breast and squeeze to express a drop of breast milk.
Then bring your baby's mouth to the nipple. They will taste
the breast milk and with the nipple in their mouth will begin
to suckle. If you find that your baby is rooting, opening
their mouth and searching for the nipple even though it is
right in front of them, and trying to suckle the part of your
arm, most likely the bi-cep muscle, that is touching their
cheek, gently press your nipple to their cheek to help them
find it, usually they will begin suckling immediately. |
Use two fingers to hold your breast when you are expressing
breast milk and use your thumb to gently apple pressure
on to your breast, moving it towards your nipple.
|
|
Assuming that your baby latches on and begins to suckle right
away, and if not, Breastfeeding Challenges and Solutions has
information on that, then the only thing that you have to
worry about is offering them breast milk often. When you first
start to breastfeed your baby will be eating colostrum, the
first stage of breast milk is yellow, thick and sticky, but
within a week your milk will come in, no longer is colostrum
and is considered to be mature breast milk. |
|
|
