Continuing our last post on Breastfeeding Awareness, we’re listing six simple tips below that may help nursing mothers. If you have any more questions, you can always call your local hospitals and speak with the lactation consultant or call the La Leche League in your area.

1. Typically, it is best to begin breast feeding as soon as possible after birth. The substance that is emitted from a new mother’s breast during the first few days is called Colostrum and is very rich in protein and other things that help fight infection and can be very beneficial to your infant.
2. Be calm, and don’t panic when trying to start breast-feeding. Not everyone will get it on the first try. If you are tense your baby will feel it and will respond accordingly. Relax, present your breast to your infant, you may need to tickle their mouth with your nipple to let your baby know that the breast is there and they should attempt to latch on.If you are struggling with a good latch on, be sure to ask the nurse to call the hospital’s lactation consultant to give you some guidance.
3. Make sure you are in a comfortable position to breast-feed. Make sure that you are not leaning over the baby. Instead, sit back and bring the baby up to breast level and support your arms with a pillow if needed.
   To be successful at Breast feeding your baby, you will want to make sure you get in to a comfortable position that allows you to relax and your milk to “let down”.The quickest way to be Unsuccessful at Breast feeding is to be tense, be in an uncomfortable position which your baby will easily pick up on and will make the entire process more difficult.
4. Try to get a good latch on from your baby. That will typically mean trying to make sure that you get as much of the Areola in their mouth as possible. Keep in mind that when they start feeding, they will typically start sucking very hard, which on a tender breast might be a little uncomfortable. It won’t take long before everyone gets in to a rhythm.
5. Alternate the breast that your baby begins with each time. Typically, your baby will suck harder on the first breast since they are hungry and may tend to drain the first breast and may not always drain the second breast because they might fill up, or they may fall asleep. When you alternate each breast when you start, this allows each breast to drain which in turn keeps one breast from getting larger than the other because it thinks that it needs to produce more milk. It is hard to imagine that your breast might “think” but your body will actually know and recognize when your baby needs more milk and your body will produce it.

   Makes a little more sense if you think about when anyone starts breast feeding an infant, they only need a small amount of milk, although it may be frequently. When you have an older child that is still breast feeding, your body obviously figured out a way to produce more milk for the older child.When I was breast-feeding, I used to keep a simple spiral bound notebook that stayed in the room that I most frequented for breast-feeding. I used to write down each day and put the time that I fed, and the length of time that my baby fed on each breast. I would circle the breast that I started with so that I would know to alternate to the other one on the next feeding.

   While I had the list going, I would also write down by using check marks on how many wet diapers my baby had for the day and I would check and circle the check for a bowel movement.

   Making the most of this work, I also kept the time and length of naps that my baby had so I could establish a schedule. I found this to be extremely helpful (although it may seem that I was a little anal retentive) but when I went to the doctor and was asked how many wet diapers my baby had per day, I was able to easily answer the question.

   I also found this extremely beneficial when a nanny or sitter would come in. They had something to follow, and I also requested that they make all notes on my notebook so that I would know exactly what had happened while I was out. This can be extremely helpful and comforting for the working Mom. At times I would come home late from work and my husband had relieved the sitter or nanny and I would quiz him on how my child’s day had gone and I would usually get the standard “I forgot to ask.”

6. How do you know if your baby is full? Ideally your baby will feed for at least 10 minutes and perhaps take both breasts. During a good feeding the baby’s lower jaw moves steadily with only brief pauses to rest, and the baby typically does not have to be stimulated to keep feeding but feeds steadily on their own.Typically, a full baby will release the breast by itself and is either asleep or contentedly awake. A full baby generally does not cry after a feeding, although there are exceptions. When in doubt if you are producing enough milk, you can always try using a breast pump to pump the milk from each breast so that you can get an idea of what you are producing.

   Always feel comfortable picking up the phone and calling your local lactation consultant to ask them. Most times, your body is producing what your baby is demanding. Keep in mind if you have a bad Latch on, your baby might not be drawing the milk they are wanting but are not demanding with their suck pattern. Also, if you are tense or uncomfortable, you might not be allowing your milk to fully drop down.

Feeding Multiples:

It is possible to breastfeed twins or triplets. The key to successfully breastfeeding twins or triplets is the same as for every mother breast feeding her baby, which is understanding and becoming comfortable with breastfeeding, as well as making sure that you have good latch-on and correct positioning.

The most urgent problem with feeding multiples is not the milk supply, but time. A good suggestion would be to learn to feed your babies at the same time. This will actually help you save time and allow you to remain on a schedule.

Keep in mind that your body is a miraculous thing, and your body will learn to respond to what each baby will need. It is still a good idea to switch breasts with each child.

Ask a lactation specialist for help to learn different positions that allow you to feed more than one baby at a time in a comfortable manner. Remember, comfort and a good latch on is the key to being successful.

Remember: Only your baby’s doctor can confirm your baby’s health. The above guidelines/tips are just those - guides. If you are concerned, seek medical advice.