Let's Start at the Very Beginning

...a very good place to start. When we sing we begin with Do Re Mi, when we breastfeed we begin with position, latch, suck. 
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Welcome to the Lactation Life blog! Since this is my first blog post, I thought the perfect topic to discuss is Getting off to the Right Start in Breastfeeding. If you’re reading this post, you have probably already decided to breastfeed. You may be aware of the many benefits to both baby and lactating parent, and you’re looking for guidance on those first hours and days after birth. Becoming a new parent can be overwhelming, and while we ultimately learn by doing, there are a few things to know going into it so that we can be more prepared.

• Early and Often - Start breastfeeding as soon as you are able, and breastfeed often. The best way to give your baby what s/he needs and tell your body to make milk is to breastfeed early and often. We recommend breastfeeding 10-12 times in 24 hours. You cannot overfeed a baby at the breast, so let your little one spend lots of time nursing.
• Separation from Baby - Sometimes baby is separated from the lactating parent due to medical issues, or recovery from surgery. If you are separated from your baby, start practicing hand expression. Not only does it send a signal to your body to make milk, it also provides expressed colostrum you can feed your baby. Hand expression is a great skill to have for those early hours, for helping relieve engorgement, and for expressing milk as baby grows. If you will be separated for longer periods of time, for example if baby is in the NICU, request a breast pump and start pumping, along with hand expression. Ask the IBCLC and nurses for assistance.
• Skin to Skin - Your chest is your baby’s habitat. Spend time skin to skin as often as possible. Is baby tired? Skin to skin! Is baby cold or hot? Skin to skin! Is baby fussy? Skin to skin! Is baby in the room with you? Skin to skin! I think you get the idea. Skin to skin time (that means baby in only a diaper, on direct skin, no bra, no shirt) builds milk supply, reduces stress, and regulates baby’s temperature and blood sugars.
• Positioning and Latch - There are a variety of positions in which to hold your baby when breastfeeding. Ask for assistance from the nurses or hospital IBCLC to try different positions.
  • Laid back is the most natural position, with baby leading the way, secured on your body, finding the nipple, and latching on. If you have seen the videos of the breast crawl, you’ve seen babies work their way up to this position. This is the position baby instinctively knows.
  • Cross-cradle is the position you most often see with newborns. This position allows the parent to lead the way, helping the baby open wide to get a big mouthful of breast tissue by positioning baby belly-to-belly and nose-to-nipple. As we often say, it is not nipple feeding, it is breast feeding. You want baby to get a deep latch.
  • Football is similar to cross-cradle in that it is parent led. In this case, baby is on the lactating parent’s side, belly-to-side, and still nose-to-nipple to get a deep latch. For lactating parents with large breasts, this position is often the most comfortable.
• Is my baby getting enough? This is a common question and concern in those early days. Your nurses and pediatrician will guide you in watching for wet and dirty diapers, as well as weighing the baby to determine weight loss and gain. Weight loss is expected in the first few days; sometimes when IV fluids were used during labor and delivery, we see higher weight loss due to an elevated weight from the fluids. Nurse often!

✭Seek Help✭
You’ll hear people say that breastfeeding always hurts at first and you just need to tough it out. Please do not suffer through pain! Yes, there may be some discomfort at first, however, pain is a sign of an issue. If you are having trouble latching, experiencing pain, or baby is not gaining weight, seek the help of an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). An IBCLC is specially trained to help guide you through what is normal, assess you and baby, and work with you to determine the issues and solutions.

Breastfeeding is a natural part of life, but that doesn't mean there isn't a learning curve. I often tell parents that walking is natural too, but we fall down as we learn to walk. Seek guidance and help when needed, give it time to all come together, and enjoy those quiet moments with your newborn.