Getting Started With Breast Feeding

When you hold your baby for the first time in the
delivery room, you should put his lips to your
breast.  Although your mature milk hasn't developed
yet, your breasts are still producing a substance
known as colostrum that helps to protect your baby 
from infections.

If your baby has trouble finding or staying on 
your nipple, you shouldn't panic.  Breast feeding is
an art that will require a lot of patience and a
lot of practice.  No one expects you to be an 
expert when you first start, so you shouldn't 
hesitate to ask for advice or have a nurse show you
what you need to do.

Once you start, keep in mind that nursing shouldn't
be painful.  When your baby latches on, pay attention
to how your breasts feel.  If the latching on 
hurts, break the suction then try again.

You should nurse quite frequently, as the more
you nurse the more quickly your mature milk will
come in and the more milk you'll produce.  Breast
feeding for 10 - 15 minutes per breast 8 - 10 times
every 24 hours is an ideal target.  Crying is a
sign of hunger, which means you should actually 
feed your baby before he starts crying.

During the first few days, you may have to wake
your baby to begin breast feeding, and he may end
up falling asleep during feeding.  To ensure that
your baby is eating often enough, you should wake
him up if it has been four hours since the last 
time he has been fed.

Getting comfortable
Feedings can take 40 minutes or longer, therefore
you'll want a cozy spot.  You don't want to be
sitting somewhere where you will be bothered, as it
can make the process very hard.

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