Make It Easier on Yourself
Hospital nurses mean well and are often quite knowledgeable about breastfeeding. Yet, there are still many who don't really know how to help you. Ask for the lactation consultant first; and if your hospital doesn't have one, ask who the best nurse is on staff to help you. Don't take the advice of just anyone passing by unless it's from someone you trust.
Also, once you're home, keep baby in a bassinet next to your bed. That way, you don't have far to go when baby gets hungry in the middle of the night. And breastfeeding babies nearly always will be hungry a few times at night.
Did you know that your baby will tell you when she is full?
Cradle your baby's head, but not so closely that baby can't turn away from you when she is finished eating. That's baby's way of telling you she is done.
Protect Your Nipples
To build up nipple durability and keep from getting too tender, try expressing a little bit of breast milk and rubbing it into your nipples. Let the milk air dry. This offers your nipples natural protection from dry or chapped skin. Another solution is to use lanolin cream on your breasts; it provides a safe, harmless barrier to skin problems.
It isn't necessary to use soap on your nipples, and it may remove helpful natural oils that are secreted by the Montgomery glands, which are in the areola. Soap can cause drying and cracking and make the nipple more prone to soreness.
Follow Your Prenatal Diet
Be sure to follow your prenatal diet (and stay on the vitamins as long as you're breastfeeding). Eat a well-balanced diet, and keep the fluids coming. Don't drink too much fluid, however, since this can defeat the purpose. A dozen or more servings a day is probably too much.
Fact
At first your breasts contain a kind of milk called colostrum, which is thick and usually yellow or golden in color. Colostrum is gentle to your baby's stomach and helps protect your baby from disease. Your milk supply will increase and the color will change to a bluish-white color during the next few days after your baby's birth.
Benefits for You, Too
The benefits of breastfeeding are not limited to baby. You too can reap some rewards, including weight loss (if you breastfeed for at least three months); a uterus that contracts more quickly (since feeding stimulates contraction); and a lower chance of breast cancer (for you and, believe it or not, for female babies who were breastfed).
Also, breastfed babies tend to spit up less than formula-fed babies do. Best of all, it's free and always available, no matter where you are. You can also use a breast pump for times you can't be there, to ensure that baby is getting breast milk at all times.
