Tips for Breastfeeding
Mardrey Swenson, Lactation Consultant at The Birthing Center at Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital, has been an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant for over fifteen years. She has the following tips for mothers beginning breastfeeding:
Sleep when the baby sleeps, especially when you have a newborn. Fatigue is the #1 barrier to stress reduction in new parents.
If you have any pain while breastfeeding seek help immediately. Although some discomfort can be associated with early breastfeeding, sharp pain, pinching, blisters or cracks arenot considered normal.
When in doubt, hold your baby. Babies regulate their systems better and oxygenate more efficiently when held. If your baby is crying and refuses to nurse, try Dr. Harvey Karp’s “Five S’s” concept: Swaddle the baby tightly, put the baby to your shoulder, sway from side-to-side and whisper “shush, shush” near the baby’s ear. If the baby calms but doesn’t fall asleep, offer the breast again.
Be sure to get good information about latching on a baby. Some books are outdated. Pictures and illustrations are very helpful.
If in the first week engorgement starts to develop, do something to relieve it right away. Use cold packs between feedings (a disposable diaper filled with water and frozen works well), nurse baby frequently, and seek help if tender firmness occurs.
Most babies don’t settle into a definite feeding or sleep schedule until at least two months of age. While some babies might feed every 1 1/2 to 2 hours at first, others feed “banquet style,” clustering several feedings fairly close together (sometimes with a small nap in between) before falling into a deep sleep.
Don’t hesitate to ask for help. Help sources include local La Leche League Leaders (to find one, call 1-800-525-3243) and International Board Certified Lactation Consultants, either hospital-based or in private practice (your physician or midwife may be able to refer you, or contact your local birthing center).
The Birthing Center at APD is a Baby-Friendly Hospital with one of the top rates of patient satisfaction in the nation.