Breastfeeding Tips from Moms for Moms
Breastfeeding my children was one of the best choices that I made as a mother. I have been nursing my 2 children a total of 4 years. When I had my first child, I almost gave up breastfeeding after the first few weeks of his birth. My son had a hard time latching on and never got enough food. I recently came across an article in Parents Magazine called 23 Great Nursing Tips from Moms that offers some valuable you-can-do-it. I wish I had read this article when I was beginning my nursing endeavor. Some of the tips that I most identified include:
- Give yourself time. It can take 6 to 8 weeks to adjust to breastfeeding. It definitely took me and my kids that much time to get the hang of it too.
- Keep well hydrated. Get a water bottle with a straw (my hospital gave me one), and keep it filled to the brim. You need to drink lots of water when nursing. I found that drinking a lot of water helped produce more milk for my baby.
- Get a Boppy or similar nursing pillow. It really helps to lift and support your baby and make nursing easier. This is truely a lifesaver
- Pump while you nurse to boost output, especially in the beginning. I myself wasn’t producing enough milk, so I rented a pump from the hospital (which was recommended to me from the Lactaion Center). This really boosted my milk output.
- Keep nursing even if you have a cold. Your breast milk will help your child from catching your cold. I actually caught the Noro Virus when my daughter was 4 months old and continued to breastfeed her throughout the illness. She never got sick herself.
- Cabbage combats breast soreness. Use cabbage leaves for soreness—they are cooling and feel great! Just place individual cabbage leaves inside your bra. I used Lansinoh Lanolin Breast Cream to help with the nursing soreness.
- Frozen peas aren't just food. A bag of frozen peas works great as a cold compress for engorgement.
To read more tips on successfully nursing your child, read the full article 23 Great Nursing Tips from Moms at Parents Magazine.
