Breastfeeding tips for success
Read reputable sources of information on breastfeeding and positive empowering breastfeeding stories. These will make you feel more empowered towards your future breastfeeding journey.
Talk to family and friends that have successfully breastfed and find out what worked well for them. If you know someone who is breastfeeding, go talk to them and if they are comfortable, watch how it all works.
Surround yourself with positive people that will encourage and support your decision to breastfeed. It is well known that if you feel supported, you are more likely to be successful with breastfeeding and do it for longer.
Surround yourself with positive people that will encourage and support your decision to breastfeed.
If you are in hospital and just had your baby, ring the call bell for assistance to help breastfeed. Midwives are there to help you! Your stay is usually short so make the most of the time you have with 24 hour care around the clock.
Relax, relax, relax as much as you can. You don’t want your shoulders at the same level as your ears! Once you attach baby take 3 deep breaths to relax. This can help with the letdown reflex.
Look after your posture and if you are sitting make sure you have good back support. You may be in that position for a while so make sure you are comfortable. Use a comfortable pillow to rest baby on while breastfeeding. It doesn’t have to be an expensive breastfeeding pillow, anything that is supportive will do.
Do some gentle stretching exercises particularly for your upper body. Your neck can get sore because you are looking down at your breasts and baby a lot. Book a massage or seek some professional help from a physiotherapist. Being uncomfortable and in pain does not help you enjoy your breastfeed experience.
There is no shame in not wanting to breastfeed in public. There are many places that you can breastfeed in private such as parent rooms in shopping centres. There are also covers you can buy for more privacy if you feel you want to breastfeed in public but want to be more discreet. If you don’t care about breastfeeding in public, fantastic! Go for it. It is a normal part of civilisation. It is against the law for someone to tell you not to breastfeed anywhere in public.
Revel in what an awesome job you are doing! Tell yourself this regularly. Tell others about your journey. Remember all those great benefits of breastfeeding for you, the baby and the wider community.
https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/
http://raisingchildren.net.au/
http://www.lalecheleague.org/nb.html
http://realparenting.blog/guilt-in-motherhood/
Fiona Chapman is a mum of two beautiful boys aged 1 and 4, who also has extensive experience as a midwife and Child and Family Health Nurse. She is passionate about inspiring and empowering parents on their parenting journey in today’s world by sharing her knowledge and experiences. You can find her on her website Passionate Parenting, or follow her on Facebook.
