In most cases breastfeeding should be started as soon as possible after birth when the baby is particularly receptive. Exceptions to this guidance include situations where the baby is unable to breastfeed immediately after birth, such as when a baby is born prematurely or needs special care or after a caesarean section.
Newborns usually get hungry every 2-3 hours, but as babies grow and take more milk they often need less frequent feeding - the main thing is to feed them when they’re hungry and offer them a feed if you think they want one. The best way to produce more milk is to feed your baby more often. The more you feed your baby, the more milk you will make. Make sure you get plenty of rest and eat well, although you do not need a special diet in order to produce enough milk.
Positioning and attachment
When breastfeeding, it is important to find a feeding position that feels comfortable for you. You might want to try:
* sitting down - if you sit down to breastfeed, try to make sure that your back is straight and supported. Your arms and back, and the baby, should also be supported, using pillows is necessary. Your feet should be flat, so place a book or footstool under them if you need to. Make sure your lap is as flat as possible. Lay your baby across your lap, with their head resting either on your forearm (right arm for feeding from your right breast) or using your opposite hand and wrist to support their upper back and neck.
* lying down - you may like to lie on your side to breastfeed, with your head and upper back supported by pillows. Lie well over on your side, with one pillow supporting your back and another one between your legs. Tuck your baby in close to your body, and support them with your free hand.
Whichever position you prefer, remember to keep your baby close to you, and facing you they shouldn’t need to twist or stretch. Their head, shoulders and body should be in a straight line. Remember that your baby should always be ‘tummy to mummy’. Some other breastfeeding tips include:
* Always bring your baby to your breast and not the other way round. Baby to breast, not breast to baby.
* The baby’s nose should be level with the nipple, to encourage a slight tilting of the chin for optimum swallowing. The chin and lower jaw should reach the breast first. Move the baby towards the breast so that their mouth touches the nipple and encourages the mouth to open wide. Remember nose to nipple.
* If you need to support your breast, place your fingers flat on your ribcage, where the breast and ribs meet, with your thumb uppermost. Remember to keep your breast still - do not move your breast towards the baby’s mouth.
* The nipple should not be pulled out of shape in any way as it goes into the baby’s open mouth.
* Once the tongue has come forward, aim your baby’s bottom lip as far away as possible from the base of the nipple. This helps the baby to scoop in as much breast as possible when its mouth is open.
* The whole nipple and much of the areola (darker tissue surrounding the nipple) should be in the baby’s mouth. This will allow the jaws to pump the store of milk behind the nipple.
A correct latch (feeding position) will provide the baby with a good flow of milk, and also prevents the nipples from becoming sore. There are some key signs that your baby is properly attached to your breast:
* their bottom lip is curled back,
* their chin is touching the breast,
* their mouth is wide open,
* your areola is showing more above his top lip that under his bottom lip, and
* their sucking pattern changes to long deep sucks.
Breastfeeding may feel uncomfortable at first, but this usually eases as the feed continues, and should cease altogether after the first week or two. If not, you should ask your midwife, health visitor, or breastfeeding counsellor to check whether your baby is positioned correctly. If you think your baby’s attachment may be incorrect, you can try using the tip of your little finger to break the seal between lip and nipple, and then re-positioning. An initial short burst of sucking should give way to strong, steady jaw movements with no sound other than swallowing.
In order to ensure that both breasts are used almost equally, most mothers either offer both breasts at each feed, or switch mid-feed. Starting each new feed on alternate breasts can be an easy way to make sure they both get used. One breast can be offered until the baby finishes feeding, and then the feed topped-up with milk from the other breast.
Some babies may need help in bringing up wind after a feed. To relieve the discomfort, gently rub the baby’s back whilst holding them along your forearm, upright against your chest, sitting on your lap, or lying face down on your lap.