Breastfeeding for new mothers is a new
thing in the beginning. To make breastfeeding easier and healthy, teach your
baby how to properly latch and make sure his/her mouth is wide open.
Breastfeeding tips are given to new
mothers in the hospital but it might take some time for mothers to get a hang
of the entire process. In the beginning, mothers are not able to figure out
when the baby is hungry, how to offer the nipples, how the milk will come out
and how the baby will latch on. Below are a few tips to keep in mind for you to
master the skills of breastfeeding:
● Teach baby how to latch on
Mothers should learn how to position
their baby in such a way so that the baby is latched tightly to the breast.
Baby’s cheeks and skin should touch seamlessly with the mother and the lips
should not be visible. Doing this will ensure that the latch does not hurt and
the baby gets fed properly.
● Teach baby to open the mouth wide
Just attaching the mouth with the nipple
will not be able to fix the problem. Babies need to have a wide mouth so that
the bottom of the areola -- the area around the nipple -- is inside the baby’s
mouth and the nipple is towards the back of her mouth. When the nipples are
properly inside, the milk ducts will get empty properly. If the baby is latched
on to the nipple, it causes pain and the body isn’t fully able to empty the
breast. When the breasts don’t get empty properly, it stops sending signals to
the breast to make more milk.
● Keep nipples moisturized
While you are breastfeeding, it is
important to keep your nipples moisturized. Treat your cracked and sore nipples
with a purified lanolin cream or a nursing ointment to make them moist. To make
the nipples moisturized, it is recommended to apply a few drops of breast milk
with clean hands.
● Treat clogged milk ducts
If women have clogged ducts because of
the backing up of the milk, breastfeed more on the side of the plugged duct
after at least two hours as that will help to loosen the clogs and allow the
milk to flow properly. Taking hot showers and applying a cold compress after
that helps in allowing the milk to flow well and reduces inflammation.
● Avoid pacifiers
Giving pacifiers in the first month can
suppress the hunger cues and reduce the time babies will give to breastfeeding.
● Closely monitor your diet
New mothers need more calories than
required during pregnancy so it is suggested to eat three balanced meals and
healthy snacks once in a day.
● Let others do the housework
New mothers should avoid cooking,
cleaning, doing the dishes or completing other household chores. It is also
important to focus on self-care like eating proper food and taking proper rest.
In addition to keeping the breastfeeding
tips in mind, new mothers should keep newborn
baby diapers handy and extra in stock because these diapers are used
readily when the newborn is born. One can buy baby diapers online in
India on various e-commerce websites on discounted prices. The price of baby diapers is
economical and many times one can find the diapers priced at a lower price on
eCommerce websites. Diapers online have all the features
which are otherwise found in diapers when bought from chemist shops.