Women take on various responsibilities throughout their lives, but the baby is the most important one. Becoming a mother is a long process that changes a woman’s whole life and inner world. During these changes, the biggest concern of mothers is to keep their babies alive, and for this, feeding them healthy food comes first. The healthiest way to feed a baby is through breastfeeding.
As soon as we become mothers, we start to worry about “Will I be able to breastfeed my baby?” and “Will my milk be enough?”. In fact, it is very important to be comfortable in the first days and to trust both yourself and your baby. But with the first excitement, we can skip this.
The following tips can help you to get through the first few days of breastfeeding more comfortably.
For the first breastfeeding;
– It is important that mother and baby meet in the first half hour and that the baby is placed on the mother’s breast during this process. Especially if you are having a normal birth, the first skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth will make a great contribution to your milk coming immediately.
– Sometimes you may need a few days for your milk to come in. Remember this and do not worry. Instead, try breastfeeding your baby often and milking with a breast pump. Your aim with these expressions is not to empty the milk, but to give your breasts plenty of messages.
– Babies may tend to sleep when they are born. Therefore, you should wake your baby every few hours and breastfeed him/her plenty. In the first few days, monitor your baby for physiologic jaundice. As the degree of jaundice progresses, your baby will tend to sleep more.
– Skin contact in the first days and your skin and milk odor will trigger the baby’s sucking instinct. Therefore, do not use deodorant or perfume to cover your smell.
– You can try breastfeeding in a dimmer and quieter environment so that your baby can suckle more actively. The calm environment can help you and your baby to breastfeed.
– Try different breastfeeding positions. Try to find your own ideal position. Don’t just stick to the positions you read about in books or see on the internet. The most important thing is that it is the most comfortable position for you and that you have skin-to-skin contact with your baby.
– Don’t be surprised if your baby wants to suckle you every hour during the first breastfeeding/lactation period! Follow your baby’s guidance and always try to sleep with your baby during the day!
We can increase these items a little more.
But it can be helpful to know these things when you are pregnant. Talking to experienced mothers, reading books on breastfeeding and attending breastfeeding seminars can help you to relax.
We wish everyone who is already pregnant a happy and anxiety-free postpartum period.