How to Breastfeed Your Baby? Here is the simple step-by-step guide to breastfeeding your baby and information on breastfeeding problems, and benefits of newborn baby breastfeeding.

Your baby will be put on your breast within the first hours of birth. Baby will instinctively open her mouth as soon as she feels your softness, and close right over the nipple. Her gums will press on the areola and force the fluid through the nipple. To start with all the newborn baby gets for the first three days is colostrums, a yellowish substance which is all the nourishment that she needs. It’s packed with proteins and antibodies too and helps empty out her digestive system.

In the hospital, you will be shown the best position to breastfeed your newborn baby while sitting or lying. You may be expected to feed on the baby’s demand, not less than three hours or not more than 5 hours. Learning to do anything for the first time takes patience.

In the beginning breastfeeding your newborn baby may be a little disturbed and the baby may not seem to be satisfied; this is quite normal and usually passes. Remember that baby will not suck all the time while at your breast, and takes natural rests. Put your finger on the corner of your newborn baby’s mouth and press on the nipple to break the suction when you want to get the baby off the breast. Once your baby starts taking a full-length feed, you will find that she empties out the first one. But only takes a small amount from the second. So start feeding from a different breast each time.

If you feel that your newborn baby can take more milk than you are producing, remember that breastwork is a demand-and-supply action. The more baby sucks, the more milk will be made. Once your milk flow has been established you may find that it dwindles with emotional upsets. Don’t be tempted to top up the feeds with artificial milk, for breasts are never empty, but will produce as much milk as the baby needs, and breasts do not have to feel full to supply extra milk.

Allow baby to feed to her tummy’s content. Your milk supply will spurt and she’ll need less frequent feeds. The time between fees will vary between feeds and between babies. Breasts and hands must be washed with soap and water and wiped dry with a clean cloth both before and after each feed. Remember. Size does not matter. It has nothing to do with milk supply and breastfeeding will not ruin your figure, provided you wear a well-fitted bra even at night.