Breastfeeding: Getting Started
Advice and support for nursing your newborn

What’s "Natural" Doesn’t Always Come Naturally

Yes, the act of breastfeeding is 'natural,' but the truth of the matter is that it doesn’t always come naturally. All too often, new parents expect to be handed a newborn who gracefully latches on, nurses no more than 15 minutes on each breast every 3 hours, and delights in a plentiful supply of breast milk within a few short days. While one can only wish this scenario on all new moms, clinging to this idealistic picture of breastfeeding bliss is all but guaranteed to set most of you up for perceived failure. If, however, you prepare yourself for the distinct possibility that your newborn may lack interest or sucking stamina, that each feeding may be different, and your nipples may be a little worse for wear early on, well then you only stand to be pleasantly surprised. Your best bet: Breastfeeding may be natural, but expect it to be a learning process for you and your baby. Some babies are quick learners, while others take their own sweet time.

Advice Abounds

As you try to educate yourself or start your on-the-job training, you’re almost certain to find that anyone who has ever breastfed (or been remotely involved in breastfeeding) considers themselves a full-fledged expert. Some of the advice you get will undoubtedly prove to be very helpful, but be aware that you’ll probably get your fair share of unsolicited suggestions and contradictory, confusing, or just plain wrong advice — even when it comes from moms who have nursed a virtual litter of children, are highly intelligent, and have the best of intentions. Just keep in mind that at the end of the day, there are only a few universally accepted facts about breastfeeding. The rest of what you do and how you do it will be a matter of establishing your own personal breastfeeding style.

Sending Out an SOS (in Search of Support)

Breastfeeding really does have its rewards, but it also can be a very demanding and tiring 24-hour-a-day job. Many a new breastfeeding mother experiences frustration, isolation, and even feelings of entrapment, especially given that 21st-century moms are less likely to have their own mothers or other family members nearby to turn to for advice. If you happen to be one of them, one of the worst things you can do is suffer alone. Of course it’s not any better to find yourself in the company of a well-meaning grandmother who is just waiting for the opportunity to tell you how easy bottle-feeding would be in contrast. Please take a moment and tell yourself that you are absolutely not alone and don’t need to be figuring out the tricks of the trade the hard way! If what you really need is a supportive shoulder to lean on, don’t hesitate to go find one (or several). It may seem like yet one more thing you don’t have time for, but finding that you don’t have to learn to breastfeed alone can make all the difference in the world.

Adapted with permission from Heading Home With Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality. Copyright ©2005 Laura A. Jana, MD, FAAP, and Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP. Published By the American Academy of Pediatrics.

 

A Breast a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Based on many studies done in the United States and elsewhere around the world, we know that breastfeeding is not only nutritionally sound and decreases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), but can translate into fewer colds, allergies, infections, hospitalizations, and visits to the doctor’s office. That’s because protective proteins called antibodies, along with other infection-fighting cells found in breast milk, are continually transferred from you to your baby for as long as you breastfeed. This added level of defense against bacteria and viruses is particularly beneficial during the first several months of your baby’s life when his immune system isn’t yet functioning at full speed.