Breastfeeding newborns and infants

Posted by Samantha Radford on July 22nd, 2019

Breastfeeding is so important to your baby's health! When they're young, breastfeeding reduces the chances of SIDS. As baby grows older, the breastmilk you provided during infancy and toddlerhood continues to provide resistance to obesity, Type II diabetes, and other chronic health conditions.

And breastfeeding is important for mom's health too! Breastfeeding reduces risk of several cancers as well as increasing cardiac health. And the great thing is, the longer you extend your breastfeeding relationship, the greater the benefits are for mom and baby!

But the trick is getting over that first hurdle: The first latch, the first day, the first few weeks. This is the hardest time for most moms, and when they need the most support! So here are my tips for breastfeeding your newborn (for more great tips, check out this post too)!

1. Get educated on breastfeeding

So many times, new moms aren't successful at breastfeeding, not because they don't want to do it, but because they are given bad information. They are told they aren't feeding their baby enough, so they need to supplement. Or they're told that breastfeeding hurts, and that they should tough it out. Or maybe they're told they need to get their baby on a schedule as soon as possible

These things aren't true! Not only that, but these messages often sabotage a woman's ability to breastfeed. Find reliable resources (The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding is a fantastic book put out by La Leche League that I believe every breastfeeding woman should own) and block out the noise.

2. Learn about supply and demand

It's not just about the economy! The more you allow your baby to nurse, the more milk your breasts will produce. That's supply and demand in a nutshell.

So you see how setting a schedule for your baby can be devestating to your milk supply. Even if your baby just ate an hour ago (or less!), if she's acting hungry, offer to feed her again. She might be going through a growth spurt, and she'll calm down on the constant all-you-can-eat buffet in a few days. During these growth spurts, just cuddle up with baby, get cozy (in bed if you want!), and have snacks and water on hand.

3. Get your support team on board

While yes, you as the momma will be the one actually doing the breastfeeding, it is not a solo effort. It is a huge help to have family and/or friends who have been there, done that (successfully) and who can provide encouragement.

In addition, it's important to get your partner on board. Fathers can (understandably) become a little jealous, feeling like they lost the connection to mom. But there's lots they can do to help.

Dads are such a huge help in playing a supporting role to breastfeeding. Bringing you water and food makes life a lot easier, as well as holding the baby when you need a break, helping with clothing and diaper changes, and so on.

It's also helpful to find more knowledgable, experienced support. A La Leche League group can make a huge difference by providing advice and even just camaraderie. 

In addition, you'll want to find a board-certified lactation consultant. Unfortunately, pediatricians often aren't well educated on breastfeeding, latch, positioning, etc., and they simply aren't equipped to give good advice on the topic. Someone who specializes in breastfeeding will be much more helpful if problems crop up.

4. Don't worry about a freezer stash

If you look at breast pumping information on Pinterest, you'll see tons of articles telling you how to build a massive freezer stash! Believe it or not, doing so could actually be detrimental to you getting an optimal milk supply.

Why? Well, first, if you're pumping a ton of milk while you're also nursing your baby, you're going to end up with oversupply. Your breastmilk will tend to be thinner and lead to indigestion for your baby.

And later on, if you get too reliant on that stash and don't pump faithfully once you're back to work, you are going to tank your supply and will have a hard time feeding your baby when you are home. So only make a "stash" that's perhaps a week's worth of milk (at most), and try to just use what you pumped the day before each day for your baby.

Conclusions on breastfeeding a newborn

I hope this has been helpful information! Breastfeeding can be such a loving, connecting, powerful experience for you and your new baby. I would love for more mothers to get to experience the joy that can come with nursing.

If you take the time to educate yourself on breastfeeding best practices before baby comes, you are likely to have a much easier time (and less likely to give up after only a few weeks). Enjoy your new baby and happy parenting!