Breastfeeding Skills Part 1

Unfortunately, breastfeeding is something that only mommies can do. The most that we can expect from daddy is support. If you are a father, support during breastfeeding time has a tremendous effect on its success!

Although breastfeeding is a natural process, it is also a learned skill for both mother and her baby. You need to learn how to put your baby to your breast, know when the baby is feeding well, how to know when your baby is full and how to know if you are running into problems. Be patient. It can be frustrating, it would be so much easier to just buy milk formula then feed your baby with it. However, breastfeeding is a natural alternative to feeding. Aside from the bonding time that you get during breastfeeding, you will be giving your baby Colostrum. This is what you will give your baby for the first 2-3 days. Colostrum is rich in vitamins, protein, and substances which will protect infants from germs. Colostrum is thicker than milk formula and somewhat yellow tinged in color. Do not be alarmed if the color of your milk is not pure white. This is Colostrum. it contains immunoglobulins that help in providing immunity to your newborn child. Breast milk also contains fat. This is an important ingredient as it helps baby to gain weight and feel full and sleepy at the end of a feed and increases with the length of time baby spends on one breast.

The Basics

• Your baby’s face should be facing your breast (not the ceiling) and the body should be in line. If you look down, the ears,tip of the shoulder and hip bone will be in a straight line. That way, the baby’s head will not be twisted to the side.
• Baby’s mouth should be across from your nipple or even slightly below.
• You can support your baby in different ways with your arms and pillows.

Different Breastfeeding Positions:

• The Football Hold: This works well for mothers who had a C-section, mothers with flat nipples and for small babies. Sit upright with pillows at your side. Support the back of baby’s neck with your hand, allowing baby’s head to tilt back a little.

• Cradle Hold: Hold where baby is positioned across the abdomen so that the baby’s whole body faces the mother’s body and the baby’s head is supported by the mother’s arm. The baby’s lower arm is tucked around the mother’s waist. The baby’s ear, shoulder and hip should be in a straight line.

• Lying Down Cradle Hold: Mother is lying on her side, stomach to stomach with baby. Mother can cradle the baby with her arm, resting on the side supporting her breast properly with the other hand. using the arm holding the baby, she moves baby close enough to guide the breast to the mouth.

• Transverse Hold/Cross Cradle: Sit upright with good back support and a pillow in front of you. Lie baby across yor body facing you. Hold breast with hand on same side while supporting back of baby’s neck and shoulders with your other hand. When baby is feeding well, try taking hand from breast and put around baby for support.

These are the 4 most common breastfeeding position. Whatever is most comfortable to the mother is the one usually used. Make breastfeeding an enjoyable moment both for you as the mother and your baby.

Part 2 of this post will be about:

1. Latching
2. Length of feeding
3. Ways of burping the baby
4. Breast Pain and Engorgement