• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms

December 10, 2016 by ds_51230 Leave a Comment

Breastfeeding may seem like the most natural thing in the world, but it can take some getting used to — for both you and baby. Sleepless nights, lack of energy and sore nipples are par for the course for many new mothers. Arm yourself with information and get help when you need it, and your new baby will soon be eating like a champ.

Proper Positioning

Your baby’s mouth should be fully covering the nipple with her lower lip spread out underneath. You could hold your baby in the traditional cradle hold, but there are other ways to hold her, like the football hold — under your arm — or the side-lying position. If you’re not sure whether your baby is doing it right or if you are feeling a lot of pain, talk to a lactation consultant, no matter which stage of breastfeeding you’re at. Attending a La Leche League meeting can also offer you some tips.

Baby’s Bed

A newborn, breastfed baby is likely to wake up within two or three hours for a feeding. If his bed is down the hall, this can seriously disturb your sleep. Though the medical community is divided on whether or not it’s OK to have your baby sleep in the same bed with you, you can get closeness and safety by using a co-sleeper crib, which attaches to your bed. When he wakes up, you simply roll over, nurse him, place him back in his bed and go to sleep yourself.

Breastfeeding Clothes

Feeding babies is the main reason that breasts exist, but the way that breasts are sexualized makes many women feel uncomfortable just “flopping it out,” particularly in public. Even if you don’t plan on breastfeeding at the mall or a restaurant, there will come a time when you have to breastfeed in front of family and friends. Nursing clothes have designs that allow you to easily expose your nipple without exposing your whole breast or stomach. If you don’t have these types of clothes, you can get the same effect by wearing a tight-fitting tank top underneath a looser top — lift the top shirt up and bring your breast out of the top of the tank top.

Soothing Sore Nipples

Pain is one of the reasons that women give up on breastfeeding. It’s common to experience some nipple pain when you first start breastfeeding, especially if your baby isn’t latching on properly. A lanolin cream made for breastfeeding is a safe bet, but avoid other creams because they may not be safe for your baby. You can also apply breast milk to the area or try placing cold cabbage leaves in your bra. When your breasts hurt because they are engorged with milk, try nursing your baby to get the size down or pumping the milk into containers for later use.

Eating Enough

You need about 200 to 500 extra calories to produce the milk that your baby needs. Do this by eating healthy snacks throughout the day along with your regular meals.

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Parenting

About ds_51230

Maggie McCormick is a freelance writer that specializes in SEO content. She lived in Japan for three years teaching preschool to young children and currently lives in Honolulu with her family. Her work has appeared on eHow, and she received a BA in women's studies from Wellesley College.

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Search

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

How to Save Your Kid from Drowning

The lifeguard moving quickly past Lindsey’s chair seemed to … [Read More...] about How to Save Your Kid from Drowning

Must Have

STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

April has arrived which means it’s time to pull out the food … [Read More...] about STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

Did you know?

Negative Effects of Single Parent Homes

The Negative Effects of Single Parent Homes on Children

Signs of Water Breaking in Pregnancy

Signs of Water Breaking in Pregnancy

what causes baby hiccups

What Causes Baby Hiccups?

Soothe Red and Irritated Skin After a Brazilian Wax

How to Soothe Red and Irritated Skin After a Brazilian Wax

What Can I Substitute for Butter When Making Frosting?

How Many Calories Does 10,000 Steps Burn

How Many Calories Does 10,000 Steps Burn?

pregnancy & tooth pain

Pregnancy & Tooth Pain

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2023 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.