Read more about Food
Let the baby, not the clock, be your guide:
Babies are pretty good at eating just what they need. Some babies consume little at once and so eat often whereas some others take in more at a sitting and so eat less frequently. This is why you should let your baby determine how long and how often they eat. Don’t deny them food because enough time has not passed since the last feed. At the same time, don’t wake your baby because your breasts are engorged. Don’t wake them up because they’ve slept past your predetermined interval between feedings. Let the baby sleep. Feed him when he wakes up.Mama, Relax and be Comfortable:
Breastfeeding is usually not a sharp sharp affair. So, maintaining an uncommon sitting position for a long time will cause back pain, neck or shoulder pain. This is why you need to get comfortable. Check out breastfeeding positions and adopt the ones that suit you.Help your Baby find a Comfortable Position:
While breastfeeding, your baby will try to adopt a position that is best for them. Make it easy for them to get into that position and to be as comfortable as possible therein.Sign up to the Connect Nigeria daily newsletter
One way to do this is to ensure that your baby is positioned in such a way that their mouth is level with your nipple. Their head should tilt backwards slightly and they should not have to turn it much or at all. Most importantly, make sure your breast is not covering its nostrils. This is to prevent suffocation.
Don’t Self Medicate:
This cannot be overemphasized. I know a lactating mother who nearly lost her life because of this. “Nursing Mothers, leave that Nurse Eliza in your street alone.” I’m shouting as loud as I can now oh! If you have a health condition, talk to your health care provider and let him prescribe drugs for you. Remember that your baby partakes of what you consume. Don’t jeopardize their health. I’ve sha said my own.Lest I Forget, Involution is Real:
Pains don’t end with childbirth. There is such a thing as involution or after pain. Don’t panic; it’s your uterus shrinking back to its original size. Involution refers to short, sharp cramps that you may experience in the abdomen in the first few days of breastfeeding. These cramps are triggered by the hormone, oxytocin which is released by breastfeeding and skin to skin contact with your baby. If you find the pain unbearable, your healthcare provider can prescribe a pain killer for you. I hope you find these tips useful. Sources: Healthy Women Mum 365 Featured Image Source: The CutGot a suggestion? Contact us: editor@connectnigeria.com