Swarnaz – Impossible is Nothing

If you’re a new mom, you’d know that in the act of breastfeeding, latch is that moment that joins everything together both for the mom and the baby. Latching is that moment when your little bundle of joy sucks on to your nipple and areola and start sucking milk. As soon as your baby understands how to establish that perfect latch, the soreness of your nipples will gradually vanish and the little baby will begin to get all the nutrition that it needs.

Now that you’re a new mom and you’re yet to understand the needs and communicative signs of your baby, how are you going to pull off latching all alone? Well, you can’t just stop having faith in yourself as long as you’re parenting a baby. Babies designed for breastfeeding as they’re born with the basic instincts of finding their mom’s breasts automatically and latching on without help. Here are few steps to take to get your baby latch on to your breast.

• Feel comfortable

You have to understand the relaxed position where you can sit and feel comfortable while breastfeeding. Experts recommend moms to feed in a reclined posture but if you’re not comfortable in that, you may change according to your convenience. When you lie back, gravity helps you to support your baby.

• Begin to breastfeed soon after your baby’s birth

The sooner you begin with breastfeeding, it is more likely that the baby will latch on and make the process simpler for you. The sooner you latch on your baby; the supply of milk to your breast will remain strong. Right after the time your baby is born, it will have a natural reflex to crawl near the breast of its mommy and begin nursing. The bare skin touch between you and your baby will trigger the reflexes even faster.

• Set up your baby to nurse the right way

Take your bare chest and start off by putting your baby tummy down. Your baby should be in nothing apart from a diaper. You may place her horizontally or vertically, as it pleases you. Place a hand on her upper back neck to give her a steady support. Gradually encourage her interest in sucking on to your nipple and make her mouth open wide for the first milk.

• Take a breastfeeding class

Nowadays most birthing centers and hospitals offer breastfeeding classes so that the mom is ready to help her baby latch on to her breast soon after her birth. The instructors will teach you latching through videos by using dolls so that you can get easier with the process. Moms can even connect with new moms.

For new moms, it is common to feel tender and sore at the nipple during breastfeeding, particularly at the beginning. Focus on the way your nipple looks once your baby detaches, In case it is bleeding or cracked or compressed, that is not normal. Speak immediately with your gynecologist.