Helpful Breastfeeding Tips
Hi mama,
As a mom of 5 these are my top 6 breastfeeding tips!
The Haakaa is a lifesaver.
My all time favorite breastfeeding item is the Haakaa pump. I had several clean and ready to use by my rocker so that I never leaked on my clothes on the opposite side baby was nursing on. My let downs were fast for the first few months and it helped me to not waste milk. It was an easy way to collect milk and not be dependent on my pump. They are the best if you are nursing and wanting to store up a milk stash in the freezer.
How to keep baby awake!
Babies can be so sleepy in the first few weeks. Here are some of my best ways to keep them awake during feeding.
- Get them undressed to feed. When they are warm and cozy they often doze off. Your body heat will keep them warm enough during the feed doing skin to skin.
- Rub their back and shoulders and arms to help keep them stimulated while they eat.
- If they fall asleep you can reposition them, change their diaper or burp them to try and wake them up again.
- Switch sides you are feeding them on.
I find that for me the best pattern to feed baby so they are the most awake is right after they take a long nap. I follow the 1.) Sleep 2.) Wake up and eat right away 3.) Play/awake time and 4.) Repeat. I try not to feed my baby to sleep and let them naturally fall asleep when they are tired without a feeding. I find that it helps a lot.
Claw clips are an amazing tool!
There is nothing more frustrating when you are nursing and your t-shirt keeps falling down, distracting your baby and making it hard to see if you have a good latch! That is where the genius claw clip comes in. Just scrunch your shirt up and put your claw clip around all the material and voila!
Nipple Cream, DON'T SKIP!
If you're nursing , nipple cream is a must to make sure you don’t get sore or cracked nipples. Anything you can do to prevent yourself from getting sore, helps promote a happy breastfeeding experience for mom. This is my tried and true cream I loved with all of my babies but there are so many you can choose from to fit your needs!
I really believe that you can experience breastfeeding without cracked or bleeding nipples, and it all has to do with prevention. Let your nipples dry properly from milk and baby’s latch before putting cream on. Use your cream EVERY TIME after a nursing session. Don’t skip! If you aren’t hearing baby swallow milk any more and they are just sucking for comfort, unlatch them so you don’t get sore! Give them a pacifier to comfort suck, don’t let them use you or you will end up in a lot of pain.
Keeping calm is so important for you and your baby when nursing. Our babies can really feed off our energy and can tell when you are stressed. I recommend feeding in a cool, quiet, less distracting room. When in public or not at your own house, feel free to go to a private room where you feel comfortable nursing. I also love a small fan to keep me cool. Finding a portable fan for on the go can make a huge difference when breastfeeding in those hot summer months.
Multi-Use Cover
There are so many great benefits to using a Multi-Use cover. A cover can provide privacy for moms to breastfeed in public, minimize distraction for the baby allowing them to focus on eating, and provide shelter from weather or cooler temps!
I hope these tips are helpful for you and your breastfeeding journey! Let me know what other good tips you would add to the list, in the comments below.
xo, Karen (Founder & Mom of 5)
