THE BABY IS BORN, HOW TO START BREASTFEEDING?

After waiting so long, the baby is finally born. You look him in the eyes, you fill with happiness and you wonder, and now? If you have chosen to feed your baby with your milk, the best option from the nutritional and emotional point of view, we tell you how to start breastfeeding.

It is likely that at that time you will have the help of the midwife or another professional specialized in breastfeeding that will explain the first steps, but the more prepared you are better, so we will advance everything you need to know to start your foot lactation.

The first hour after delivery, fundamental

The first hour after delivery is essential to establish the basis of a happy breastfeeding. After delivery, the baby is extremely receptive to your skin, to your smell, there is an import between them, therefore it is recommended place it on the chest immediately after birth, even before the expulsion of the placenta. This will contribute to breastfeeding being able to establish itself without problems and to favor the emotional interaction with your baby.

His instinct at this time is so strong that if the baby is placed on the mother's womb, this smell-guided crawls to the chest to start sucking. This phenomenon is known as Breast Crawl.

In Babies and more If you place it on your abdomen after delivery, the baby will instinctively crawl up to your chest

There are mothers who do not have the possibility of breastfeeding as soon as they are born, especially if they have had a C-section. In some centers they allow skin-to-skin contact even after a C-section, following the recommendations of not separating the mother and the baby, but it is not the most common. If the mother cannot, it is recommended to make skin with father-baby skin since early contact has great benefits for the baby's development.

What happens the first hours after delivery

The first take

Either during childbirth (better) or as soon as the mother feels in condition it will be The moment of the first shot. You will already be calm in the room and it's time to put the baby to the chest. Will it hurt? What will the feeling be like? Will I have enough milk? They are some of the most common concerns.

To start, you have to adopt a comfortable posture for both. At the beginning opt for the traditional posture and then you will go looking for new positions. The mother has to be seated, or if you feel pain after the semi -umb birth, with the back well supported and holding the baby with the forearm. If you prefer, you can place a pillow, a cushion or a nursing cushion under your arm.

There should be no items that interfere between the baby's chest and mouth. The more skin to skin contact, the better. Once you have achieved the position that is most comfortable for you, something extremely important comes: the baby's grip on the chest. A bad grip can lead to problems such as pain, cracks, the baby receives little milk, etc ...

How should the baby cling to the chest?

The baby's mouth should cover all or almost all the breast areola and the nipple must be completely inside your mouth, on the soft palate in the upper part of the mouth. To make it clearer, the nipple should not be left on the baby's lips but all inside the mouth. The milk comes out through the nipple but thanks to the sucking that the baby makes of the breast.

The baby's sucking reflex will send the mother's brain the order to produce prolactin, the hormone responsible for milk production.

If the baby does not take to the breast immediately, do not be overwhelmed, keep trying. Some do it right away and others take a little longer. To help you, let him in contact with your bare chest most of the time, near your smell and your heat. Most babies perform the first take within two hours after delivery.

At first there will be no milk, the first thing your baby will receive will be colostrum. Colostrum, an aqueous and yellowish substance composed of immunoglobulins, water, proteins, fats and carbohydrates that gives the newborn everything it needs.

In Babies and more 11 positions to breastfeed and achieve successful breastfeeding, what is yours?

The first 12 hours

After delivery, the first revision and the first dose, the baby feels exhausted and most likely sleeps for a few hours. The healthy newborn is able to self-regulate his intake, so it is not necessary to wake him up to give him a second shot.

Keep your baby in your room and close to you to be aware of any signal and to offer the breast as soon as he wakes up.

Take advantage of these hours to rest and recover from childbirth. Visitors can wait and by the way, speaking of visits, do not be overwhelmed by advice on how to feed or how to care for your baby. Trust your instinct and connection with your baby. You will know how to do it.

The first 24 hours

After a few hours of rest the baby will wake up wanting to breastfeed. Keep it with free access to the chest and offer it whenever you want, without schedules, on demand. Over time you will recognize the baby's gestures that indicate that he wants to breastfeed: he puts his hands in his mouth, makes the sucking movement or opens his mouth looking for the breast. Do not wait for me to cry, as soon as you notice these signs, place it on your chest.

There is also no time for each shot, you do not have to watch the clock. The newborn can get to do between 8 and 12 daily shots and it will take the amount you need. When you empty one chest place it in the other. It is very important that you consider the importance of the longer the baby is breastfeeding, the more he will suck and the more milk production will be activated.

The first 48 hours

If you had your baby in the hospital, surely this day you go home. Between 30 and 72 hours after delivery, milk rises. In first-time mothers it usually occurs later, while in multiparous women, before.

Depending on how breastfeeding has been established from the first hours after birth, the rise of milk It will be more or less problematic. If you put the baby to the breast right after birth and suck on demand several times a day, the upload process will be less awkward and painful. If it has been very gradual, it may not even be noticed.

Once you are at home, keep the same recommendations: offer the breast on demand, always check that the grip is correct and try to empty one breast before offering the other to avoid breast engorgement or engorgement.

Any questions you have, pain or problem when breastfeeding seek the help of a lactation consultant in your area. They are qualified and prepared professionals to advise mothers during this stage.

I hope these tips help you successfully start breastfeeding once the baby is born. The first moments can be disconcerting, so knowing in advance how to act will make you feel more confident in the power you have to feed your baby.