The first rule to successful breastfeeding is to initiate the feeding within the first hour of delivery for a smooth journey. But not always things go as we plan so it's important to be more prepared. The more tools we learn the more easily will overcome the small bumps in our journey!
Every process has some rules and I am about to share 3 cardinal rules to breastfeeding that apply to all mom and baby dyad without any exception!
So let's get started!
Rule 1 Feed your baby:
Babies are born with very small reserves so we cannot keep them hungry. If we do not feed them in regular intervals then as a survival instinct, they will shut off their functions and fall asleep at the breast. It will be very difficult to arouse such babies and breastfeeding will suffer. It's like if there is no fuel in the car, how do we expect it to run. Similarly it's very essential to feed your child at regular intervals so that they have enough energy to breastfeed as it's an energy intensive process.
Rule 2 Maintain your supply :
It's very crucial that you give enough stimulation to your breast so that your milk supply is not hampered. Your body works on demand and supply mechanisms, so if we are not giving enough signal to our body to make milk, your supply will start to diminish. So if the baby is not taking feed directly at the breast , it's very important to either start hand- expressing or use a pump for effective milk removal. The pumped / expressed milk can be used to feed your child.
Rule 3 Bond with your child:
While we are working on your supply and feeding your baby , it is very important that something happy is going around the breast. If we force or coax the baby to take the breast, the baby gets conditioned that this process is very taxing and breastfeeding gets further difficult. On the contrary , SKIN to SKIN contact is a very powerful tool, it helps to develop a great bond between you and your baby and at the same time facilitates breastfeeding. Every mother should practice this for at least 30 min to see its results.
Sometimes establishing breastfeeding can take more time than expected so it’s very important to simplify things for yourself with easy tools, keep your patience and have faith that eventually you will get the desired result!
Stay happy and stay blessed!