Breastfeeding Tips
With Breastfeeding Week beginning August 1st, it is important to know some of the more important breastfeeding tips that a new mother could use on her journey to breastfeeding her child. See below for our top 8 tips regarding breastfeeding!
Tip #1
Let your baby set the pace. Watch your baby for cues, such as rooting, sucking motions, and restlessness. Feeding your baby at least 8-12 times per day.
Tip #2
Hold off on giving your baby a pacifier. A pacifier given to an infant too soon might interfere with breastfeeding by causing nipple confusion. Wait until breastfeeding is well established, about 2-4 weeks.
Tip #3
Take care of yourself. The early weeks of your breastfeeding relationship can be busy. Sleep when your baby sleeps, eat a healthy diet, including small meals or snacks, and drink plenty of fluids.
Tip #4
The more often you feed your baby the more milk you will make.
Tip #5
Support from partners, family members and friends as well as peer support groups, like the one offered at Fort HealthCare, are important to the success of mothers while breastfeeding.
Tip #6
Here is a tip for flying with breast milk: Your breast pump is considered a medical device so therefore can be brought on the plane in addition to your carry on. Check www.tsa.gov for rules and regulations on traveling with breast milk prior to traveling.
Tip #7
Hand expression is a skill that costs nothing, may assist in milk let down, increase milk production, and is always available.
Tip #8
Breastfeeding offers mother’s health benefits such as reduced rates of breast and ovarian cancer, anemia and osteoporosis.
Fort HealthCare is a “Baby Friendly” accredited facility. The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global program that was launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 1991 to encourage and recognize hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding and mother/baby bonding. To learn more, please visit our Baby Friendly page.
Baby Friendly Facility