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Prepare for your baby's feeding journey with the best breastfeeding tips for before birth, while you're in the hospital, and at home.
Updated on February 8, 2024 In This Article In This Article
If you're nursing a baby, breastfeeding tips from experts and real parents can make your feeding journey easier. The benefits of breastfeeding are well-known, and range from prevention of childhood obesity to decreased risk of infection, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and allergies. But breastfeeding can also be very challenging, particularly at first.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while nearly 84% of lactating parents breastfeed soon after birth, only close to 58% are still nursing at all six months later—and less than 24% are doing so exclusively.
That's low when you consider that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for six months—and suggests some form of breastfeeding for two years. (The organization also recommends paid parental leave to support these efforts, but to date, there is no national standard; the United States is one of only seven countries without a government-mandated policy or plan for parental leave.)
In short, although experts recommend breastfeeding, the reality of life for American parents can make breastfeeding especially challenging. Breastfeeding parents can benefit from all the help they can get, so here are our best breastfeeding tips to help make the journey just a little bit easier.
Read on for some simple and proven breastfeeding tips from breastfeeding experts to help you make it through, from before your baby arrives to during your hospital stay to settling in at home.
You can start to prepare for your breastfeeding journey even before your baby arrives. Here are some breastfeeding tips to implement before your baby is born.
Did you know that you can make an appointment with a lactation consultant before your baby is even born?
"Consider meeting with a lactation consultant or another nursing expert before you have the baby," suggests Dee Kassing, IBCLC, a lactation consultant in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. "They can share tips that will help in the beginning, and you'll know [who] to call if you have a problem. International Board Certified Lactation Consultants, or IBCLCs, have had the most intensive training."
Before your baby arrives, create a "nursing station," or an area with a comfortable chair, a nursing pillow, and a side table for snacks, water, nursing pads, burp cloths, and a charger with an extra-long cord (Trust us on that one!). You'll spend a lot of time there, and it can be helpful to have everything within arm's reach.
You may have planned on a prenatal class, but many hospitals and areas also offer separate feeding classes that can be very helpful because they have more time and information devoted to solely feeding topics. If you have a partner or co-parent, feeding classes can also be a great way for them to learn more about what breastfeeding entails for the lactating parent and how you can both be a part of the feeding journey.
Your breastfeeding journey will most likely begin in the hospital or birth center (experts recommend initiating breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth). But don't expect to know everything right away. Remember, you're learning along with your baby and it's perfectly acceptable to ask for help, even right from the beginning of breastfeeding. Here are breastfeeding tips to put into action while you're still in the hospital.
Jaye Simpson, IBCLC, a lactation consultant in Sacramento, California recommends asking to speak with a lactation consultant right away if you experience any pain when you begin breastfeeding. Many hospitals have lactation consultants on staff, and they will be happy to help.
"If the nurse in the hospital says your latch 'looks great' but it still hurts, call a lactation expert (IBCLC)," Simpson says. "If your doctor says your baby is not gaining enough weight, call. If your nipple is injured, call. If your gut says something isn't right, speak up. You can save yourself weeks and weeks of pain and trouble."
Your partner or loved ones can also be a positive source of support, right from the beginning of your feeding journey.
"If possible, your partner should be there when you meet with the lactation consultant, both in the hospital and afterward," Jan Ellen Brown, IBCLC, a lactation consultant in Charlotte, North Carolina, and co-author of 25 Things Every Nursing Mother Needs to Know, points out. "Loved ones can be a great support system and good problem-solvers, particularly if and when you find yourself feeling overwhelmed and sleep-deprived."
In your first days of breastfeeding, you may wonder if your baby is getting enough to eat, but Jenny Thomas, MD, IBCLC, a pediatrician in Franklin, Wisconsin and author of Dr. Jen's Guide to Breastfeeding, encourages parents to remember that colostrum, which is produced before your mature milk "comes in," is very concentrated. And on top of that, your baby's stomach is very small, so it is all they need.
"It may seem like you're producing very little at first—maybe just a few drops of colostrum—but a 1- or 2-day-old baby's stomach is only the size of a marble," Dr. Thomas explains.
Delaying the use of a pacifier while you and your baby establish breastfeeding can be helpful. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that unless your baby absolutely needs a pacifier for comfort, waiting a few weeks to introduce a pacifier may help ensure breastfeeding success.
"The AAP recommends delaying the pacifier for the first month because it can suppress hunger cues and steal time from the breast during a critical period. After that, offering a pacifier shouldn't hurt," explains Laurie Jones, MD, IBCLC, a pediatrician in Phoenix and founder of DrMilk.org.
Once you are discharged from the hospital or birthing center, the work of breastfeeding really begins. Your milk should transition from colostrum to mature milk sometime between two and five days after birth, and feeding will become an around-the-clock job as your body adjusts to how much milk it needs for your baby. Here are some breastfeeding tips to take home with you.
Have the number of someone you can call for help such as a local lactation consultant or your pediatrician's office programmed into your phone for those last-minute questions that pop up after you return home.
Doula and lactation counselor Veronica Jacobsen from Richfield, Minnesota, swears by finding a nursing position that supports your baby's feet. "Babies always seem to nurse better when their feet are touching something, like your leg, the arm of the chair, or a pillow tucked next to you," she says. "It makes them feel more secure."
She also suggests aligning your baby nose to nipple and belly to belly. "Make sure that your baby's stomach is touching yours, so they do not have to turn their head to latch," Jacobsen says. "And point your nipple at their nose, not at their mouth, so they'll lift their head up, open their mouth wide, and latch on deeply."
Next up: the latch. "If you're breastfeeding sitting upright, bring your baby to your breast once their mouth is completely open," says Brown. "Press between their shoulders firmly to bring them to you, while you support your breast. Your nipple will fill the roof of their mouth. If it still hurts after the first few sucks, de-latch and reposition."
And last but not least: Support your baby's neck without pushing on the back of their head. "That triggers their instinct to resist and chomp down. Instead, put your hands at the nape of your baby's neck, and bring them swiftly to your breast," explains Leigh Anne O'Connor, IBCLC, a lactation consultant in New York City.
Along with setting your baby up for success with a good nursing position, positioning yourself properly can help too. For instance, Brown suggests breastfeeding lying down on your side.
"It lets you rest your shoulders and lower back if you tend to hunch over, and it's good for moms who've had a C-section, who have carpal tunnel syndrome, or who are just exhausted," Brown says. "Put a pillow between your knees and your arm under your head, and bring the baby in facing you. Have someone help you at first."
If you fear you may fall asleep, be sure to ask a partner or set an alarm too so you don't risk falling asleep with your baby next to you, which does go against AAP's recommendations for safe sleep.
Brown also says a nursing stool under your feet can help if you sit up and nurse. "It can help give you more of a lap, especially if you're short, and it takes the pressure off if you've had an episiotomy," she notes.
A nursing pillow is also key to help you stay comfortable and keep your baby in an optimum position. Unlike other pillows, a nursing pillow is a firm pillow that wraps around your body and helps with positioning. It can also relieve stress on your back, neck, and shoulders.
Rather than counting the minutes and feeding by the clock, follow your baby's lead. This also goes for when to switch breasts. "You can leave your baby on the first breast until they come off on their own and then offer the second breast," says Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, a lactation consultant in the Chicago area and author of Breastfeeding Answers Made Simple. "It's typical for some babies to take one breast at some feedings and both breasts at others."
It can be hard to follow your baby's lead if they keep falling asleep at the breast. "Try tickling the bottom of their feet, stroking them under the chin, or touching them with a wet washcloth," says O'Connor.
Once breastfeeding has been established and you feel confident in your milk supply, it can be helpful to introduce a bottle to your baby, especially if you will be returning to work soon. Experts recommend aiming for somewhere between 4 and 6 weeks.
"If you wait until 8 weeks, you risk bottle refusal,” cautions Dr. Jones. “Have someone other than you give the first one—and get out of the house so you're not tempted to help out."
Making breast milk is a lot of work. It's so much work, in fact, you'll need even more calories when breastfeeding than you did during pregnancy—about 300 more per day than in the last trimester and even more if you're exercising or have multiples. So go for nutrient-dense foods and lots of water. Keeping healthy, satisfying snacks near where you nurse can help when hunger hits.
An electric breast pump is a must-have if you're going back to work and plan to continue breastfeeding. Look for one with graduated suction-level settings (rather than just high, medium, and low) and several sizes of flanges (or breast shields) available.
Simpson recommends buying new when it comes to breast pumps or renting a hospital-grade pump, especially as you're establishing your milk supply. "A good electric pump has a limited number of hours of motor life before the suction starts to die," she says. The right-fitting flanges are also crucial for pumping success.
"Many lactating parents don't realize that pump flanges come in different sizes," says Jessica Claire, IBCLC, a lactation consultant in Los Angeles. "If the standard shields that come with your pump are too tight or too big, you won't pump as much milk and you could even cause damage. A lactation consultant can help you choose the right ones."
"Unlike those on formula, breast milk-fed babies need the same amount of milk per day when they're 6 months old as they did when they were 1 month old," says Dr. Jones. "By about 1 month, a baby has established how much breast milk they'll need and you don't have to keep increasing how much they eat as they grow…all you have to do is maintain your current supply."
With that in mind, don't worry about constant pumping to stock up on expressed milk in the early days. "You may end up with clogged ducts, mastitis, letdown that's too fast, and exhaustion," says Dr. Jones. Unless you're exclusively pumping, you need only a small reserve.
"As long as your baby is healthy, you really don't have to clean your pump parts every time you've finished pumping," says Dr. Jones. "You can simply put all the parts in a plastic bag, store them in a fridge or a cooler, and pull them out to use again a few hours later."
The CDC does note that you can refrigerate pump parts for a few hours to slow the growth of bacteria, although it does not replace cleaning or sanitizing. It's recommended to thoroughly clean and sanitize all pump parts and feeding supplies regularly, after every pump session if possible.
Breastfeeding can be hard on your nipples, especially in the beginning, but there are steps you can take to repair and protect them. "Use water-based hydrogel pads or apply enough purified lanolin to keep nipples moist between feedings," suggests Mohrbacher.
Lanolin-based creams are a proven remedy, but some consultants prefer organic coconut oil or Motherlove nipple cream, which are not animal products. (Lanolin comes from sheep, which can occasionally cause an allergic reaction.) All are considered safe for babies. Water-based hydrogels can also promote healing.
But keep in mind that your nipples won't heal unless you first solve any underlying latch problems, so if it's an ongoing issue, talk to a lactation consultant.
Clogged ducts can happen when you're breastfeeding, but if you are getting them regularly, Dr. Jones says that assessing possible causes may help. Her breastfeeding tip: "Avoid anything that puts pressure on part of your breasts. That includes baby carriers, diaper-bag straps, even sleeping on the same side every night," she suggests.
Consider downloading an app to track feedings and diaper counts during those foggy first weeks. Or, if you’re pumping, many breast pumps come with an accompanying app that can automatically sync to track pumping sessions and volume.
Having a record of your pumping and feeding sessions can help you know how much your baby is eating and keep you organized if you want to add or decrease a pumping or feeding session. Plus, it can just feel good and validating to have a visual of the 24/7 job that breastfeeding really is!
