The 10 Steps You Must Take In The First 24 Hours For Breastfeeding Success

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When you have your babe you should be ready to begin your breastfeeding journey right away. It’s something you need to give considerable thought to before the big day. The first 24 hours are crucial for your breastfeeding success so you should be prepared. It’s good to take a course so you know exactly what to do and Milkology {aff link } is a great choice and it’s only $19!

So what can you do in the first 24 hours to get things started out well? Here’s a list that will move you in the right direction.

Breastfeeding in the First 24 Hours- What To Do To Promote Long-Term Success

Have An Unmedicated Birth { If Possible }

I know this one can be hard. Many women opt for an epidural and there’s no shame in that at all. It can, however, hinder your breastfeeding in the first few hours.

**Don’t forget to pick up your Pregnancy And Baby Freebies from this post. You’ll get $300+ full-size freebies for you and your little one. Really!

The problem with medications like Epidurals, Morphine/Pethidine injection, Induction drugs, and gas are that they can prevent the optimization of certain Hormones. These natural hormones like Oxytocin help with bonding and milk production.

But again, if you do get an epidural then it’s gonna be ok. You may just have to work a little harder.

*Here’s a guide called Milky Mama that you can print out and take with you to the hospital. It includes education on how to latch your baby on the right way as well as the best positions. It’s a great resource! Get it here.

By the way, this post contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Breastfeed Right Away

You should attempt breastfeeding right after birth, but if you can’t for some reason try at least within the first hour. This will help you bleed less by contracting your uterus and it will help get your colostrum flowing and it’s very comforting to your baby. She just went through a pretty dramatic experience and being close to you, suckling and hearing your voice will relax her.

Skin To Skin

This goes hand in hand with breastfeeding right away. You will want baby right up against your skin on your belly while you make your first attempts at nursing. This promotes a slew of hormonal processes that help you both bond and it’s crucial for your breastfeeding success.

Be sure to let the staff know how important it is to you to have your new babe put onto you right away. You’d be surprised at some of the practices that are still performed in the hospital these days and uneducated staff can hinder your success by being pushy, or perhaps they’re just tired and want to rush you. Either way, communication is key. Be firm and clear with what you want. Here’s a breastfeeding plan I created that you can print out and take with you to the hospital. It’s a bit like a birthing plan and it will help you communicate exactly what you want and expect. It’s a pretty watercolor design with all the information on it that you’ll need and it’s free. Go To this page to download it now.

Don’t try to Feed On a Schedule

Many may tell you to set up a feeding schedule right away, even silly hospital staff { They did say that to me }. That’s ridiculous and it will hinder your milk supply. This is terrible advice but most people mean well.

Newborn babies will try to suckle very often for comfort and this is very helpful for bringing in a strong milk supply so do it as often as your baby seems to want it.

In fact, you should feed on demand for the first several months and I would go so far as to say that you’ll never need a schedule. You’ll learn your baby’s hunger cues and they will nurse for comfort as well and that’s ok.

You won’t overfeed your breastfed baby so don’t worry and Following a schedule just creates more stress. You need to be flexible with a newborn because life gets hectic. Trying to follow a strict feeding schedule is counterproductive.

Talk To A Lactation Consultant

Occasionally hospitals have one on staff but often times they don’t so this is your responsibility. They can teach you exactly how to latch your baby onto the breast { This is extremely Important } and they can teach you different ways to hold your baby for comfort. Lindsey at Lactation Link can give you an online consultation or you can take the course I mentioned at the top of the post called Milkology. Both are Certified Lactation Consultants and they can help you and your babe find breastfeeding success.

Rooming In With Your Babe

Can you believe that some hospitals still have a nursery where they take your babe to stay so you can recover alone? This would be ok in certain situations I suppose if there’s a medical purpose behind. But otherwise, it’s counterproductive to bonding, breastfeeding and the baby’s comfort because babies want to and need to be with their mother, especially right after birth. Period.

Make sure to clearly communicate that you want to be with your baby at all times and that not having your baby room in with you is not an option. Again, having a breastfeeding Plan to give them would be very helpful. Download this free one here.

Courses You May Be Interested In!

Postpartum Cure: Rehabilitating your abs and pelvic floor

The Belly Only Pregnancy Program

Milkology: The Ultimate Breastfeeding Course, Only $19

The Ultimate Pumping Class { Breastfeeding }, Only $19

Don’t expect it to come easy

There’s a misconception out there that babies are born knowing how to latch onto the breast. After all, it’s the most natural thing in the world and it’s an instinct, right?

Wrong. Your baby does have an instinct to suckle, that’s true but they DO NOT know how to latch onto the breast and it can be really tricky. Most women who have had no breastfeeding education think you just bring the baby to the boob and put them on but doing this will cause great pain and frustration for both of you.

There’s a very specific way that your babe needs to grasp your breast and you have to learn how beforehand. If the baby doesn’t latch on just right she will get no milk and become very fussy. Your nipples will feel like someone’s thrown gasoline on them and set them afire. Not joking here.

It’s extremely painful to get the wrong latch and very frustrating for you both. This is why many women give up. If only they had been educated on how to do this…

The good news is that once you know how to do it, it’s not hard at all. Education is key. Here’s the Milky Mama Ebook Guide I mentioned earlier. You can print it out and take it with you. But it’s good to take a course or talk to lactation consultant too. A combination of these things will best prepare you.

Finding The Right Position

There are many different awesome ways to hold your baby while breastfeeding. You just have to find the one that’s the most comfortable for you and your babe.

At first, things will be really awkward and that’s normal. This is all new to you both. But it’s important to find a good position that won’t strain your back and will be comfortable for your baby.

I have had three and I can tell you from experience that without the right support and position, your back and neck will get really sore. You don’t need that at all. Your body has already been through so much and it’s healing so don’t put unneeded stressors on yourself.

This book will give you pictures of all the positions you can use. Practice with your baby to find your best choice.

Using a Boppy Pillow and this pillow for support together will help you both be more comfortable as well. Don’t forget to bring them to the hospital when you go.

Think About Yourself

Don’t forget to take care of yourself. For breastfeeding success you’ll need to drink plenty of fluids, rest as much as possible { I know it’s hard }, and eat well. You’ll also need to keep your Postpartum Pain in check. Here’s a great post that will tell you how to do just that.

Don’t Give Up

Things can be really awkward and difficult at first but the rewards of breastfeeding your babe are indescribable. You just need to take a deep breath and keep trying that latch.

Once you get the latch just let them suckle as much as possible and after that, it’s a piece of cake.

Educating yourself beforehand will make things much easier than just going and hoping for the best. That’s a bad strategy that leaves many women disappointed when they are simply unable to accomplish breastfeeding success. Don’t let that happen to you, mama!

Good luck, I wish you all the best and don’t forget to grab the ebook guide Milky Mama!

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