Parenting Guru

Breastfeeding is the natural way to feed your child. It is the only way to provide your baby with the required amount of nutrients. Formulas are poor substitutes for mother’s milk. All would-be moms know the benefits of breastfeeding, thanks to the dedicated propaganda extolling the merits of feeding mother’s milk to the newborn baby. However, when it comes down to the practicality of it, the new moms give up the effort for a variety of reasons. The most important reason is usually the new mom’s inability to get the hang of it. Even the doctors and nurses don’t give proper instructions to get the breastfeeding process started. This creates a frustrating situation for both mom and baby.

The first thing to remember is to sit in a comfortable position, preferably with your legs crossed in a manner that makes your lap comfortable for the baby. Then hold the baby in your arms to get the baby to latch on to the breast properly. You will need to guide the baby to help him latch on, especially if you have a lower supply of milk. If the baby is having trouble latching on properly, the baby will not be satisfied. This will make the whole process longer causing frustration to both mother and child.

Ideally, the hospital should make you comfortable with the breastfeeding process before they let you go home. But, that usually does not happen. As a mother, you will have to devise your own methods to feed your baby. So, follow your own intuition and if you feel uncomfortable, try to find out how to solve the problem. Start trying to get the baby to latch onto the breast immediately after birth. If the baby tastes formula milk before breastfeed, he will take longer to get used to it.

As a mother, it is your duty to eat a well balanced nutritious diet so that you can pass on the nourishment to your baby through breast milk. Cook simple but healthy meals at home and avoid junk food completely. You need to have healthy things in your body so that you produce healthy breast milk. Eat a lot of vegetables and fruit and watch your weight.

Breastfeeding is very important to keep your baby healthy. Only your breast milk provides the essential nutrients your baby needs as he or she starts to grow and develop. It has been proven that breastfeeding not only bonds mother and child, providing good nutrition, but it also helps a newborn baby fend off diseases and build a healthy and strong and immune system.

Though breastfeeding had gone out of fashion some years ago, it has come back with a bang. Now mothers and doctors have started extolling the benefits of breastfeeding with much gusto. Breastfeeding is undoubtedly the most natural way to feed your newborn baby.

Keith Tennent is a pregnancy symptom expert, who now manages a web site. Click to visit his web site for info on ectopic pregnancy.