Breastfeeding is natural but that doesnt mean easy! The first few weeks can be very difficult. You need to learn and so does your child. Here, from a lactation consultant, is a few tips to make the transition easier. Many new moms are unaware of the second night concept and end up having some doubts about breastfeeding. During the first 24 hours most babies are sleepy and fairly calm. They have been through a huge and very tiring transition. But on the second night, things change. Your sweet little baby discovers that he is no longer in the womb. He cant hear your heartbeat and lungs anymore and its not warm and cozy, so he tends to cry a quite a bit more. There are all kinds of new noises, lights, and smells. It is very overwhelming for baby. Its normal for babies to cry when they leave the breast and want to return often. Being at the breast is comforting and they can experience the same sounds, smells, and warmth they did when they were in the womb. You may be overwhelmed and it may seem like your baby wants to eat all the time, fall asleep, and then wake up as soon as you put them down! What do you do? • Do lots of skin to skin contact with baby. This is the closest he will get to being back inside that safe, cozy uterus. • Let him nurse, this will help your full milk supply come in faster. Remember, the colostrum is all he needs until then. • When he drifts off to sleep at the breast after a good feed, break the suction and slide your nipple gently out of his mouth. Dont move him except to pillow his head more comfortably on your breast. Dont try and burp him — just snuggle with him until he falls into a deep sleep where he wont be disturbed by being moved. Babies go into a light sleep state (REM) first, and then cycle in and out of REM and deep sleep about every half hour or so. If he starts to root and act as though he wants to go back to breast, thats fine ... this is his way of settling and comforting. • Let baby have his hands. They were always available to him in utero, keep them that way now. He had fingernails in utero too, if he does scratch himself, it will heal quickly. Let him touch and feel — no mittens or swaddling those arms! Remember: this second night concept might happen every once in a while after a visit to the doctor, grandparents house, to the mall, to church etc. Remember that for baby, the breast is home.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 07:24:00 +0000