Getting Started
Contact your midwife for local workshops on baby feeding- it's never to early to start thinking and finding out about it see local info page
Babies are born to breastfeed!
They have natural instincts and reflexes available to them to seek out the breast and find food like any other mammal can do.
The human species has been breastfeeding for nearly half a million years, and if it were as difficult as some women (and men) believe- the human race would have died out.
Once your baby has been born hold him naked against your skin and you can witness this amazing instinct.
Laid on your tummy most babies will
- Push themselves to the breast.
- Bob their heads from side to side searching.
- Then lunge to latch onto the breast
SKIN TO SKIN CONTACT AT BIRTH
The first really important hours after birth are yours and your baby's opportunity to do what is natural.
If he is held in skin to skin contact, you will see his alert readiness to feed.
This type of contact will help to-
- Calm your baby following the birth
- Settle his temperature to normal
- Steady his breathing
- Give an extra kick-start for your hormones to provide milk
- Give you both chance to get to know each other
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The maternity staff can help you position and attach him in the most comfortable way to receive some food as soon as he is ready after birth- This will be within the first hour or so!
During the first few months after birth you will still see this instinctive feeding behaviour at work if you hold your baby close.
When he starts to bob his head bring him into the right position and allow him the opportunity to 'help himself'. If you start each feed this way you can be sure your baby is ready to feed and you can work with his instinct see how to breastfeed