If you’re breastfeeding, chances are you’re going to eventually introduce the bottle at some point or another to your baby. Not everyone is fortunate enough or has the flexibility and patience to be able to consistently breastfeed for as long they want.

When you’re looking to introduce the bottle to your baby, you should first ask why? Is it your lifestyle, work schedule or just the troubles of breastfeeding itself.

If you anticipate you’ll have a busy schedule and regularly are going to be away from your baby for quite some time, then this may be the reason to get ahead of starting your baby on the bottle to get him used to it.

If you’re a stay-at-home mom and just want to incorporate more bottle feedings for convenience, you should consider waiting about a month to a month and a half before considering introducing the bottle. Of course it can take a little longer for some babies to “get” breastfeeding.

Remember that the way a baby sucks milk from a breast is quite different from the way they draw milk from a baby bottle. 

Bottle Feeding After Going Back To Work

One of the major reasons parents introduce the bottle is to supplement their baby with breastmilk when they’re at work. It can be difficult at first to get your baby used to the transition, so it’s important to get him used to the bottle at least 2 – 3 weeks in advance so by the time you’re back at work you won’t struggle with his feedings.

Most of the time you’ll know when you’re headed back to work after maternity leave, but if you’re not sure when you’ll return, get your baby to get used to breastfeeding for one month or so and then introduce the bottle so you’re well prepared for whenever work starts back up.

• Introduce your caregiver so that your baby can get familiar with their face and voice
• Leave your baby with the caregiver for periods of time to get your baby used to being alone with them before you start your job
• Allow the caregiver to try out a feeding schedule you agree upon so you and baby are prepared for whats to come

For breastfeeding babies, they will always choose a breast over a bottle. If you can help it, try to feed with your breast rather than a bottle because it’s the most optimal option for your baby, nutritionally and emotionally speaking.

The baby will feel much more comfortable snuggled up feeding from you while making skin to skin contact rather than a bottle from a caregiver.

How To Get Your Breastfed Baby Used To A Bottle

If your baby doesn’t take to the bottle right away, there’s no reason to worry. It may take some getting used to at first since it may not feel as comforting as the breast. Also, bottles can flow at a much different rate than your breast which can cause confusion and fussiness.

Some other reasons for not taking the bottle is the shape, softness, and the flow of the nipple. Many nipples are shaped in a way that may feel uncomfortable for baby to latch.

Type Of Nipple To Use For A Breastfed Baby

Two types of nipples that you can try that are from each other are  Dr. Browns and Avent. The shapes on both of them are different and you’ll have to try to see which one works best. You don’t have to wash and sterilize all of the bottles. Just wash one from each set with the different nipples to see what the best option is for you.

From my experience, the Avent nipples work better since the nipple is a wider fuller shape and has a wider base, like a full breast. Once you figure out which ones they prefer, you may still have days where your baby is fussy but you must stick with it to get them used to it.

You want to start with an ounce or two for the first time with the bottle to see how your baby does. If he doesn’t take to it, try again during another feeding.

When it comes to the flow of the milk, you want to start off with a “stage 1” nipple that has a slower flow rate so that your baby doesn’t choke from the milk coming out too fast. This is one of the big reasons a baby won’t like the bottle because of the flow is inconsistent with what they’re used to. If your baby seems to be frustrated by the slow flow, then you can move on to “stage 2” or one that has a faster flow.

Your baby will often prefer the type of bottle that delivers the milk at the same rate as they get the milk from your breast, which is often easier to get milk from.

Set A Schedule And Remove Confusion

Babies are quite fast learners and they also like routine. If you try to do too many things at once they will get confused and you won’t know what issues you must fix.

Create a schedule that you can refer to daily. Once you determine the proper wake up time for your baby, stick with it. As soon as your baby wakes, here is the routine you should consider following throughout the day:

1. Take 30 min to fully feed your baby as soon as he wakes up. They are usually well rested and relaxed and best of all hungry enough that they will take to the bottle.
2. Follow up with wake-time for another 30min to 1hr where he can play and do activities.
3. Put your baby down for a nap for 30min to 2hrs when you see he’s drowsy but not completely out. You shouldn’t feed your baby prior to his nap.
4. Repeat the first 3 steps until you get home for a feeding from your breast.

If you do this consistently, your baby will get used to the bottle and your breast as a source of his milk supply.

Consider letting your caregiver offer the first time bottle feeding, so that he associates them with the bottle and you with your breast, eliminating any confusion this can cause. If you still want to be the one to offer the bottle, then try it with skin to skin to encourage a smoother transition.

Remember, you’re baby may fight with you for a while before taking to the right kind of nipple. It helps to cut down on this time if you find the right shape, softness and flow of the bottle which resembles your own nipple as much as possible.

Consistency Is Key For Bottle Feeding Your Baby

Once you get the right kind of bottle figured out, you can go ahead and feed your baby entirely by bottle until he is full. While some babies will have to go back and forth, many will take to the bottle completely once they are comfortable.

Make it a point to stick to the bottle as often as you can and carry on with the routine as consistently as possible so that you don’t have to retrain your baby all over again.

Remember that every baby is different and you’ll have to figure out the little nuances of your baby to introduce the bottle for the first time. It will take a little bit of patience and flexibility but if you keep at it you’ll be well on your way to a happy baby breastfed or bottle fed.

The Best Bottles for a Breastfed Baby

Aside from the ones I recommended earlier, which was the Dr. Browns and Avent, below are some more you can try if you’re still having some trouble.

Most bottles come with a standard size nipple and most likely will not work for your baby. This is because they usually make them narrow and thin which prevent your baby from latching on.

Below are some of the wide-mouthed nipples that will help to create a more comfortable latch and offer a flow that’s right for your baby.

1 – Comotomo Baby BottleThese baby bottles are shaped nicely to resemble a real nipple and breast. The feeling of the silicone is very real and makes the baby take to it easier. A great plus is that the bottle prevents leakage and offers vents to keep air from building up in your baby’s stomach.

You can learn more about the Comotomo baby bottle and buy it here!

2 – Mimijumi

This bottle has one of the widest nipples available on the market and is very easy to clean. The angled design helps to mimic real life breastfeeding and allows your baby to control the flow of the milk.

The natural nipple shape and ventilation system help for a secure latch allowing for less air to be sucked in.

Read more about the Mimijumi Bottle and see where to buy them, here!

3 – Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature

This bottle resembles the breast the closest with the wide neck and nipples to go with it and also has ventilation to reduce air from going down into your baby’s stomach.

If you’re having a lot of trouble with bottle feeding, this bottle could be what you’re looking for.

Read more about the Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature and where to buy them, here!

Get Your Pre-Pregnancy Weight Back With Our 11 Essential Tips Below

You had your beautiful baby after spending so much time in your belly, but now you’re at a cross-roads with how to get your body back vs. making sure you keep a high quality milk supply for your little one.

If you were working out in before the pregnancy, chances are, you’ll be a bit more motivated to get results. But if you weren’t, this is a great way to start.

Wait until your check up at 6 weeks before beginning any workout regimen, or at least 2 months if you’re breastfeeding so that it can normalize. Remember, breastfeeding is also effectively helping you to shed weight naturally so don’t feel the need to jump in too fast.

The secret isn’t to rush all of the weight off, but to take it off slowly and safely just as you put the weight on and let the snowball effect carry you to a newer healthier version of yourself – without sacrificing milk for your baby.

The Risks Of Working Out Too Early Postpartum

Your mind may be on track to losing weight, but your body may not be. Postpartum recovery is crucial for your body because you’re still recovering from the big 3: unstable joints, weakened abs, and a weakened pelvic floor which can lead to those accidental leaks when you sneeze, cough, or lift heavy objects. All three are healing during postpartum and may take longer for some and a shorter period of time for others.

Talk to your physician if she feels that you’re ready to go. And of course, you should feel comfortable during movements without feeling much pain.

Your focus should be on activities like light stretching, walking, and anything that helps strengthen your pelvic floor. You should stay away form doing most yoga poses.

Disclaimer: I am not a healthcare professional – these are my personal tips from my own experience and I strongly advise you to seek a professional if you have any concerns when trying to lose weight postpartum.

Find Your “WHY?” First

Before starting any regimen that can be a long process, it’s important to have a WHY. Why are you trying to lose weight? If your why isn’t important enough, you may find it more challenging to focus and stick with it when the going get’s tough.

Your “why” can be a reminder that is something so important to you that you won’t let anything get in the way of your goal or plan. 

A strong “WHY” can be because you want an abundance of energy and be to stay healthy to take care of your baby for years to come. To endure stressful events. To give the best version of your self to your family. And looking as good as you feel doesn’t hurt either.

You may even notice this type of healthy mentality helping you in other aspects of your life to help you reach any goal. Your why can be a reminder for why you’re challenging yourself in the first place and to never, ever give up.

Exercises to Avoid Right After Your Pregnancy

There are many exercises you will be ready to jump into, but we recommend not jumping at all for some time – at least not until you’re all healed up. As we stated already, stay away from jumping, plyometrics, running, and even most yoga poses. Your pelvic floor is weak and so is your abdominal wall so any kind of abrupt movement can cause further damage and you may even notice leakage.

Stay away from doing deadlifts, planks, pushups, bent over rows, and especially avoid any type of sit ups or leg raise exercises. Zumba and spin classes are also something I would avoid to stay on the safe side to ensure you can lose weight the right way the first time around.

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Exercise For Energy And Baby Carrying Strength

Losing weight happens not so much by how much you’re exercising, but more about what you’re eating and how much of it. Exercise is like burning the candle from both ends to help you get there faster because as your muscles get leaner, you’ll naturally burn more calories even when you’re not in the gym.

You’ll notice that you require less coffee because of the natural boost of energy from more blood flowing through your body. The biggest benefit is that you’ll avoid all sorts of back problems from carrying your baby by integrating a workout and getting stronger. As he gets bigger, you’ll be able to manage him better – even in one handed situations when you’re trying to multi-task.

You may want to spend most of your time in the gym to do cardio exercises, but you’re much better off doing light lifting exercises and less cardio if any at all. If you’re breastfeeding, you’re engorged breasts will feel uncomfortable unless you’re wearing a very supportive support bra.

Cardio encourages more weight loss in the short-term, but you are also risking your milk supply due to dehydration and losing weight too quickly.

Eat More. Eat Often. 

As you work out, you’re body is losing lots of water and electrolytes through sweat. Many women report that their milk supply will dramatically reduce after an intense workout and this is probably due to dehydration and not getting enough food.

Your body consumes up to 500 calories a day depending on how much milk you’re making. If you’r not eating enough, you’ll to feel weaker and your milk production will slow. If anything, weight lifting will make you feel intense hunger and you’ll want to eat anything you can get your hands on so be careful in what you stock up on.

Eat at least small 6 meals a day with snacks included that can range from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean protein. If you’re breastfeeding, you can lose about a 1 pound and 1/2 per week to ensure your milk supply is still flowing.

If you want to STOP FEELING BLOATED while LOSING WEIGHT, I can send you a complete list of specific foods and smoothie recipes for FREE!  Just sign up here:

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Don’t Skip Meals To Lose Weight

This is a hard rule because it’s so easy to do by justifying how busy you were. While it may sound backwards, skipping meals will actually encourage your body to go into survival mode to hang on to every bit of fat you eat because it will think it is not getting enough energy to make milk.

If you’re always eating, your body will realize that food is always coming and will be more willing to work with you and not against you to lose the extra weight.

Stay Away From Fad Diets And Exercises. More often than not, they’re shortcuts that promise quick results but typically cause the opposite results. Use your energy on a steady regimen that’s proven to work in a safe and healthy manner.

Stay Hydrated To Keep Your Milk Flowing

Once you start working out, you’re going to start feeling very thirsty and continue to feel thirsty. Your body needs more water to keep up with your new lifestyle and to continue to produce breastmilk. Your baby doesn’t need water since breastmilk is naturally hydrating.

If you’re finding yourself very busy and forgetting, keep a reusable water bottle on on hand to ensure you always have it by your side and sip throughout the day. You can even add some fruits or lemons to make it more satisfying. You don’t have to drink more than you need in an effort to make more breastmilk because it won’t. Drink to your thirst or you’ll find yourself going to the bathroom all the time.

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Sugar Is Your Enemy

Avoid sweetened drinks such as juice (even 100% natural stuff doesn’t cut it), soda, etc. This is because you never want to drink your calories, instead you want to eat them so you can get slow releasing fuel through the day and feel fuller between meals and snacks. A sugar crash is the last thing you want when your baby is wide awake and needs your attention.

If you’re not careful about anticipating hunger, you’ll often go for the quick snacks that have tons of sugar packed in them even if they claim to be healthy. It’s just not worth it.

Meal Prep To Avoid Sugar Traps

You can fight your impulsive behavior by preparing cut up veggies and fruits in advance so they’re ready to go when hunger strikes. Planning ahead of time is beneficial not only to maintain your energy efficiently, but also offers the vital nutrition found it healthy foods to your baby.

If you don’t have the time to meal prep, there are plenty of services that offer healthy prepared food that’s practically ready to eat.

Walking Is Exercise Too

When you have one of those days that you just don’t have the energy to hit the gym, go for a nice walk. It can be long or short. But just go. Walking is very great for daily stress relief to clear your mind as well as helping with digestion. When you have a body that is working on all levels, you will notice everything just clicks and fires on all cylinders.

When you can’t go outdoors, strap on your baby carrier and walk around the house while you do activities or even read your favorite book to your baby.

Stay Away From Fad Diets And Exercises. More often than not, they’re shortcuts that promise quick results but typically cause the opposite results. Use your energy on a steady regimen that’s proven to work in a safe and healthy manner.

Sleep For Recovery. Meditate For Stress.

Sleep is helpful for a quite a few things. But the number one thing is to keep your mind right which in turn will help keep your body in gear and on track to losing weight. It’s tough with a newborn, but you will have to find openings throughout the day to take naps or even sleep early when your baby sleeps if you can do so.

When you sleep, your body is not only helping to reorganize your thoughts by getting rid of toxins that gather over time, but also help your body to recover from exercising. When you’re well rested, your mind and body will function much smoother and in sync. Often times, a lack of sleep can be counterproductive and keep the pounds from shedding.

Meditating for 15 – 20 minutes in the morning or at night can go a long way in helping to reduce stress and help your overall well being. Your brain will literally change and shift more towards mindfulness and a relaxed state. This will help in the long run to make better decisions and judgement calls for the day.

I hope you found these insights helpful on your journey to a healthier new you that is ready to take on any challenge that’s thrown your way. If you have any questions, post a comment and I will directly reply to you ASAP.

 

 

 

As a parent, you want to make sure that you’re doing everything in your power to help your newborn baby develop in a healthy and happy way.  But you’ve figured out by now that things don’t always go as smooth as we’d hoped.

When your pediatrician tells you that your baby appears to be developing a flat head, you get an awful feeding of disappointment rush over you. It’s ok to feel this way, but the most important thing is to know that you’re baby will be OK and that there are quite a few things you can do to take control.

Will My Baby Need A Helmet?

If your baby’s head doesn’t appear to look better by month four, there’s a good chance he’ll have to wear a helmet going forward. This is because their head is still growing fast between months four and seven and the helmet can help to reverse the flat head syndrome.

So how do the helmets work? They have a small gap in the back where the flat spot is and offer opportunity for the head to grow and fill in the gap while making sure that your baby’s not sleeping on his flat spot. Of course we want to avoid the helmet if possible for the baby’s sake because it’s such a hassle and can get quite expensive – upwards of $1,000 – $2,000.

The amount of improvement you can make with the techniques we’ll go over below will depend on how soon you use them as well as how old your baby is.

How To Know If Your Baby Has Flat Head Baby Syndrome

Otherwise known as plagiocephaly, flat head syndrome is when your baby’s head develops a flat spot on the back of the head as he grows. When this happens, other symptoms will be noticed along with it such as an enlarged forehead and features of the face can become asymmetrical.

You won’t be able to detect this problem while looking at your baby’s face from the front. You must look from the side or top and you’ll see an irregularity in the overall shape of your baby’s head.

What Causes Flat Head Baby Syndrome?

A newborn baby’s head is soft and easily shapes to the surface that it lies on for a extended periods of time. If a baby’s head isn’t placed in various positions while sleeping, the prolonged pressure will begin to flatten out their head.

Today 1 in 10 babies will have flat head syndrome, which is significantly higher than what it used to be back in the 1970’s which was approximately 1 in 300. This has to do with the fact that parents began placing their babies to sleep in their back to prevent SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), which has decreased by 80% as of 2010.

So what are some ways we can help our baby prevent flat head syndrome or help reverse some of the flatness that has already occurred.

How To Stop Flat Head Baby Syndrome

1. Tummy Time, All The Time!

If you’re baby’s head is flat, it’s even more of a reason to keep him off of his back when he’s awake. If you find yourself getting tired of holding your baby and opt for the swing or rocker, instead try reaching for a carrier or sling that can help keep them in an upright position. But remember, nothing beats supervised tummy time! It will help not only with his flat head syndrome, but some of the benefits include developing your baby’s shoulder and neck muscles as well as his arms and back.

It will seem tough at first because your newborn may not like doing tummy time as much. If this is so, then try to do 2 – 4 minutes at a time and slowly increase the amount of time they spend on their tummy. With practice and time, they will learn to like it and can even go as long as 20 minutes at a time.

2. Change Your Baby’s Head Position Frequently!

Remember that you should always put your baby to sleep on their back. Your newborn baby sleeps a lot throughout the day and night, so it’s important to recognize what side your baby prefers to sleep on one. Their preference may be due to sleeping on that side for a long time and now they’re used to it. The down side is that that side of their head will begin to flatten. Remember the position he sleeps on and make sure to shift his head to the other side the next sleep cycle.

If your baby is always looking in one direction, you can consider seeing your pediatrician to see if they can recommend a physiotherapist to help your figure out what could be causing it. They can help resolve weak muscular tissue issues and give you ideas for exercises to help increase your baby’s range of motion.

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3. Use A Baby Carrier For Daytime And Naps

Whether you’re doing chores around the house, reading or studying for your MBA, you’ll have no choice but to figure out a way to get your work done while caring for your baby. And now more than ever, flat head syndrome still needs to be dealt with proactively. A carrier is a great way to keep your baby upright while you sway and carry on with your activities.

If you’re reading, you can create a little standing work station and just sway back and forth. Sometimes you’ll notice that you’re baby’s actually passed out in the carrier and you can just let him take a nap for a while. This is also another great way to closely bond body to body with your baby.

It may seem a little tedious at first putting the harness on, but after a few times, you’ll get quite good at it and actually look forward to it while getting a lot of work done.

4. Adjust Your Nursery Layout

If your baby sleeps in a dark room, chances are that they’re head will be facing the direction of the nightlight or the doorway where light might be peeking through.

Their constant attention to that light make keep their head in that position for a long time leading to flat head syndrome. You can change the way his crib faces the door or alternate the direction that your baby is sleeping from head to feet each sleep cycle.

5. Do Everything On Their Non-Preferred Side

As we stated earlier, you must make it a point to give your baby the most tummy time possible. This even goes for bath time.  Use your hands and arms as much as possible to keep them secure on their side. You can even hold them on their tummy whole bathing their arms, legs, and back. Place their toys mobile on their non-preferred side to keep their neck active and strong.

You should be talking a whole lot with your baby from the non-preferred side as well. Encourage friends and family to do the same. Developing these types of habits can go a long way to helping your baby. If you don’t know what to say or get stuck, try describing the activity your doing in your normal regular voice to help prime their brains for language development and keep the conversation flowing all the time.

6. Adjust Your Holding And Nursing Positions

You’re probably used to holding your baby in a certain way, even while you’re feeding your baby from both sides. You may want to start to incorporate different hold positions while breastfeeding your baby.

Think about how your carry around your baby on your arms when you’re moving from room to room. You may find that you have a preferred way you’re always holding your baby. Remember to keep changing positions.

If you’re breastfeeding and already dealing with vomit and spit-up, get the breastfeeding FlippyBib promo code here.

You may find that switching up different positions for your baby may cause extra spit-up and vomit. This can cause more frustration because you’ll find yourself changing yours and your baby’s clothes more than you can imagine so try this product here.

7. Mix Up Where And What Your Baby Sleeps On

If your baby is only sleeping in his crib or bassinet, try switching up nap time in a bouncy seat or even on your chest or shoulder. This will help to encourage keeping your baby’s head at different angles and pressure points. Allowing your baby to sleep in the same place over and over will continue to do the opposite of what we want achieve here. You can even purchase pillows with a cut out that can help with preventing a flat head while they just lay there supervised.

You must make sure you’re not using it in the crib for long periods of sleep due to SIDS and not really knowing the causes yet for it.

You’re all set. This are the top things you should be doing to get your baby well on his way to reversing flat head baby syndrome. Of course, you should always consult with your pediatrician all the activities that are right for your baby based on his individual case.

If you enjoyed this article, check out these below to help you find your perfect bib or unique product that’s a must have for any new parent:

Check out how you can breastfeed without ever having to change your clothes.

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Here are some other articles you may find interesting on your breastfeeding journey 🙂

– 5 Best Baby Bibs That Solve Your Drool And Spit-Up Problems is an easy guide to help you find solutions to your baby’s drooling and spit-ups troubles.

– 5 Surprising Things New Moms Need For Their Baby  will increase your confidence as parents by helping you discover unique products for your newborn baby.

As always, we’re here to help you relax and enjoy spending time with your baby instead of stressing out!

 

 

 

Breastfeeding for a new mom like you might seem overwhelming and confusing at first, but after you read through this, you’ll have absolute peace of mind when it comes to breastfeeding your newborn baby.

Your New Breastfeeding Mindset

It’s ok to be nervous, or even fearful at first because you don’t know what to expect from the whole process with a newborn baby. But this is all normal and natural. With a positive frame of mind and our easy and effective guide, you’ll become more confident in yourself and your ability to feed your baby.

If you’re pregnant, you’ll learn what to look out for and more importantly things to avoid. If you’re already breastfeeding, chances are, you’re having some sort of challenge and you just want a resolution – fast.

Most women are completely side blinded by the experience of breastfeeding because of the small technical details – BUT they are really easy fixes.

While questions like this will cross your mind, remember that you aren’t the alone:

“How can I keep going through this tiresome process?”

“How can my sensitive nipples continue to bear this pain?”

“Will this all be worth it in the end?”

The answer to all those questions is that your body will adapt like it was meant to and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much you actually enjoy nursing once you get the hang of it.

Will there be any pain? Sure. It’s the kind of pain that occurs because it’s your body getting used to a new, natural process of damage and renewal.

You’ll experience sensitivity and tenderness, but it’s all a process sort of like working out and rebuilding your muscles. A day after your workout, you may feel soreness because you’ve tore the muscle so that new stronger leaner muscle can grow. You become more efficient over time and you look forward to it. Breastfeeding is not all that different in that respect.

All I ask is that you are patient with yourself and give yourself more credit than you think you deserve. After all, you’ve made it this far.

Before we get into it, let’s see all the benefits of breastfeeding to begin with and to remind ourselves why we do it in the first place:

• You can breastfeed for up to 6 months and you’re baby will still get his nutrients
• You don’t have to feed your baby water because breastmilk hydrates better than anything else
• Breastfeeding helps develop the major organs of your baby including the brain, eyes, etc.
• Breastmilk is the best for baby when it comes to infections, helping boost the immune system, and even prevents childhood obesity.

These are just a few…

 Frame of Mind – First, Decide How Long You Want Breastfeed Your Baby?

If you haven’t already, you should consider having a vision or goal in mind of how long you want to feed your baby. Your goal might be 3 months, 6 months, even up to the point they can begin to eat solids, or beyond – the choice is yours.  The whole purpose is for you to make a choice and see it through. If you don’t set a goal, chances are you’ll be more willing to give up because there is no real target you want to hit.

Let’s get started, shall we?

The first time your baby drinks from your breasts, he’ll take in something called colostrum. This is not your typical breastmilk. Unlike breastmilk, it’s a thicker consistency and is more yellowish. It’s full of proteins and infection fighting antibodies for a great boost into life. Then comes in the regular breastmilk after the first couple of days.

Expose Your Entire Breasts

It’s important that your baby feels calm and safe before feedings. Exposing your breasts will do two things: calm and direct his attention. This is because babies can only see in black in white during the first few months, uncovering your breasts completely will help them to see the nipples clearly from the light and dark contrast of the nipple.

You baby will slowly relax and see where the nipple is to get a better latch and simply focus on feeding.

Listen For Your Newborn Baby’s Feeding Cues

When you pay attention to your baby for a while, you’ll begin to see a pattern in the way he behaves and coos. Aside from verbal communication, your baby’s non-verbal cues are easier to spot such as rooting, bringing his hands to his mouth and sucking, or even smacking his lips together.

Rooting is a reflex that is normal in newborn babies. You’ll see your baby automatically turn his head to the side and make sucking motions (rooting) when the lips or cheeks are touched. 

When all of these first line of feeding cues are missed, your baby will start crying to get your attention. By this time, you’ll notice that your breastfeeding session may not go as smooth as you had hoped. This is why it’s important to pay attention and get your baby on your breast before the crying begins.

Placement Of Your Baby’s Head Is Critical For A Less Painful Latch

You’ll notice that when anything is placed near your baby’s mouth, his immediate reaction is to start sucking. In fact, they’ll keep sucking even after they’re full up until 4 months, so you must be careful of overfeeding. If you’re constantly dealing with spit-up getting all over your clothes, learn how to you can prevent it here.

You may think they’re eating until they’re full, but in reality they’re just eating until they’re mouth get’s tired and they want to sleep. This is usually what causes the extra spit-up and vomit.

Placing your baby so that his mouth is level to your nipple will offer the perfect latch. Whether you’re using the cradle hold, cross-cradle hold, lying on your side or the football hold, make sure that his entire body is also facing you and that he’s not lying on his back.

If you don’t correctly place your baby’s mouth level to your nipple, you’ll most likely experience painful nursing and snags of discomfort. It’s these types of painful feedings push many women to want to quit. You can prevent this feeding fatigue if you give more attention to this one specific aspect of the breastfeeding: the placement.

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How To Get The Best Latch Without Pain

Much of the pain that you’ll experience will come from a poor shallow latch. That’s the bottom line. Even if your baby seems to be getting milk, a shallow latch is not a good latch and will cause you unnecessary pain in an endless cycle.

Take a good look at your baby’s mouth. Is it wide or narrow? Every baby has a different shape mouth and your job is to create a custom shape nipple for your baby’s mouth. Figure out the shape once then repeat over and over so you can both get used to it. Also, remember that you’re bringing your baby’s mouth to your nipple and not your nipple to your baby’s mouth.

Here are some ways to customize your latch:

• Let your baby smell your breasts and nipples. Usually they can tell that a feeding is about to begin just by the smell and they will react by opening their mouth wide. You can even massage your breasts to get some milk out on the tip of your breasts to help open their mouth even more for a great latch. You can even touch your baby’s nose, upper lips and chin to get them to open up.
• Pinch your breasts near the areola so that your nipples appear longer. All nipples vary in size, but the optimal shape is a long nipple that can go deeper where it almost touches the roof of his mouth. Follow along with the picture below to get more of your nipple into the mouth by grabbing your areola with your index finger (under the nipple) and thumb (above the nipple). Place the nipple near your baby’s upper lip, pull back on your breast with your thumb so your nipple starts to point upward as you draw your breast down his lips and into his mouth. The lips sucking action will draw the milk out from around the areola and not the nipple itself, making it less painful on you.

• Check his tongue and make sure it’s where it should be: resting on the top of his lower gums. You can always check to see if it’s correct by pulling down on his lower lip and seeing the tongue resting there. If not, you’ll have to latch again. This will significantly help with nipple soreness. This technique is often overlooked but makes a huge difference in delivering more milk to your baby and less pain for you.
• Folded or pursed lips on the nipple is a big reason for your sore nipples. While latched, if your baby’s lips are not completely open and resting on your breasts, adjustments need to be made. You’ll have to pull on your baby’s lips and get them to lay flat for a more comfortable feeding.

Of course as you begin your breastfeeding journey, it will not be 100% pain free. Nothing worthwhile is. You will experience tenderness and skin sensitivity until your body adapts to the process. You will notice that the pain will slowly go away with time and you getting better and better with practice. Can you imagine breastfeeding for long periods of time without a hint of pain? Well, it’s possible.

If you regularly experience pain after 30 – 40 days of breastfeeding, it is most likely due to overlooking a technical detail we just went over. You can even trying to find a better position that works for you. You can even use breastmilk itself to help heal dry, chapped, and sore nipples.

Signs Of A Good Latch:

• Your baby’s mouth should be wide open with his chin nestled against your breast and the bottom lip curled outward laying flat.
• Make sure that your baby’s nose isn’t smooshed against making it hard for him to breath while feeding.
• While your baby is nursing, you should only see a bit of the areola on the top and almost all of the bottom of it should be in your baby’s mouth.
• You should not be able to hear your baby gulping or clicking while breastfeeding. You’ll think he’s chowing down, but he’s in fact taking in a lot of air while eating that will lead to uncomfortable gas.
• You shouldn’t feel much nipple pain. Instead, it should be more of a pulling sensation while your baby is nursing.

How To De-Latch The Right Way For Less Pain

Some of the most pain is endured while pulling him off of your nipple when the baby has a shallow latch and you have to repeatedly try for another. Instead of just pulling him off, you can insert your clean pinky finger into the side of your baby’s mouth and wedge it between his gums and take the nipple out without the pressure and pain. And don’t worry, you’re baby won’t feel pain or get hurt by doing this.

Keep Going, You Can Do It!

With our guide and some practice, you’ll  look forward to breastfeeding and seeing your baby’s face and feel a stronger connection just after the first 30 days or sooner. You’ll feel like you’re getting something out of it – more than just being a feeding machine for a change.

You may over time become overwhelmed by the trouble and frustration of breastfeeding. At times you feel like the stress outweighs any momentary bonding time you get. But the truth is the more you accept the time commitment of breastfeeding for the first 30 days, you’ll begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel and begin a positive relationship with the entire experience.

And give your baby some credit, too. He’s experiencing this world for the first time and learning how to work his own body and learning yours!

If you enjoyed this article, check out these below to help you find your perfect bib or unique product that’s a must have for any new parent:

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– How To Breastfeed Without Constantly Changing Your Clothes is an easy way to keep you and your baby’s clothes clean while breastfeeding.

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– 5 Best Baby Bibs That Solve Your Drool And Spit-Up Problems is an easy guide to help you find solutions to your baby’s drooling and spit-ups troubles.

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– 10 Scary But Normal Things To Know About Your Newborn will increase your confidence as parents by helping you discover unique products for your newborn baby.

As always, we’re here to help you relax and enjoy spending time with your baby instead of stressing out!