by Chelsea Adcock

Created on: June 25, 2008

Choosing to breastfeed is a very personal decision for a new mother. Many questions may surface as the time of delivery nears. Will I be able to adequately support the nutritional needs of my child? Will I be able to learn this new skill? Will it hurt? These are all very legitimate questions and to a new mom, the answers to these questions can be a deciding factor in choosing whether or not to breastfeed. In reading this article, I hope that the answers to these questions will help reassure you of your decision to breastfeed. I also hope these tips bring you breastfeeding success!

One of the big questions that arise for the first-time breastfeeding mom is, will I be able to adequately support the nutritional needs of my child? The answer is yes. My favorite tips for the first-time breastfeeder, is to take care of mom. As a mother and a food source for your child, you need to be eating and drinking enough to support lactation. My best advice received in the hospital was from a lactation consultant that popped in to check on us during our first day after delivery. Her advice was to drink a glass of water everytime I breastfed. You need to be properly hydrated to help establish a good supply and in turn maintain that supply. If you aren't taking in enough, who's to say that your baby is getting enough. Along those same lines, you need to be sure that you are also eating enough. I found my first few weeks after delivery that it was very difficult to find the time to eat. I was so consumed with my handsome little man I neglected my basic human need, the need for sustenance. Feed yourself, a happy mommy, is a happy baby and likewise, a well-fed mommy is a well-fed baby. Another tip, one I picked up in nursing school, is to count the wet diapers. The number of wet diapers, 8-10, lets you know that baby is getting enough to eat. Also, weight gain is another good indicator that your baby is being well-fed.

Another question that comes to mind is, will I be able to learn this new skill. The answer, again, is yes! As a woman, you were built to be able to grow babies, and then in turn feed them. Just remember that as you are learning this skill, so is your baby. Be patient, but be consistent. Some baby's take a little time adjusting to extrauterine life and in turn it takes them a little longer to get it. It's okay to get frusturated at times, learning something new is not always easy. Also, utilize the hospital staff while you are there. The nurses are all trained to assist

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