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Breastfeeding is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for AT LEAST the first 12 months of a baby's life, but for some people this can be extremely difficult. New mothers find themselves in a lifestyle that they assumed would feel natural, but doesn't. Lactation consultants are often on call for new moms who have just given birth and they can be extremely helpful, but one problem is women often feel uncomfortable discussing technique with anyone. Other women feel guilty if they aren't initially successful and that only causes more frustration.

I had only seen a woman breastfeed in front of me one time before my son was born. I was lucky because I had a wonderful lactation consultant and I had the support of my own mother and mothers that I had met through an online message board. Because of this support, my son is now 20 months old and he still nurses three times a day in addition to eating table food. Not everyone is so lucky. Many women I know had so little support that by the time they checked out of the hospital, they had already resigned themselves to being "failures."

The first step to successful breastfeeding is knowledge. The second is relaxation.
If you are stressed, your milk will not "let down." Without proper letdown it is impossible to feed your baby properly from your breast. IMPOSSIBLE. An example of this is when women have problems expressing their milk with a pump. They try to pump while at work where they are worried about how long they are taking. They are worried about someone walking in. They try to pump at home when they have somewhere to be and they are rushed. So if you are having trouble breastfeeding the first thing you need to do is relax. If necessary, visualize your muscles relaxing starting with your facial muscles and working down your body until you have relaxed your toes. Try listening to a CD of soothing ocean sounds or soft music meant for meditation.

The next big hurdle is getting the infant to latch on properly. There are a few things that you can do to assist your new baby. Positioning plays a large role in proper latch-on. Until you and the baby get the hang of it, make sure that you have your bellies facing each other. This will make latching on tremendously easier for your baby. We always see images of the mother cradling her new bundle that is staring up at her with the infant's body parallel with the ceiling. That is NOT the easiest way for a new baby to nurse. New babies should be turned on their side (as

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