Hi, I’m Antoinette, paediatric nurse with over 20 years experience caring for newborn babies.

I’m also an IBCLC, maternity nurse and mother to 4 wonderful kids.

I wanted to share some tips on getting breastfeeding off to the best start possible.

1. Attend an antenatal breast feeding class. Whether it’s in the maternity hospital or a privately run one by a qualified Lactation Consultant, being fully informed of how to get things off to a good start is really important.
2. Dont get too worried about having lots of gadgets and breastfeeding equipment! There is no need to rush out to buy a pump, many mothers never need to pump but feel they should have one “ just in case “.
3. Speak to your antenatal carer regarding harvesting colostrum in the final weeks of pregnancy. It’s a great way to get to know your breasts and it’s also great to have a little stash of colostrum for when baby arrives, just in case they are slow to feed and need a little top up. Tiny amounts of colostrum are high in all the necessary nutrients for a newborn to maintain their blood sugars and also help to coat their stomach.
4. Have skin to skin time immediately following delivery where possible and latch baby onto the breast as soon as possible. Seek as much help as possible from the midwives as they are experts in this area.
5. Laid back breastfeeding is a comfortable position to try. This is a baby led position and baby can often “crawl” onto the breast. This position is great for the early days of breastfeeding.
6. There are no right or wrong positions for feeding, whatever is comfortable for you but correct positioning and attachment is the most important thing for successful breastfeeding. When your baby is well positioned and attached, they will find it easier to feed well.
7. In the first few days of breastfeeding, you may experience discomfort or sensitivity at the beginning of a feed as you get used to your baby attaching to your nipple. But it should not be painful. Always seek help if your breasts feel sore or your nipples feel painful during a feed. Your Public Health Nurse, local Breastfeeding support group, Cuidiu, Friends of Breastfeeding, La Leche League or a private IBCLC are all fantastic resources for support and advice. ALCI has a list of all private IBCLCS www.alcireland.ie
8. Don’t watch the clock!! Newborn babies breastfeed on demand. This could mean feeding up to 12 or more times during the day and night. It is completely normal and very important to ensure your baby is getting sufficient milk and to increase your breast milk supply.
9. Keep an eye on wet and dirty nappies. The first few dirty nappies should be black tarry stools, called meconium. Once your milk starts to come in, the stool should change to a yellow / orange colour and may have a seedy appearance.
10. If your baby is feeding well, you should be able to see and hear them swallow.
    
11. After a feed, your breasts should feel softer and your nipple should look more or less the same – not flattened, pinched or white.
12. Your supply of breast milk is established in the early days and weeks. It will usually increase around days 3 to 5, though it can take up to 6 weeks to fully come in.
13. The more you feed, the more milk you will make. This is called feeding on demand.
14. It's normal for babies to feed more at certain times of the day, often in the evenings. Parents can often find this a worrying time, as they are concerned their baby is not getting enough milk. This is called cluster feeding and it’s a very normal part of the breastfeeding experience.