We all know breastfeeding can be a daunting task for new parents. It's something I write about regularly here. There's the latching. There's the timing. There's the pain. Simply put, there's a lot of variables in play.
This infographic by Hello Dad provides 10 breastfeeding tips that you or someone you know may find helpful.
Plenty of breastfeeding tips have been given over the years, but what's so interesting about these in particular is that they are given by a dad. I might also add that they are on point.
Take a moment to read this fun infographic titled, 10 Breastfeeding Tips from a Dad.
I love these tips from Hello Dad, and I especially love that they are coming from a dad's perspective.
I thought I would go through them and offer my point of view as well since I am sharing them here on my site.
Skin To Skin - love this! It's great to see a dad recognize how important this is. This is one the first mistakes I made breastfeeding my daughter. I did not do skin to skin right away when I should have. It is critical to getting off to a good start with breastfeeding.
Get An App - I love breastfeeding apps, oh how I love recording feeds. I don't believe it's absolutely necessary to record everything, but if you enjoy using them then go for it. They definitely can help you remember which side you fed from, and how long it has been since you last nursed. It can be a lot of fun to look back at all that data later and marvel at how much time you spent nursing and changing diapers. I personally have printed my old data out to put in my baby book. There are many apps full of helpful breastfeeding and pumping advice as well.
Pump It Up - Personally I would not worry about pumping too much in the beginning but if you want to then it's fine. I did pump right from the start with my daughter to help my milk come in. If you are heading back to work and will need to introduce bottles then you will need to start pumping after a few weeks. And of course if you would like to have your partner feed the baby too pumping can offer this. It's also great to not stress over the pump, and just nurse as much as possible in the early weeks so do whatever works for your family.
Take A Class - This may be my favorite tip here. Taking a class may have been the one thing that helped me succeed at breastfeeding the first time around. My husband remembered a lot of helpful info from the class in those first hours after birth, which was a huge help to me when I was exhausted and could not focus.
Go Team - Or maybe this is my favorite tip. Breastfeeding is a team effort and the breastfeeding mother needs all the support she can get.
Nipple To Nose - Great advice on getting started and how to position your baby at the breast.
Get A Latch - Going along with the advice above, getting a good latch is crucial. If you are having trouble with this seek out help from a certified lactation consultant right away.
Soothies are a Savior and Dip the Nip - Okay I have to admit I did not try either of these! I have heard of soothies but never used them myself, and I did not try this saline tip although it sounds like a great way to heal sore nipples.
Baby Timing Trumps an App - Using an app is a great way to track feeds and diaper changes but I would add to always follow your baby's queue for nursing. If you are breastfeeding every two hours or so great, but if your baby wants to nurse more frequently that's okay too. I love to feed on demand but I did still track a lot of it in apps in those early days.
These are great tips from a dad's point of view! Thank you to Hello Dad for sharing these tips with my audience!