3 Excellent Things A Lactation Consultant Can Help You With
Posted on: 24 February 2015
Having a baby in and of itself is completely life changing, and some of the aspects that come along with being a new mom can be overwhelming if you try to handle them all on your own. One aspect of being a new mom is learning how to nurse your newborn baby, and this is definitely a learning experience. One way to make learning how to nurse your baby easier is to work with a lactation consultant. Oftentimes you will be able to work with a lactation consultant in the hospital right after you give birth. However, if this isn't enough for you, then there are also classes you can take. This article will discuss 3 excellent things that a lactation consultant can help you with.
1. Different Holds While Your Baby Is Nursing
A difficult aspect of nursing your baby is trying to figure out the best way to hold them. The way you hold your baby should be comfortable for both you and baby, and should allow your newborn to get a good latch onto your nipple. Holding your baby close to you and cradling them is a great way to nurse, but you just want to make sure that your baby is able to latch onto your nipple without getting their neck kinked or their nose smashed against your breast. There is also a football hold where your baby's body is going to held somewhat under your arm like a football, and their head is held close to your nipple to make it easy to nurse.
2. Your Baby's Latch and Suction
Perhaps one of the most painful aspects of nursing is trying to get your baby to successfully latch onto your nipple. If your baby only latches onto the very end of your nipple, then you are going to become incredibly sore. The key is to get them to open their mouth wide and latch onto your nipple, and the area surrounding it. Your lactation consultant will show you how to get your baby to open their mouth wide and latch on. They do this by first helping your baby to attach their mouth to the bottom of the nipple, and then helping by pressing the nipple into their mouth.
3. Pumping Using a Manual Or Electrical Pump
Since most nursing moms are going to need to pump at some point during the time that they are nursing their baby, it is important to know how. A lactation consultant will be able to show you how to work both a manual and an electrical pump, and will explain to you about how much you should be able to pump in a specific amount of time. While this amount will obviously vary, it will help you to get a good idea how you are doing with your milk production. The lactation consultant will also show you how to transfer your milk from the pump container to a storage container, and also how to properly store your milk.
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