Who said motherhood is supposed to be easy? But then again, it is also the most wonderful thing in the world. As you start your journey of becoming a mother, you will find a multitude of things that you will need to cover. One thing that you will need to focus on throughout the first 6 months or so after delivery is breastfeeding.
Your baby needs to be breastfed at least till 5 or 6 months. Instead of thinking of this as a task, think of it as a way to build your relationship with your baby. For you, we have come up with the right tips that can help ensure that you build your relationship with your baby as you go about breastfeeding!
- Initiate Skin-To-Skin Contact
The first thing that you need to do to make your baby feel safe is practice skin to skin contact. As you go about breastfeeding your baby, you will have to make them feel comfortable and welcomed to the new world. Skin to skin contact can ensure that you are doing just that.
Your baby will feel a sense of warmth and comfort through your touch. It is best to make sure that you are always incorporating some kind of skin contact with your baby. Not only does this help with breastfeeding, but it also improves your relationship with your baby.
Your baby will learn to trust you and feel less anxious when they’re being held by you. So, make sure that skin to skin contact is present while you breastfeed them. It will build your relationship with them.
- Feed Your Baby Correctly
Many times, the mother doesn’t know how to hold their baby the right way. You should learn the right technique when you start feeding your baby as you want to make them feel comfortable. The better you hold your baby, the better it will be for you and them. They will feel much more secure in your arms and cause less of a fuss when trying to feed.
Now, what you will need to do is relax yourself so that you are prepared to hold your baby calmly into your arms. As you hold your baby, make sure that you are supporting their neck and shoulders properly. And, don’t push the back of your baby’s head to make them feed. Express your milk with your hands for the first few days to get your baby’s attention. Keep this up and you will surely find yourself with better coordination and relationship with your baby.
- Set Timings According To Your Baby’s Needs
The most common mistake that mothers do is to clock the timing of their baby’s feeding time. Don’t do that. Focus on your baby instead and what they want. If you’re only going to focus on the clock and not the baby, you might starve them or overfeed them.
Build your relationship with your baby by making sure that you’re giving them milk as much as they want- not according to your timings. Check for when your baby is hungry. You will see them licking their lips, putting their hands to their mouth, or opening their mouth whenever you place your hand on their cheek.
Keep a regular check on these actions and then feed them till they aren’t satisfied. Your baby will need to feed at least 8 or more times during the first few weeks, so don’t try to rush their feeding. You can also pump your milk out so that it is readily available for your baby at all times. Get your hands on a breast pumping bra to help you out in this process so that you don’t have to hold on to the breast pump.
- Verify If Your Baby Is Getting Enough Milk
Another thing that you will need to ensure to build your relationship with your baby is to ensure whether they are getting enough milk or not. Most babies will show signs of agitation or start fussing if they are extremely hungry. It is best to always make sure they are well-fed throughout.
Usually, you will be able to tell whether they’re eating enough through their diapers. If there are 6 wet diapers in a day, that means they’re well-fed. You can also verify this by check whether they are gaining any weight.
- Enjoy The Time You Spend With Your Baby
One thing that you will always need to remind yourself of is that you will not get to spend a similar time like this with your baby again. Breastfeeding might seem like a never-ending process, but trust us, once it is over and you start seeing your babies grow up, you will miss the smaller versions of them. So, enjoy the time that you spend with your baby and make the most of it.
Talking and cuddling with them as you go about breastfeeding enhances your relationship with them. It makes you feel whole and you will find your baby feeling less stressed as you spend breastfeeding time talking to them.
- Look After Yourself
Don’t forget the most important thing. You can only build your relationship with your baby if you are healthy! So, make sure that you are taking care of yourself throughout the process. If you wish to feed your baby properly, you will also need to improve your intake so that you have enough to produce milk for your baby.
If you feel like your baby isn’t latching on, then don’t stress about it. Instead, try pumping your breastmilk as an alternative. With the help of a hands free breast pump bra, you will surely be able to stock enough breastmilk for your baby’s needs.
Incorporate these tips into your new life with your baby. You will surely find that you feel more connected with your baby through these. Don’t try to rush things all at once. Take small steps to learn more about yourself and your baby’s relationship. You will surely be able to strengthen your relationship with your baby by practicing these tips!
