Getting Ready for Breastfeeding

Breast milk is certainly the best for baby. However, to make breastfeeding a continuously pleasant experience for both mom and baby, it is a must to make specific preparations.

BEFORE BREASTFEEDING

Even before she starts breastfeeding, mom should learn everything she can about it. Dr. Jaime Isip Cumpas, pediatrician and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, says, “Mom should prepare by learning how to properly latch and position a baby to breastfeed. This alone can save her from a lot of early breastfeeding problems such as sore cracked nipples, plugged ducts, and mastitis. She should address these issues right away to be able to have a pleasant breastfeeding experience.”

WHILE BREASTFEEDING

Apart from from committing to a healthy, balanced diet, it is also advisable for mom to take care of her breasts while breastfeeding. Here are some suggestions from Dr. Jaime:

• She should avoid using very harsh and/or scented soaps on her breasts.
• She doesn’t need to wash her nipples and breasts prior to breastfeeding. Taking one to two baths a day is enough.
• As much as possible, her breasts should be kept dry. If she uses breasts pads, these should be changed regularly as soon as they become damp.
• Her breasts need room to breathe as well so she should wear a comfortable fitting bra or no bra at all when she’s at home.
• It’s very important to avoid tight fitting bras while nursing as this can impede proper drainage and eventually cause plugged ducts and mastitis.
• She should wear bras that give enough support, but with no underwires, and that can give the baby good access to breastfeed.

Dr. Jamie graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology at the Ateneo de Manila University and obtained her medical degree at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Santo Tomas. She took her lactation training at The Medical City and at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. She is a member of Mommy Mundo’s Board of Experts.