Feed on demand
Do not restrict the length or frequency of breastfeedings. Nursing frequently and unrestricted will stimulate your milk supply,
and may also help alleviate engorgement. Don't watch the clock. Babies know
when they are hungry and how long they need to nurse. An exception to this rule is
when you have a newborn and/or a special needs baby who is sleepy--you may need to wake
them up so they nurse often enough.
Helpers at home
Make sure you have help at home, especially for the first few weeks.
Hopefully your mate will be able to take some time off. Your only job should
be to get to know your baby and get breastfeeding well established. Let someone else
take care of everything else. Enlist friends and family (if they are
supportive). No matter how close you are to your mother or mother-in-law,
if they are likely to pipe up with "why don't we just try a bottle" at 2 a.m.
when you are working on getting breastfeeding right, you don't need them around!
If it hurts, if something is wrong, Get Help!
Pain is not a normal part of breastfeeding; it
is an indication that something is not right and needs fixing now!
If nursing is painful, or you have the slightest suspicion that something is
not quite right, get help. Contact a Lactation Consultant or your local La Leche
League Leader. The most common reason for pain is incorrect positioning and
latch-on. Sometimes just the slightest correction in positioning will make a world
of difference. Here's where to find help:
Lactation Consultants
Visit Our Directories
Lactation
Consultants
Doulas
Midwives
Child
Birth Educators
Counselors
La Leche League
 The one and only. Providing support to
breastfeeding mothers for decades. There
is almost certainly a La Leche League
group near you.
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