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Benefits of breastfeeding
last a lifetime
Questions about breastfeeding
Thawing frozen breast
milk
Baby-led latching
Breastfeeding positions
Storing breast milk/thawing
frozen breast milk
Expressing breast milk
How to express breast
milk by hand
Getting started
Tips to help breastfeeding
Caring for nipples that
are sore
General breast care
Caring for breasts that
are hard
How to tell if your baby
is getting enough breast milk
- Breastfeed
within 30 minutes after birth.
Your baby is awake and ready to learn how to
breastfeed during this time. Breastfeeding early
will also help you to make more milk.
- Get help
to breastfeed. Ask your health care
provider to help get you started. Get help right
away if you are having breastfeeding problems.
See where to get help
for phone numbers to call for breastfeeding
help.
- Breastfeed
often. In the first month, most babies
will breastfeed well at least 8 or more times
a day. There are no set times to breastfeed
your baby. Breastfeed your baby when she is
showing signs of hunger (see section on “Questions
about breastfeeding,” question 4).
- Do not
give your baby soothers or bottles. If
you decide to use these it is best to wait until
your baby has learned to breastfeed. This often
happens by 4-6 weeks. Giving a soother or bottle
too early may cause your baby to have problems
breastfeeding and make breastfeeding painful.
- Give your
baby only breast milk. Breast milk
is the only food a healthy baby needs for the
first 6 months of life. Extra drinks or foods
before this time will slow down your milk supply
and may affect your baby’s health (for
example, your baby may develop an increased
risk for allergies).
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- There may be some nipple
tenderness in the first week after birth. This
should get better each day.
- Breastfeeding should
not be painful when your baby is latched and
positioned properly.
If you want to take your
baby off your breast break the suction first.
You can:
- slip your finger into
your baby's mouth OR
- pull down on your baby's
chin.
Get help right away
if:
- your nipples are still
painful after checking that your baby is latched
and positioned on the breast properly.
See where
to get help for phone numbers to call for
breastfeeding help.
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- Rinse breasts with water
only and air dry. Do not to use soap on your
nipples. Soap may dry your nipples and cause
them to crack.
- Wear a bra that fits
well and is not too tight. Do not wear a bra
with underwires.
- After breastfeeding,
express some breast milk onto your nipples and
the dark area around them to help protect your
skin. Let the milk dry before putting
on your bra.
Continue
>>
Please download the
Breastfeeding
your Baby Booklet.
(PDF, 8 pages, 835 KB).
This
booklet and information on How to Breastfeed
has been reprinted with permission from Toronto
Public Health.
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