Guest blog – Tips for breastfeeding from Bshirt

Getting started with breastfeeding can be difficult, and we are sure that you would have heard (or even experienced with a prior baby) some horror stories about breastfeeding going wrong. Below are some tips and some useful information to get your breastfeeding journey started on the right boob (ha ha, see what we did there!). 

Skin-to-skin 

Having skin-to-skin cuddles with your baby immediately after birth will make breastfeeding that much easier, and your partner will benefit from skin-to-skin cuddles too. Your baby hears the familiar sound of your heartbeat, smells your scent and is calm and content with all those lovely oxytocin hormones rushing around. But remember to be kind to yourself if you don't get to do this immediately after birth. You have just done something amazing, and your body and hormones are all over the place. So, if your baby isn’t getting the hang of it straight away, don't try to force it. Take a deep breath, embrace the naked baby cuddles and then try again later.  

Getting a good latch 

Pre-baby you would have read (or watched) up on breastfeeding and maybe even attended antenatal classes. They would have mentioned holding your baby in a football position and bringing the baby’s nose to your nipple, then having them latch on. What they might not have mentioned is that your baby’s chin should be towards your breast, so their head is tipped back, and you should be able to see up their nostrils. So, it should really be called nostrils to nipple! 

How to feed a screaming baby 

Have you ever skipped a meal? Become really hungry? Think about the process you go through: you feel a pang. You lick your lips. You smell your favourite food. You turn your head. You start looking around for it. You’re getting hungry now. Where's the food? Somebody better feed me! I'm gonna get hangry!  

If your baby gets hangry, you will need to help them to calm before you latch them on, so learning your baby’s feeding cues is important. Does your baby stop giving eye contact before they get cranky? Then don't try and re-engage them or they will get overtired and fight sleep. Does your baby make a funny face after they finish feeding? Then try burping before any wind gets trapped. Does your baby lick their lips or suck their hands when they are peckish? Try latching them on. If you miss these cues, you will have to first calm your baby down before you can address the tiredness/hunger issue. That can be very time-consuming, demoralising and exhausting for you both. 

Give yourself a break

So ladies, this can get really real. Just remember that everything is a phase, even childhood, and make sure that you look after yourselves. Don't let yourself feel guilty about needing some downtime. This is one way to get your break. It's hard to manage to take time for yourself, but carve it out. You need it.  

Lots of love to the amazing women hustling every day and doing our best, as best we can. And don’t forget to be nice to each other (as if we need to tell you that)! 

Find out more and discount code 

Bshirt believe in empowering women, nurturing babies, normalising breastfeeding and reducing clothing waste. To find out more and see their range of breastfeeding clothes, clothes for babies and more breastfeeding tips, visit their website: https://www.thebshirt.clothing/ 

Bshirt have shared a discount code with us, so use, MFFY10 to get 10% off your first order. 

MFFY may collect a share of sale or some form of commission from the links on this page if you decide to click them and purchase any items.