Coping with leaking breasts

Your breasts may leak a lot between feedings in the early weeks. You can’t prevent this, but it will diminish as your breasts settle down and the supply matches your baby’s demand. To cope with the problem and protect your clothes, wear disposable or washable fabric breast pads inside your bra. These will absorb some of the dripping. Change the pads frequently, since wetness near your skin may make you sore. Buy shaped breast pads and be sure to wear nursing bras with wide support straps and front openings for easy access.

Changing over during feeding

Let your baby suck for at least 10 to 15 minutes on one breast at each feeding. After you have burped him, or he has had a short nap, slip a finger between his jaws to break his suction, and offer her the other breast. He may be hungry enough to drain this one too, or he may just suck for comfort. In either case, let him suck till he falls asleep.

Steps to manage the milking process

To begin with, soften your breast with a warm washcloth. Lay a warm washcloth or warm damp towel over each breast for several minutes. You could also take a warm bath or shower to help ease the flow. Massage your breasts and try to express some milk to relieve them if too full. Use your free hand on your rib cage to push forward to make the nipple protrude so your baby can get the areola in his mouth.

Managing your milk flow

Your baby doesn’t just suck, he “milks” the breast by pressing on your milk supply at the base of the areola. Don’t worry about supply. Your baby’s sucking stimulates demand. However, when your milk comes in your breasts, you may be engorged and sore for a few days. This makes the nipple flatten so it is hard for baby to latch on. Try certain steps to help baby latch on and quickly relieve any engorgement.

Guiding your baby to latch on

Once settled, take a deep breath and relax your shoulders, If in private, take off your top to make it easier for baby to latch on, that is, to be correctly placed on your breast, sucking efficiently. Use your baby’s natural reflex to seek out and to suck. If you or your baby gets upset, soothe him, take another deep breath, and start again. Stroke the cheek or corner of the baby’s mouth with your finger or nipple. This will start the baby’s rooting reflex. Guide your breast toward baby’s tongue. To “milk” your breast, the whole nipple and areola should be in his mouth.

Breast feeding-getting comfortable

Breast-feeding is absolutely natural, but it still has to be learned. Much will depend on “reading” the signals your baby gives you. But you can make things far easier by getting settled for a breast-feeding session that could last for an hour. Lying down is ideal for nighttime feedings. For other sessions, seek good back support, such as sitting on a low chair with no arms, or lying up against a bed headboard with plenty of pillows behind you.

Washing diapers

Wash cloth diapers thoroughly since any traces of ammonia will irritate your baby’s skin, and fecal bacteria could cause infection. Wash with soap flakes or test-wash a diaper with detergent, and watch for any skin reactions. If there are none, you may use detergent. Wash cloth diapers in the hottest water, using bleach, and then run through a second cycle of hot water only to rinse. Dry thoroughly and wash plastic pants in warm water. Do it with a little dish washing liquid and let them air dry. If you are washing cloth diapers in diaper pails, wear plastic gloves to prevent getting scalded by hot water.

Put on a kite-fold

First lay the baby on the diaper. Bring up the center point between the legs. Pick up the two sides, overlap, keep taut, and pin. When your baby’s size prevents the two overlaps from meeting in the front, fasten the diaper with two pins, one for each corner. Repin the diaper if it looks baggy. Position the baby’s waist at the top edge of the diaper. Fold the two long edges in and down. Bring the short edge up between the legs. Bring a corner from one side of the long sides over on top. You can take the other corner over the first. Make sure to pull together and fasten a pin across the fingers inside.

Learn to put the absorbent

Life your baby’s legs with one hand, fingers between her ankles, and slide the diaper under her. Align the top edge of the diaper with her waist. Bring the diaper up between her legs, tucking the penis down, if it’s a baby boy. Hold the diaper up between the legs while you turn up one long edge a short way. Bring the next corner forward. Pull the diaper quite tight. It will loosen when you pin it. Slide your fingers between tummy and diaper and pin all layers together horizontally.