Breastfeeding tips for new mums

My very favourite fertility and pregnancy expert and acupuncturist Emma Cannon has recently expanded her Sloane Square practice, adding midwife Anna Cannon, her sister in law, to the team.

Anna works thursdays and will be helping new mums with breastfeeding and any pregnancy and post-natal needs.

Here are some of Anna’s top breastfeeding tips:

• Keep baby close–it helps with the breast milk hormones and learning about your baby’s feeding cues–rooting, licking lips, hands to mouth. These can be missed if baby is on their own.

• Get lots of rest, eat home-cooked food, drink to thirst, relax and avoid too many visitors in the early days.

• The latch is the most important part of feeding. If it’s tricky, get help. Remember baby needs a wide gape and your nipple should be at the back of baby’s mouth.

• One breast a feed generally is enough in the early days. That first breast should be drained as much as possible, then offer baby the second.

• If your breasts are very engorged try gentle hand expressing a little milk to soften the breast to help baby latch.

• Be reassured that baby is full by their behaviour after a feed, relaxed and sleepy. Lots of clear urine. Yellow stools from day 4-5.

• Is your breast softer after a feed? Great, this means baby has fed well, though your breasts are never dry and you’ll always be able to squeeze some milk out.

• If your nipples are a little sore in the early days just squeeze a little milk out and rub around your nipple and areola. Breast milk has great healing and antibacterial properties.

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