The most delightful moment of a woman’s life is when she takes her baby first time in her hands after birth and she is about to start breastbeeding. The mother’s breasts produces milk through a process called lactation. Breast milk is the best and most important nutrition for a newborn baby. Medically it is studied that the first time you breastfeed your baby, only a little milky type liquid comes out. This liquid is called colostrum and it is helpful and beneficial in protecting your baby from infection. Since the baby’s stomach is very tiny, a little amount of milk is sufficient. Then, as the baby grows, her stomach size also gets bigger, automatically the quantity of milk produced increases and the color of milk also changes. But one wonders what makes the infant start sucking milk the moment the mother holds the baby in her arms and takes her lips to her nipple (milk duct). All babies are born with a special type of reflex which is called suck reflex and this reflex makes the infant suck milk from the breast.
The mother will turn the baby’s whole body towards her, chest to chest. Then she needs to bring the baby’s lips touching her nipple. Then as soon as the baby opens her mouth by suck reflex, gently push her head to your breast and remember to hold your breast for support. Ensure that the baby’s mouth totally covers the areola (darker part surrounding the nipple) with the nipple. For the initial few days the newborn baby might find it difficult to adjust to this process but the mother should not panic. There are many breastfeeding tips which can help her and within a while the mother and the child will formulate a pattern which is comfortable for them.
