Three Top Breastfeeding Tips during lockdown (and in fact at any time!)

At a time when our highly dedicated Midwives are more stretched than ever, what do new breastfeeding mothers need to be particularly aware of when they leave hospital? These lockdown circumstances are not what any new parents would have anticipated as they transitioned into family life and there will be different challenges associated with it. Nevertheless, let’s look at the positives in these situations.
Midwives recommend lots of nesting time without too many visitors, sitting on the sofa in your pyjamas, baby in arms and skin-to-skin, getting to know each other. It couldn’t be a better time for that!
So here are my top tips for lockdown-feeding your newborn:

1. your baby needs access to your breast, for many hours of the day. Think of the fact that only a very few days ago, your baby was being drip-fed through the placenta. This means they expect lots of cuddles and skin-to-skin so they can hunt for the breast and latch on whenever they want.

2. when your baby is near the breast and wanting to attach, try out different positions so that you can find out what works for you both. Essentially your baby wants body stability so s/he can then achieve oral stability. Aim to position baby’s chin so that it’s touching underneath the nipple/areola area first. By doing this, baby will automatically open her mouth as widely as s/he can. After s/he’s lunged and grasped the nipple, follow with a small tilt back of her head whilst keeping her chin still deeply buried into the underside of your breast. This usually helps baby to get a deep mouthful of breast and it’s what provides oral stability for sucking, swallowing and breathing.
See https://breastfeeding.support/breastfeeding-positions-for-newborns/
for helpful videos and explanations.

3. when your baby is at the breast, do look out for lots of swallowing. Some babies need encouragement to keep active and not get sleepy and stop feeding too soon into the feed. All babies need to increase their milk intake by a very big amount between days 1 and 5 of life, from an average of approx 50mls on day 1 to an average of approx 400mls by days 4/5. So on day 2, baby needs to feed more actively and frequently than on day 1 and this increases again on day 3 and day 4.
Dr Jack Newman shows a baby clearly swallowing, see https://breastfeeding.support/breastfeeding-videos/

I know Midwives also urge a new mother to nap when baby naps, keep herself well-fed and watered and to take one day at a time. They encourage mothers to seek out support. That’s so relevant at a time of social distancing because some mothers and babies can take a bit longer to get breastfeeding established. If you’re feeling isolated and breastfeeding is hard, there’s a lot of on-line support that’s springing up to offer help. You’re definitely not in this alone.