Whether you're pregnant or planning to get pregnant you should know a few necessary things about breastfeeding.

Nurturing a baby is not an easy thing at all. However, breastfeeding is a crucial part of baby and mom's healthcare. Breast milk provides essential nutrition to the baby for the first year of life and beyond for the growth and development of a baby. It also helps to protect the baby from various infections, allergies, and other medical conditions.

Many people think that breastfeeding comes naturally so it's easy and done simply. But sometimes it may not go as planned. It requires patience, practice, and most importantly understanding.

However, it's a great idea to talk about it at an early stage of pregnancy or even before pregnancy, so you'll be prepared for it in advance and your doubts and concerns will be sorted out. Here are some secret tips that you must know and these are as follows:

1.   Get in Touch with Lactation Consultants

Yes, lactation consultants and specialists are experts in guiding how to breastfeed and also provide tips regarding breastfeeding which will be very helpful and supportive to you and your baby. They will also inform you whom to call or approach if you have any issues during pregnancy or post-pregnancy.

If you have a friend who's nursing, ask her about how she deals with things. You can also take advice from your elders or parents or those who have gone through this stage, it also might be helpful to you.

Another best way is to attend breastfeeding support meetings where you can see mothers breastfeeding their babies in real life. All of these will be good practices for easy and successful breastfeeding.

2.   Take the Help of your Partner or Loved Ones

While going to a lactation consultant or hospital, take your partner or loved one along with you. Together is better than alone in such circumstances. Having your partner by your side will make you feel relaxed and free as they are a great support system and good problem solvers, when you feel sleepy or overwhelmed it's good to be together.

And don't wait to get help. In the hospital, if the nurse or doctor says your breasts are in fine condition or everything is good, but you still feel any pain then call the doctor or lactation specialist. Ask your partner to call if you are not in a position to call. If your nipple is damaged or if it hurts and if you feel in your deep down something is not right, don't be afraid to speak up.

3.   Prepare a Good Comfortable Space for Breastfeeding

Before your baby enters the world, make a comfortable nursing space or a room for yourself and your baby. An area or room with a comfortable sofa or chair, nursing pillows for breastfeeding, a table for food and snacks, water, nursing pads, comfortable light-weight clothes, your phone and charger, and a few good books – will be a fantastic and vibrant setting for breastfeeding.

This will naturally help you to bond with your baby in a way that is deeply profound and highly satisfying. Not only that, it will also help you with proper and better breastfeeding.

4.   Nurse your Baby Within One Hour After Delivery

Many babies will be hard to rouse, after two hours of birth. Hence, breastfeed them within one hour. The first milk your breasts produce is known as colostrum, which will be very little or say just a few drops, but it will be enough for the baby as the stomach size of a one or two days old baby is that of the size of a marble. Colostrum is highly nutritious and provides strength to the newborn baby to fight against various diseases.

While nursing your baby keep their feet touched with something like a pillow tucked next to you, the arm of your chair, or to your leg. The reason behind this is babies pretend to be nursed better when their little feet are touched because it makes them feel safe and secure.

5.   Set the Right Position to Get Deep Latch

Before beginning breastfeeding, ensure that your baby's stomach touches your stomach so that baby doesn't have to make any effort to turn the head to latch. After that point your nipple to your baby's nose instead of pointing off to the baby's mouth. The reason behind this is that your baby will try to lift their head up and open their mouth wide to latch deeply.

Avoid pushing your baby's head from the backside to breastfeed because this is not good practice. Instead of that, put your hand on the nape of your baby's neck and bring the baby close to your breast gently. You can leave your baby in your first breast until they are not done. After that only, offer your baby a second breastfeed.

6.   Offer Breast Milk to your Baby for the First 6 Months Only

When you feed your baby, they don't need any other food or drink for at least the first six months because breast milk is enough for them. Also, pay more attention to your diet. While breastfeeding, you need more calories and that's why a well-balanced and healthy meal is required to cover up.

Try a good pump like Ameda Mya Joy Double Electric Breast Pump to set up your milk supply well. Observe and keep in mind how much milk your baby actually drinks. Around 1 month, babies establish the capacity of breast milk required by them so you are not supposed to increase as they grow. All you are supposed to do is to maintain the current or established milk supply.

7.   Get the Best Suitable Pump for Pumping Breast Milk

Breast pumps come with different size breast shields and many mothers don't realize this. If the size of breast shields is too big or too narrow/tight, then it will not pump as much breast milk and may also cause damage. Hence, ask your lactation consultant or specialist if you don't know which size will fit you perfectly. You can buy breast pumps online from various trusted brands like Ameda, Elvie, Medela, etc at affordable prices.

You can purchase breast pumps through insurance as well as without insurance too from the self-pay catalogue.

A few breast pumps like medela freestyle flex double electric breast pump are wearable electric breast pumps, designed to discreetly slip inside your bra so that you can confidently collect breast milk.

Hope you've enjoyed reading and learned some unknown important information or secrets which might be helpful to you at present or in the future. If you still have any doubts and concerns regarding breastfeeding, then don't delay approaching your lactation consultant!