Breastfeeding. It’s great and it sucks at the same time.
Literally.
Both you and baby need to learn how to breastfeed, and it can be challenging, yet so incredibly rewarding. Read about the benefits of breastfeeding here.
There are so many things I wish I had known as a new mom.
Like, use the bathroom before feeding the baby. Or always bring a spare outfit if it’s been a while since baby has pooped.
Here are a few breastfeeding tips and tricks I’ve used to solve my breastfeeding problems, and I hope they help you, too!
23 Best Breastfeeding Tips & Tricks for New Moms
1. If you’re experiencing nipple pain that doesn’t start getting progressively better, check your latch. A bad latch is the number one reason a new mom experiences excruciatingly sore nipples.
Stick your pinky in the corner of your baby’s mouth to break suction and unlatch her. Then try again.
Make sure baby’s lips are flanged outward and she’s not chewing or chomping on you. You’ll know your baby’s not latched well if your nipples don’t look normal immediately after a feed.
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2. In the meantime, use a nipple cream that will help ease soreness, protect you from chafing, and is safe for baby.
My favorite is Earth Mama Organics Nipple Butter.
It smells incredible and doesn’t feel sticky and icky like lanolin does. It’s also organic and safe for baby to ingest, so no need to wipe it off before feeding. The 1 oz tub is tiny and is more than enough to get you through this phase.
Other ways to use Earth Mama’s Organic Nipple Butter:
- Apply it to a drooly baby’s chin to create a moisture barrier and prevent rashes.
- Use it on your lips.
- Put it on your pump flanges to make pumping more comfortable.
- Apply nipple butter to dry spots on your kids’ cheeks, elbows, knees, and heels.
3. And make sure your baby doesn’t have thrush! My firstborn developed thrush within the first week of her life and passed it on to me (or maybe I gave it to her!).
Thrush can make your nipples horrifyingly tender and sore with the added bonus of sending shooting pains up your boob when your baby feeds.
Check the inside of your baby’s mouth, especially the tongue, for white patches that don’t come off if you wipe them with a clean cloth. This could be oral thrush.
Talk to your pediatrician if you suspect your baby has thrush. She can prescribe a drops for baby and/or a cream for you to get rid of thrush.
If you get the drops, make sure to use a Q-tip to spread it around the affected areas. We didn’t do this and it took twice as long for the thrush to disappear.
4. Go topless… or at least use breast shells! This breastfeeding tip made me cringe when I first heard it, but when you have sore nipples, you’ll do anything to get better faster!
Fresh air and sunlight on your boobs will help your nipples be less sore, and even keep thrush in check if you sit in direct sunlight for 15 minutes or more.
Being stuck in tight bras and under constantly damp nursing pads are terrible for new moms’ boobs. At the very least, try to go without a bra or use breast shells that will allow air to circulate.
5. Use a nursing pillow. Why be hunched over your baby to feed, when you can bring baby to his milk with a nursing pillow? I love using a nursing pillow to feed my babies because it allows me to have both hands free. Even my husband uses it when he bottle-feeds our babies.
Use code EYT123 to get $40 off any nursing pillow here.
6. Keep snacks by your favorite spot to nurse. They don’t even have to be healthy.
Breastfeeding made me hungry! Lots of moms feel increased hunger and thirst when they nurse their babies.
I fixed this by having chocolate chip granola bars and plenty of water bottles in a drawer next to the nursery glider.
Lactation cookies are a fun snack to have! Check out this post for a list of lactation cookies to try!
7. Settle into a routine, not a schedule. Rigid schedules like feeding baby exactly every 3 hours will make both you and baby miserable. Try this Babywise eat-play-sleep routine instead.
As soon as baby wakes, feed him. If baby is still awake, cuddle and play. Then put baby down for a nap.
That’s it.
We used this exact Babywise routine with both our babies. It not only made sure our babies were well-fed and happy, it kept us from losing our minds when baby cried and we couldn’t figure out why.
Both our babies cried a lot less and slept a LOT more once we implemented the routine.
Sticking to the Babywise routine also helped me make sure my baby was nursing enough to drain my breast and get both the watery foremilk and the fatty hindmilk. This signaled my body to make more milk for her and kept her full and growing!
8. Ask for help and let people help you. Having a newborn is exhausting, I won’t sugar-coat it. There will be lots of cluster feeding and night time wakings in the first few weeks.
Get people to do your dishes, clean your house, and take care of you so all you have to do is take care of baby. If you can afford it, hire someone to clean your house a couple times a month, or have food delivered to you.
I had a C-section with my first, so I was forced to take it easy because I could barely move around. With my second, I had a VBAC and I felt SO great in comparison to after a C-section that I did not take things easy.
I cooked, I cleaned, I went out and did stuff. And I totally regret that. I wish I would’ve laid around in bed and watched TV or snuggled my newborn while everyone else did everything else for me.
9. If baby seems hungry all the time, don’t despair. They could be cluster-feeding or going through a growth spurt.
Growth spurts usually occur around 10 days, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. They only last 3-4 days as long as you feed them enough when they are truly hungry.
Babies do this to increase your milk supply and it is perfectly normal. Give it some time, find a good show on Netflix, and stop freaking out.
RELATED: 7 Nighttime Baby Products to Help New Parents Get More Sleep
10. Try different breastfeeding positions. Different positions will help you discover the most comfortable one for you and encourage milk ducts to all drain more evenly.
The laid-back position is the best if you have oversupply or forceful letdown. I also really liked lying on my side in bed to nurse. When I was done, I’d call my husband so he could get the baby and burp her, and then I’d just go to sleep.
11. Support your back when breastfeeding. Remember to always bring the baby to your breast, not the breast to your baby. Being hunched over baby is terrible for your back, not to mention it is so uncomfortable!
Sit up straight (thanks mom!), and put your feet up on a stool to get your knees higher and bring baby to you. Don’t forget that nursing pillow.
If you do the side-lying breastfeeding position, you’ll be more comfortable during those long feeds by sticking pillow behind your back to lean on. Put a burp cloth under your breast and baby’s face to catch any drips.
12. Recognize the signs of a milk-drunk baby. Relaxed hands means baby is full. Fists clenched means baby is still hungry.
The breast baby was drinking from should feel soft with no hard lumps. This means your breast is well-drained and there are no plugged ducts.
A full and satisfied baby will have gotten enough of that fatty, delicious hindmilk, so it’s important to make sure baby is draining your breast.
13. Don’t stress about baby drinking enough. If baby is pooping and peeing and gaining weight, then she’s drinking enough milk even if you aren’t totally sure she is!
Are you still worried? Take your baby to a breastfeeding support group and weigh baby before and after a feed. Subtract the before-weight from the after-weight and that should tell you how many ounces baby drank. (I did this with my second baby and it totally helped!)
14. It’s OK to wake a sleeping baby. If baby is still hungry, but fell asleep latched on, take a deep breath to get your chest to move, rub their feet, or gently stroke their cheek to get them to drink.
In the newborn phase when you’re still establishing your milk supply, if baby has gone more than 4 hours without taking milk, wake him!
Newborns need to drink often, about 8-12 times a day. Wake your baby if it’s time to feed!
15. Use breast compressions to make your milk flow faster. When baby stops sucking actively, hold your breast like a sandwich close to the chest wall and squeeze gently.
When baby starts swallowing and sucking again, maintain the pressure until he pauses.
16. Get a great pump and learn how to use it effectively. I’ve tried two different ones, and my favorite is the Medela double electric pump. It’s strong, it’s easy to use, and it works.
Check out this pumping class if you plan on pumping at work.
17. Here are some quick pumping pro tips:
- You’ll get more milk if you pump in the early morning or middle of the night.
- Pump one side while baby feeds from the other. Use the football hold if you have a traditional pump, or use Freemie cups and use any breastfeeding position you want!
- Try using a warm compress like Earth Mama’s Booby Tubes to make milk flow more readily as you pump. The tube shape is genius as it allows you to form it to the exact shape and spot you need it to be. These can also be used to help release plugged ducts.
- Before and during pumping, massage your breast from the armpits toward your nipples. This will wake up your breasts and tell them to release the milk.
18. Get fitted for nursing bras. Then buy at least 3. Remember, you could be wearing these bras for up to a year or more! Make sure to buy quality bras that fit you well.
I recommend getting one with underwire if that’s what you normally wear, and one seamless bra for the early days where your boobs change size dramatically every day!
Read more about different types of maternity and nursing bras at Cake Maternity.
19. Don’t stress about breastfeeding in front of others. Grab a nursing cover, wear something with easy access to your milk-makers, and check yourself out in front of a mirror. See? No one can see anything!
Use code EYTBABY1 to get $35 off any nursing cover at Udder Covers. They have a rigid neckline that stays open to provide airflow under the cover and allow you to peek in at your baby. I’m also loving their nursing shirts right now, especially this ruffle top, and the code works for that too!
20. Set short breastfeeding goals for yourself and celebrate when you meet them. I gave myself 3 weeks at first, then 1 month, then 3 months, and then 6. Once I passed the 3 month mark, however, my milk supply had finally regulated and my baby was a pro. So we ended up making it a whole year!
To celebrate, I would get myself little treats like coffee ice cream or green tea frappes.
Setting goals and achieving them, no matter how short or small, will make you feel like a winner. And new moms, more than anyone, need to feel like winners.
21. Remember why you’re doing this. Remind yourself too, of the benefits of breastfeeding for you and for your baby. Think about why you wanted to breastfeed in the first place. Was it to bond with your baby? To give them their best start in life? To feel strong and empowered?
22. Take care of yourself. It’s easy to lose yourself in the demands of your new role as mama, especially if you’re breastfeeding. Take a few minutes every day to do something for YOU.
You’re important, and you’re loved. It’s not selfish to take care of yourself.
23. Get breastfeeding support. Re-evaluate how things are going for you throughout your breastfeeding journey, and if you need help, contact your local hospital or find the nearest IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant).
Joining a breastfeeding support group can also help you achieve your breastfeeding goals, as well as help you work out any kinks. Check out La Leche League’s website to find a support group near you.
Another great online resource is Kelly Mom.
Connect with a mom who has a new baby or who is also breastfeeding and meet with her regularly. Know that you are not alone!
You can do it, mama! We believe in you!
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