The first thing that became obvious to me very early on when working with new mothers is that, while breast-feeding may be the most natural way to feed a newborn baby, for all mothers it does not come easily. Immediately after the birth, midwives encourage mothers to put their baby straight to the breast, and guide them through the techniques of positioning and latching the baby on. For some mothers their baby will latch on to the breast easily, feed well and then drop off to sleep easily until the next feed. For others the baby will fuss and fret, fight the breast or take several sucks before falling asleep.…

Milk let-down reflex The hormones produced during your pregnancy help prepare your breasts for the production of milk. Once your baby is born and put to the breast to suck, a hormone called oxytocin is released from the pituitary gland at the base of your brain, which sends a ‘let-down’ signal to the breast. The muscles supporting the milk glands contract and the milk is pushed down the 15 or 20 milk ducts as the baby sucks. Many women feel a slight tingling in their breasts, and their womb contracting when their milk lets down. These feelings normally disappear within a week or two. You may also experience a let-down…

The key to successful breast-feeding is getting off to the right start, and, as you will have already read, ‘little and often’ after the birth is essential to helping establish a good milk supply. But putting the baby to the breast little and often will not guarantee you a good milk supply if your baby is not positioned on the breast properly. While in the hospital you will be guided by your midwife and the nurses on how to latch your baby on to the breast. But as you will more than likely leave the hospital quite soon after giving birth, I would strongly advise that you get help from…