Simple Steps to Getting Breastfeeding off to a Good Start

Work with your caregivers and birth place to ensure:
1. Immediate skin to skin care and remain skin to skin until the newborn attaches and breastfeeds
2. Keep your baby with you to learn your baby’s feeding cues
3. Feed with baby’s cues rather than a schedule
4. Let the baby lead the feeding- they know when they are hungry and when they are full
5. There is no “best position”- each mom and baby will find their most comfortable position
6. Do not “push” baby’s head into the breast
7. Do not limit nursing times
8. Only give formula supplements if medically necessary
9. Continue skin to skin care in the first days of breastfeeding
10. Breastfeeding should not be painful, if breastfeeding hurts, ask for help
11. Make sure you receive the contact numbers of community breastfeeding resources before you leave the hospital

Before the Baby comes:
1. Talk to family and friends about your breastfeeding goals
2. Consider taking a breastfeeding class
3. Find a breastfeeding-friendly infant care provider
4. Talk with others who have birthed at local hospitals and ask questions about breastfeeding
support at that hospital
5. Talk with you doctor or midwife to ensure you will not be separated from the baby unless
medical necessary; request time for the newborn to self-attach in the first 1-2 hours