Depending on health and circumstances, your baby is born with an instinct to suckle at the breast. Yet even if this instinct is strong, your baby will not know everything about nursing. The first few weeks are a learning process for both of you; it will take time to become completely comfortable with the relationship. Your baby has been receiving nourishment from the umbilical cord for months, and even if thumb sucking was a habit in the womb, drawing milk from a breast is something your baby will have to work on.
It is important to remember to nurse your baby on cue; it is especially important during the first few weeks because your milk supply is being established. How much milk your breasts make is determined by how much your baby nurses. Your milk supply will always adjust to your baby's needs if you nurse on cue. If you are concerned you are not making enough milk, remember this simple phrase: supply equals demand.
Whether or not this your first baby, you will have some new feelings and physical responses to consider. You and your baby will need to get to know each other. After your first nursing, you will be on your way to building a bond that will be enjoyed by both of you. This learning period is important to establishing a lasting nursing relationship.
Proper latch-on is one of the most important aspects of nursing. If your baby is not taking the nipple correctly, sucking is a virtually a wasted effort. Your baby needs to take more than just the nipple. Part of the darker area surrounding the nipple, the areola, needs to be taken into the baby's mouth. The reason for this is simple. The milk ducts behind the areola need to be compressed by your baby's mouth movements in order for the milk to be released through the nipple. Sucking is only part of the process.
It is also important to make sure the baby's mouth is in the right position. Some babies suck their bottom lip into their mouth while nursing. This can cause nursing blisters on those tiny lips. From your view above, it can be difficult to see if your baby's lower lip is caught. Running your finger under your baby's mouth can be a good way to determine if you should latch baby on again. Sometimes another attempt at latch-on isn't necessary if you can gently pull down on the chin to release the lip.
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