This is a period in your nursing relationship that is easy in some
respects and difficult in others. It is also a crucial period for
establishing a good milk supply. You can
consider this a learning period for both yourself and your baby. You
are learning to position the baby
correctly, how to tell how often
and how long your baby wants (needs) to
nurse, building confidence in your letdown
reflex, perhaps building up your courage to breastfeed
in public. Your baby is learning to latch
on correctly. She or he is also learning to trust
you; she or he is learning that you will be there whenever she or
he needs you.
Breastfeeding in this period is easy because:
You probably don't need to worry about criticism.
Most people are comfortable with the idea of a nursing
infant.
You probably don't need to worry about going
back to work, at least in the beginning of this
period.
You might have visitors (probably family members) who might
be taking care of the house work so you can concentrate on your
baby.
You are not worrying about your sex life; you are probably
too sore to have intercourse anyway. Your partner is likely to
be understanding and tender at this time.
Breastfeeding in this period can be difficult because:
You are learning to get the mechanics right. You need to
pay attention to the following:
You might be worrying about getting enough sleep. The best
way to make sure you do get enough sleep is:
Take a nap when your baby does
Sleep with your baby at
night. This way, you can nurse your baby without fully
waking up, and drift back to sleep without having to leave
your bed to put the baby back in her or his cradle or
crib.