The correct way to breastfeed a newborn and what the mother needs 

Correct breastfeeding is the best way for your child to get his food, as breast milk is the most important source of nutrition for newborns in the first months. It has a major role in the development of the digestive system of the child, the development of his brain, and the building of his auditory and visual sense.

And to make the first attempts of breastfeeding are not random and bad, you should choose the appropriate position for your new born, buy some supplies that make you professional in breastfeeding your child in a way, and follow some of the instructions that we offer you in the following lines.

The right way to breastfeed

Breastfeeding is a skill that you and your baby can learn. It may take some time at first to get used to it. There are many different positions you can use, until you both feel comfortable.

1. Gently tickle your baby's lips with the nipple, so that his mouth opens wide, and some experts advise directing the nipple towards the baby's nose, and then pointing it down the upper lip to open his mouth wide, and if your baby turns away, gently stroke his cheek on the side near you until he comes back to your breasts.

2. Don't put your nipple in your baby's mouth if he's unwilling to feed, and it may take a few tries before your baby opens his mouth wide enough for him to feed properly.

3. Make sure that your baby’s mouth covers the nipple and at least part of the areola, because only sucking on the nipple will not put pressure on the milk glands and can cause soreness and cracks in the nipple, but if the baby puts his mouth correctly, his mouth, tongue and lips will massage the milk glands properly .

4. Make sure your breast isn't blocking your baby's nose, so you can gently press on the breast with your finger to keep it away from your baby's mouth.

5. Make sure your baby is swallowing by checking his cheeks, and you can hear him swallowing milk.

How do I know that my child is full of milk?

How do I know that my child is full of milk is a common question, and the answer to it in 5 points:

1. You can hear and watch your baby to see if he is swallowing milk or air.

2. The baby sucks calmly and leaves the breast by itself when he is satisfied.

3. He looks  calm after feeding, is in good health and is gaining weight appropriately.

4. After the first few days, your baby should wet at least 6 diapers a day.

5. After about 5 or 6 days, the black stool should stop appearing, and the normal yellow stool will appear soft or thick.

Breastfeeding essentials

After childbirth, the mother needs all possible support, especially during the breastfeeding period, as in most cases breastfeeding is a bit cumbersome and complicated, especially if she is a mother for the first time, so the mother will need some products to help her face the challenges of breastfeeding, whether inside or outside the home, and thus make the issue much easier.

Therefore, we have provided you with the 10 most essential products that are indispensable during the breastfeeding period:

1- breast pump

Many mothers during the breastfeeding period face some problems, such as the excess production of milk for the needs of her child and its accumulation, which may cause congestion and serious infections in the breast. Therefore, a product such as a breast pump is very important for every mother as it allows you to express breast milk in case it accumulates and store it in the freezer for use. If necessary. We advise every mother to take care of choosing a pure and healthy material for the pump, since it has been in contact with baby food (milk), you should avoid poor materials and counterfeit products.

There are different types, including a battery-operated pump, an electric pump that you have to plug into a power source, and a manual pump that you need to pump manually.

There are some good brands of breast pumps in the Egyptian market such as Chicoo, Medela and Philips AVENT.

2- Milk bottles and containers

It is an essential product for working mothers who do not have the opportunity to breastfeed their baby every few hours, or mothers who have an overproduction of milk and need to store it. And those bottles in which the milk that was pumped with breast pumps is stored, enables you to store the milk at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours and in the refrigerator for 3 days.

• You should avoid storing milk for long periods and use the oldest bottles first and make sure that the milk is consumed in the periods close to the pumping date, because with the passage of time, its nutritional value decreases.

• You can save the milk in special bottles or save it in bottles until you use it directly to feed your baby.

3- breastfeeding pillow

Many mothers suffer during breastfeeding their children from pain in the arms and back, so nursing pillows are designed to help you support your baby in a suitable position close to your breast without having to bend over so that you can breastfeed your baby correctly, and the pillow is a very important product as it gives your baby comfort and reduces the causes of feeling Reflux, colic and digestion problems that occur due to the wrong position of the child during breastfeeding.

* It can also be used in positions other than breastfeeding, such as sitting. It helps support your child's back in a proper position or sleep as a comfortable pillow.

4- Moisturizing nipple cream

Moisturizing nipple cream is used to prevent cracked and sore nipples that may occur due to the wrong use of breast pumps or the transfer of fungi from your baby's mouth, which makes breastfeeding painful and difficult.

There are many well-known brands in the Egyptian market today, some of which are safe in case of contact with the child’s mouth, and some of them require cleaning the chest well before feeding, such as Avalon Pharma Nipple Cream, Sanosan Nipple Cream Lansinoh Nipple Cream, Medela Purelan and Panthenol, or you can use natural materials such as Aloe Vera, sachets. Chamomile tea or a mixture of tea tree oil and olive oil.

5- Nursing cover

Your baby may get hungry while you are out of the house, and from here you will look for a place where you can breastfeed your little one without embarrassment, but by using the nursing cover you do not have to worry anymore, the cover is a covering bib that you wrap around your chest that gives you privacy so that you can breastfeed your baby in public places.

The material from which the cover is made is preferably light, opaque cotton, stay away from heavy materials that may disturb your son and cause him to overheat. You can choose the types that have a plastic curve that allows you to see your baby while feeding.

There are many brands that offer different types and designs to suit all tastes that you can choose from such as Nelly.

6- Nursing bra

During breastfeeding, you need special bras, because regular bras designed to support and lift the breast contain pieces of iron that may block the milk veins. Special bras are useful if you are indoors or outdoors and your baby needs to breastfeed, you can do this easily without having to remove or remove the bra.

7- Nipple protector

It is a flexible silicone protector, the primary cycle, to protect the mother from biting the baby or getting cracks and wounds during breastfeeding. The condom should be in the shape of a traditional nipple to fit the baby's mouth, and the opening should be wide so that the baby can easily absorb milk.

* You must pay close attention while wearing the condom because wearing it incorrectly may negatively affect the production of milk.

There are many brands that offer premium nipple ounces such as Chicoo and Philips Avent

8- Breast pump and feeding bottle cleaning tools

When buying a breast pump and feeding bottles, you should take good care of the cleanliness of their internal parts so that the milk residue does not cause mold that may cause your baby to get sick. You can use your hands to clean it, but this method is not as effective as desired. That's why you need special tools to clean pumps and milk bottles. All you have to do is take apart the parts of the pump or bottle, clean it with the designated brush and rinse with hot, soapy water.

You can get custom cleaning tools from Chicoo or Philips Avent.

9- Breast pads

The leakage of breast milk from mothers may expose the clothes to embarrassing situations, especially if you are outside the house, so we advise you to use breast pads, which are cotton pads used to absorb the milk that leaks from the mother’s breasts.

The most important brands selling breast pads include Avent and Dr. Brown's. BROWN'S

10- Milk Bottle Warmer

It is an electric or battery-powered device that heats milk bottles stored in the refrigerator to make them suitable for feeding your baby, and it is a very important device as it allows heating your baby's food when you are away from home with ease.

*Be careful that the milk is not too hot before you give it to your baby by putting a few drops on your hand.

*You can also use the heater to sterilize bottles and keep them clean.

 There are several brands in the Egyptian market that offer milk heaters in the market, the best of which are Philips Avent and Chicco

You should take care of feeding your baby within short periods of time or using milk pumps to avoid engorgement in the breasts, so that the milk supply in your breasts is regulated. You should also take care of your health during this period.

Many specialists recommend drinking 11-12 cups of fluids every day, and you can use nutritional supplements if milk production is weak to increase milk production. But consult your doctor first before buying it from pharmacies.

In order to be able to breastfeed your baby easily, we recommend to know everything about the breastfeedind, and buy all tools you will need, you can shop online within markitee.com, the best shopping website in Egypt for all baby & mum needs, take a tour  in the Nursing & feeding section, has provided you with all the tools you will need to feed your baby from milk pumps, bottles needed to store and preserve milk, nipple protectors and creams to preserve the skin of your breasts, nursing pillows in different shapes and nursing covers to maintain your privacy and comfort .