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Starting Breast Feeding 2During the first couple of days of nursing, you may need to wake your child to begin nursing, it is normal for your infant to fall fast asleep once more during mid-feeding. To make sure that your child is obtaining the right nutrition, you may need to wake him or her up if it has been four hours since the last time he or she nursed. However once your child becomes more alert for longer periods, you may begin to settle into a routine of feeding every one to three hours; and less during the night as your infant begins to sleep through those night time hours. Remember since feedings can take up to forty minutes, it is important to choose a spot that will allow you and your child to be comfortable. You should hold your child in a position, that will not leave your arms and back straining and sore later on. One thing that works well, is to support the back of your infant’s head with your hand, however the position you choose will greatly depend on what feels right to you. If you are sitting using a pillow or the world renowned boppy pillow can become a great help, in supporting your nursing child. Remember do not begin the nursing until both you and your child are comfortable, as you will be either sitting or laying in that position for quite a while. You may even want to check out the previous article on creating a nursing sanctuary, to aid you in your breast feeding. When beginning to nurse, your nutrition can be left in the dust. However it is recommended that you partake in a normal healthy diet during your nursing. While experts would often recommend that nursing mothers consume an extra four hundred to five hundred calories a day, that has now vastly changed; as experts now say that nursing mothers don’t need the calorie boost. Instead you will want to maintain a well balanced diet for your own health, however you do not need to follow any complicated rules to successfully nurse your infant, or provide them with the nutrition that they need (your body will do this for you). However you may wish to limit your caffeine intake, avoid chocolate, spicy foods, and other possible irritants that will get into your breast milk supply and possibly bother your infant. You should make sure to drink a lot of fluids, as the oxytocin released by your body during breast feeding may make your thirsty. This of course will also help remind you to keep well hydrated! Lastly, remember that although breast feeding is natural, it may be difficult in the first days of your infant’s life. You should take the time to get some encouraging advice from a lactation consultant, or even friends who have nursed their children as well. This is a special time for you and your infant, for you to provide not only the food that your child needs; but an extraordinary bonding tie that you will forever have with your infant.
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