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Breastfeeding:

There are many reasons that a person may choose to breastfeed, including that it is the more natural way of doing things, it is healthier for the baby, and more. It might seem as simple as the baby latches on and drinks and that's it, but there are a few important details that can be overlooked or that no one may inform you of:

• You should wear breast pads all the time (this usually starts during pregnancy). Even if you only leak a little bit most of the time, you will start leaking drastically whenever your baby starts crying.

• You will want to have a pump handy for when they become engorged or to be able to make up some bottles to freeze and save for the babysitter or for when daddy will be feeding the baby.

• Be aware that your baby may not be willing to take any bottle nipples, which means that you will have to be the one to always feed the baby, because the baby will only eat directly from the breast.

• Be prepared that, when baby gets older, they will begin lifting your shirt when they are hungry, and they don't yet understand the difference between being at home and being in public.

• Be prepared for biting. When your baby is a newborn, this is obviously something that you don't think about, but as they start to get older and grow teeth, if you are still breast feeding, you will want to prevent them from biting your nipple. One of the most effective ways to do this is as soon as they bite your nipple thump them lightly on the forehead. It may take a few times, but most moms report that their baby stopped after a few times.

• You should feed from each breast at every feeding, and try to empty them as best you can so that the baby gets the most nutrients.

• It is a lot harder to wean a baby from the breast than it is to break a baby from the bottle. This makes sense, though, because you can throw bottles away, and after a couple of days, when your child hasn't seen any bottles anywhere, they will stop asking for it. But, you can't exactly remove your breasts, and the baby knows exactly where they are, so it is difficult to keep the baby away from it, and they won't understand why they are no longer allowed to have it.

• When you take a shower, it is best not to use any soap on your nipples. This can cause it to dry and crack. In fact, some experts recommend leaving a small amount of breast milk on the nipples and letting it dry there to protect them from cracking.

• You will make enough milk. Many new moms worry in the beginning that they aren’t producing enough milk because their baby seems to always be hungry and you aren't able to measure how much they have been eating. But, what you may not realize is that your body will react to your baby's increased hunger and begin producing even more milk.

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