24 tips for breastfeeding

Nursing is a different experience for every mother and baby, so what works for one woman may not work for the next.

That said, there are plenty of time-tested techniques for improving milk flow, clearing blocked milk ducts, and more. Read on to find out how BabyCenter moms faced, and overcame, some of the most common breastfeeding challenges.

I attended a class offered at the hospital. It gave a lot of the basics along with the encouragement that if breastfeeding wasn’t easy at first, baby and mom eventually would find their rhythm.
— R.L., Racine, Wisconsin

Don’t watch the clock to see how often or how long your baby is nursing. Instead, go with your instincts. If your baby is rooting around or crying, then feed him or her — even if you just did.
— Gina Locke, Grapevine, Texas

Make sure your baby’s mouth covers a large part of the underside of your nipple. I spent the first few weeks in a lot of pain because my baby wasn’t latching on properly. What a difference the correction made!
— Heidi Hudson, Oakland, California

I’m a pediatrician mom of a 3-year-old whom I breastfed for eight months. My son was extremely hard to start: Despite making our first attempts (unsuccessful) in the first hour and knowing what to do, it took almost two days to get him latched on. In the interim, we finger-fed with an SNS (supplemental nursing system) and glucose water while I pumped to get my milk supply going. The SNS was a lifesaver. We finally hooked it to my breasts and were able to get him latched on by the third day.
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