Baby Care Encyclopedia

Breast feeding is the most natural way to feed your baby, but that doesn't mean that the technique comes naturally to every mother-baby pair. In fact, it can take several weeks to get started, and a few months to feel completely skilled. Initial setbacks are more common with first babies, mothers who are under stress (which can hamper the let-down of milk), and mothers with fair or delicate skin, who may experience more nipple irritation. Several sources of help are available to mothers starting breast feeding. If you're short on friends and relatives who have breast-feeding experience, a group called La Leche League can help; ask your doctor or hospital for a referral. Even if you didn't start nursing right after birth, it may be possible to restart your milk supply with some expert advice. How long you breast feed is as individual a decision as whether to breast feed at all. Ideally, breast feeding should be continued for at least the first three months a key period for boosting...