With a new life, many new experiences await us. Especially for new mums, one of the most important entries to life after giving birth is breastfeeding, and of course, your very first breastfeeding is just as special for you as it is for your baby. What do we expect as new mums from this experience? How should things go? Let’s discover one by one, as we celebrate Breastfeeding Week as well, which takes place between the 1st and 7th of August, with its theme for 2024 “Closing the gap: Breastfeeding support for all” which cherishes the diversity in breastfeeding while showcasing the ways our loved ones support us during this journey.
Your First Breastfeeding
Especially for mothers who have welcomed their first child, breastfeeding your little bundle of joy for the first time is for sure a unique experience. What happens when you breastfeed for the first time? How does it happen?
The first breastfeeding usually happens within four hours after birth and is important for promoting the bond between you and your baby and initiating milk production. At first, it is normal to experience nipple pain, which will pass after getting used to breastfeeding. Breastfeeding for the first time is a possible mix of wonder and uncertainty, as you and your little one dive into this world and learn together. A deep sense of fulfilment and joy might welcome you with open arms, as you provide vital nourishment and comfort to your newborn, this time outside the womb. Additionally, close physical contact can evoke feelings of peace and connection, providing for the profound bond between you.
Skin-to-Skin Contact
The mother’s instinct might not immediately kick in for every mother, but the first skin-to-skin contact is an experience unique to each mother and child, forming the initial steps of your special relationship. Immediately after birth, forming this intimate contact helps regulate your baby’s temperature, ensuring that they have an easier time adapting to the world outside the womb, while they are warm and comfortable. Your contact also provides for successful breastfeeding, as your proximity and warmth encourage your little one to latch on the nipple more effectively. Fostering a sense of security and love between you and your baby, your skin-to-skin contact is crucial for forming the basis of this lifelong emotional bond.
As a mother, especially if you are a first-time mum, your first skin-to-skin contact with your baby can be overwhelming and profoundly emotional. An intense wave of love and protection might surround your heart, unlike anything you have ever experienced. After carrying them for months, feeling the warmth of your baby against your chest can create a peaceful sensation, helping you both relax after the extensive labour. A deep sense of relief and accomplishment may also surge in, finally feeling your baby safe and healthy in your arms after months of waiting. With this connection, most of your fears and anxieties you had during pregnancy will fly away, getting replaced with a powerful and unique bond made to last forever.
Establishing the First Latch
Effective breastfeeding happens with a good latch, ensuring both you and your little ray of sunshine have a smooth start in feeding. With an effective latch, your baby takes a good portion of the areola into their mouth, preventing your discomfort and pain as much as possible. A good latch is essential for your baby to take in a good amount of milk, helping them get all the necessary nutrients, as it stimulates your milk production along the way. If this is your first time breastfeeding, a unique mix of emotions awaits you.
As your baby latches on and makes themselves comfortable, you might experience a slight tugging or pulling which might make you feel uncomfortable initially, but it should not be painful. As you both get used to the sensation, the warmth of your baby’s mouth and the rhythmic sucking can create a soothing and bonding experience. Relief and joy surround you as you realise that your body is providing nourishment for your little one, whom you carried for months. During your first latch, it is common to feel a profound connection and a sense of accomplishment as you witness your baby feeding comfortably.
It is completely normal to be anxious or uncertain! Especially if the latch is not perfect right away, remember that practice makes perfect, and both you and your baby are on this journey together. Overall, we can say that the first latch is a significant milestone that marks the beginning of a nurturing and intimate, unique bonding between you and your baby.
Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All
This year, Breastfeeding Week welcomes us with the theme “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All” which aims to celebrate breastfeeding mothers in all their diversity, throughout the journey of breastfeeding, while underlining the ways families, communities and health professionals have the back of every breastfeeding mother. Breastfeeding comes unique to each mother and child, from your first latch to last, and this celebration is to recognise all of the different experiences and challenges faced by mothers around the globe, whether they are a first time mum or not, and highlights the importance of providing support at every stage for every mother. As the mother’s closest circle, families play a crucial part in this, offering encouragement and practical help to ease the breastfeeding process. Communities can foster a positive environment, ensuring you that you are not alone, and have all the support you need, and promote breastfeeding-friendly spaces and policies. Health professionals are key for offering all the guidance mothers need, tailored to their needs and daily life, and reassurance that they have all the resources and confidence they need. By providing breastfeeding support, we can empower all mothers to thrive in their journey, benefiting both them and their babies.
Discover our Breastfeeding Guide for everything you need to learn about breastfeeding in detail.
Don’t forget, a single drop of breast milk means countless benefits!
