While pregnant I spent a lot of time learning breastfeeding and to gather the best tips and tricks to be prepared. Here is my collection of breastfeeding tips.

1) Always make sure you drink a glas of water BEFORE you sit down to nurse.

2) To avoid getting sore nipples from breastfeeding you should make sure you are positioning your little one properly and that you have the nipple well into baby's mouth so that the mouth is covering at least 1/2 inch from the base of your nipple. Your baby doesn't really suck on your nipple, but on the Areola.

3) To avoid having baby's finger nails scratch your boobs, tuck one of babies hands between you and baby and hold the other hand. By the way - babies love the comfort finger holding while nursing (at least that is my experience).

4) When your baby latches on, make sure that the lower lip is rolled out and that she is not sucking on that as well. The exact method is described in Dr. Sears "The Birth Book". This will help you avoid a lot of soreness on your nipples.

5) Breastfeeding and pumping is tough. Remember why you decided to breastfeed. Have your hubby remind you why you breastfeed. Don't give up at 3.00 AM in the morning and get the formula out. Breastfeeding is the best you can do for your baby.

6) If the baby falls asleep while nursing, tickle the feet for change the diaper. Some babies continue to nurse even while sleeping.

7) Pay attention to your diet! Remember - You body is producing the milk and you need extra heathly calories. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. You will need to experiment what food your little one likes.

8) Experiment with new positions to breastfeed in, especially when your baby grows bigger. You'll find as their size changes, you can change the ways you position them. Being in the same position all the time can get pretty uncomfortable. The more ways you can change positions and continue feeding, the better off you'll be in the long run, especially for nighttime feedings.

More to come. Please add your own breastfeeding tips here.

Bumbelbee