Before Your Baby is Born

How you feed your baby is one of the most important decisions you will ever make.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help!

Getting Prepared: Baby Steps to Breastfeeding Success

© USBC 2011

1- Learn all you can about breastfeeding! Visit www.breastmilkcounts.com to learn more about breastfeeding and getting prepared. This handout will help you speak up and ask questions about breastfeeding before your baby is born and while you are in the hospital: Speak Up: What you need to know about breastfeeding

2- Tell your family and friends you will be breastfeeding so they can learn how to support you. Family and friends can learn more on the Families section of this website.

3- Some mothers and mothers-to-be enjoy going to mother-to-mother groups to learn about breastfeeding. Visit ZipMilk Louisiana to find a breastfeeding support group near you.

4- Create a Breastfeeding Plan and share it with your doctor.

5- Remember that breastfeeding is a learned skill and may even seem hard at first, but don’t give up. Help is right around the corner!

6- The Louisiana WIC program, lactation consultants and others are here to help meet your breastfeeding goals. Visit our Finding Help page to find help near you.

7- Choosing a hospital:  Is your hospital breastfeeding-friendly?

Hospitals in Louisiana that have been awarded Gift Certification have proven that they support breastfeeding moms.  They train their staff to support breastfeeding and have breastfeeding-friendly policies.  Click here to find a Gift Certified facility near you.  Click here for more information about choosing a hospital. Read “A Mother’s Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding” to learn more about the steps you can take for a successful breastfeeding experience.

8-Know your rights! Read this Breastfeeding Bill of Rights, created by the Illinois Breastfeeding Taskforce, to get an idea of what a new mother should be able to expect in the hospital.

9- Your body begins producing colostrum, the first milk, around the middle of your pregnancy in preparation to feed your baby. Don’t worry, you can make plenty of milk for your baby.  Visit the After Your Baby is Born page to learn how to get off to a great start.

10- Visit Mother’s Advocate to learn more about having a better birth.

Some of the information above was adapted from @ 2010 International Lactation Consultant Association. Written by Cathy Carothers for World Breastfeeding Week Action Kit, “Breastfeeding: Just 10 Steps! The Baby-Friendly Way.”