Lolli’s Lesson: “Cocoon” your baby…

Breastfeeding is something both mom and baby are learning together. And it takes some practice to get it right! I tell most families that it takes about two weeks to really get breastfeeding fully established to where confidence is built, a milk supply is built, and perhaps a routine is in the process of being built!

Before ever bringing that sweet baby to breast, we want moms to get comfortable. I know from working with hundreds of mothers over the years that they will do just about anything to get baby to latch. I want to change that for each and every mom I am blessed to counsel. I want moms to be comfortable FIRST. Then, we bring the baby to the party!

Once mom is comfortable, we need to set the stage for baby. Babies have come from a very secure environment and that is all they have ever known. Now, here they are in this great big world learning to breathe oxygen with their lungs and figuring out how to live in a world that feels anything but secure. Now they have all the room to move—activating their crazy strong startle reflex. When babies do not feel secure, the last thing they are going to want to do is go to the breast, latch easily, and have this super amazing feeding. We can make this transition much, much easier by realizing a baby’s need to feel confident in their environment by “cocooning” around baby so they feel safe. Once that happens? Watch for the magic!! It’s a very important early step in latching a baby for an effective, less frustrating breasteeding. Check out this reel on some of my favorite ways of “cocooning” a baby…