Tickle baby's lips with your nipple until baby's mouth opens really wide, like a yawn. When baby's mouth is wide open, pull her close to take as much of your areola in her mouth as possible so her jaws don't close on your nipple. By positioning baby's mouth back from the nipple, her suckling will stimulate the milk ducts to bring the milk forward into the nipple area. This will ensure your baby gets as much milk as possible and will help prevent nipple soreness.

When well-positioned at the breast, baby's lips will be flanged out and tongue cupped at the bottom of your nipple with chin touching the lower part of your breast. This is called "latching on." Baby should breathe easily with nostrils flared out specifically for this purpose. If baby seems to have trouble breathing, lift your breast a little or pull baby's legs a little closer to you so her nose pulls away slightly from the breast. Don't push on your breast to move it away from baby's nose because this action may pull your nipple out of the back of baby's mouth, which could cause soreness to your nipple.

At first you may feel a stretching sensation as baby starts to pull your nipple into her mouth. For some women the feeling may be slightly painful, but it goes away quickly during feeding and fades after a few days. If your baby tends to arch backward and pull away, tucking her legs in on the other side of your body will help keep baby attached and breastfeeding effectively. Let baby breastfeed until she lets go of the breast. You might try burping your baby, although some breastfed babies don't burp much; then offer the other breast.

Continue to offer both breasts at each nursing session during the early weeks because it will help establish your milk supply. Start the next nursing on the last breast offered or the breast that baby didn't take at the last feeding. It's easy to remember which breast to offer first because that side will feel fuller. Remember that it is normal for one breast to make more milk than the other and for baby to prefer one breast to the other.

Be careful when removing baby from your breast. If baby's gums rub across your nipples, it will hurt and your nipples may become sore. We suggest gently putting your finger between baby's gums to break the suction and holding your finger there to protect your nipple while removing your nipple/breast from baby's mouth.

During the last few weeks of pregnancy, some women notice a little colostrum leaking from their nipples. This nutrition-packed "early milk" ranges in color from a clear liquid to a yellow or an orange color. It's normal to have this leakage, but it may not occur in all women.

During the first week after delivery, oftentimes on the third or fourth day, your milk supply will increase. That's when women say their milk has "come in," which is not exactly accurate as your body has produced milk from the time baby was born. Gradually your milk will change from colostrum to transitional to mature milk during the next few weeks. Colostrum is early milk produced during pregnancy and readily available the first 36-72 hours after birth. Transitional Milk is a mix of colostrum and mature milk produced between days 3 and 14. Mature Milk develops about two weeks after giving birth and appears thinner than cow's milk. It may look slightly blue, although the color varies from woman to woman, and may be affected by diet. As long as you breastfeed, your milk will change to meet your baby's needs. For instance, at the beginning of a nursing session your milk is plentiful and high in carbohydrates. Toward the end of the nursing session you produce Hindmilk, a creamy milk that is high in fat and calories and is very filling to your baby.

Approximately a month after you begin to breastfeed, your breasts will start to feel softer. This is a sign that your body has adjusted to making milk.

Once your milk supply is established, and your baby has grown so his stomach holds more milk, your baby will probably fall into a fairly regular feeding schedule. Try to remain flexible because a variety of factors can change the schedule. For instance, growth spurts, typically at two to three weeks, six weeks, and again at three to four months, may cause baby to nurse more frequently. Continue to nurse on cue and your milk supply will catch up to the increased demand.

Shorter, more frequent nursing will increase your milk supply more effectively than longer, less frequent nursing. Offer both breasts at each nursing while baby is going through a growth spurt. Be aware that sometimes babies nurse more frequently because they need the comfort and companionship that nursing provides.

Eventually, crying will become a "late" sign for hunger. Avoid reaching the stage when baby is upset and crying hard because it's more difficult for a distraught baby to settle at the breast. Calm your upset baby before trying to nurse.