Many first-time moms aim to breastfeed their infants and that’s wonderful. But for new moms managing a whole lot of new once their baby arrives, breastfeeding can be tricky … Oh, you may think you know what to do from what you’ve read and heard, but the reality of doing is a different matter altogether. That’s why, before your baby is born, one of the best things you can do for yourself before Baby comes is to arrange for a lactation expert, nurse or good friend who has successfully breastfed to be with you in the hospital and to visit you numerous times at home while you gain confidence as a breastfeeder.  At your child’s birth, your milk will not have come in just yet, but you DO need to learn immediately what it’s like for your baby to latch on.  Successful breastfeeding comes about in stages and is designed artfully by nature so it’s not as cut-and-dry as you might think.  

In the book Painless Childbirth, by Giuditta Tornetta, a lactation expert, moms learn that having an expert with them from the beginning to help you understand latching on, positioning, and milk supply — and to help boost your confidence — can make all the difference between a beautiful breastfeeding experience and giving up.