Breast-feeding is a wonderful natural process that you and your baby will learn together. Here are six tips that will make your breast-feeding moments that much easier.

Establish a routine
Breast-feeding gives you and your baby a special time to relax together. Most moms find it helpful to breast-feed their babies in a calm environment. Establish a routine that's comfortable for you. Use a favourite armchair or rocking chair and have a few supplies on hand:

A nursing pillow to support your baby in your lap
A nursing stool to elevate your feet and ease the strain on your back
A large glass of water and perhaps a healthy snack

Don't feel rushed - Take the phone off the hook, have a portable phone nearby, or let the answering machine picks up your calls. This is you and baby time. You should take your first breast-feeding attempts slowly and calmly. Don't expect too much of yourself or your baby right away, and don't hesitate to ask your doctor, lactation consultant, hospital or public health nurse or a close family member for guidance.

Find a comfortable position
Experiment with each of the following breast-feeding positions until you discover what's most comfortable for both of you.

Cradle hold
Sitting upright, place baby's body on his side across your lap, facing you. Support his head in the crook of your elbow and his back and bottom with your forearm. Move his face in front of your breast, holding your breast with thumb on top and fingers below. Brush your baby's mouth or cheek with your nipple and he may instinctively seek the nipple and begin to suck.

Cross-cradle hold
Baby's position is similar to the cradle hold. Using your opposite arm to hold him, support his head with your open hand. This makes it easy for you to move him to your breast and into a comfortable position as he latches on to suck.

Football hold
Picture how a football player tucks a ball under his arm. Now tuck your baby under your arm, holding his head and neck in your hand, feet extending toward your back. Support your arm with a pillow at your side. This hold may be more comfortable if you've had a caesarean delivery or have large breasts. It's also helpful if your baby tends not to take enough of your nipple and areola into his mouth in the other positions. It also enables moms with twins to breast-feed two babies at once.

Side-laying
This is called a "snack-and-snooze" position. It helps get your baby correctly latched onto your breast in your early days of breast-feeding, and is another option if you're recovering from a caesarean delivery. Lie on your side with your baby on his side, facing you. Use the hand underneath you to help position your baby's head at your lower breast as you pull him closer to you with the other hand. When he's attached to your breast, use your lower hand to support your head.

The lower lip touch
This may be enough to stimulate his rooting reflex, and he'll turn his head to your nipple, mouth wide open. The rooting reflex is baby's natural instinct to turn his head toward something that touches his cheek or face and will help him find your breast.

How to make a good seal
Your baby should take most of the areola (the brown skin around the nipple) into his mouth. This is called "latching on," and it lets your baby bring the nipple towards the rear of his mouth rather than letting it rest on his gum line, which causes nipple soreness. As baby sucks, make sure he can easily breathe through his nose. If he can't, use your finger to press down lightly on your breast to create an air pocket.

Learn how to release
To break the suction and move your baby to the other breast, gently place a finger between his lower and upper gums to open his mouth. Make sure to keep your fingernails trimmed to be as gentle as possible with your baby.

Alternate positions
If you are experiencing nipple soreness or small, hard lumps in your breast caused by the ducts being plugged with breast milk, try different positions when breast-feeding your baby. Changing positions helps the milk ducts to drain and prevents your baby from sucking on the same sore area of your nipple.

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