The tables have really turned on the breast vs. bottle issue, and nowadays doctors, nurses, your next-door-neighbor, and the stranger you met on the bus last week will all urge you to breastfeed your baby whether you want to or not. But hear me now: IT IS YOUR DECISION. If you are the one having the baby, then it is up to you how you want to feed. If you decide to nurse your baby, here are some helpful tips to get you going.

In the Hospital

Let the nurses help you. They can show you how to help your baby latch on, how to hold the baby, and all the tricks of early breastfeeding. You tend to lose your modesty with them since they've just helped you deliver your baby, so don't worry about that, but if you want privacy from other patients and you are in a semi-private room, pull those curtains! It's not rude to want to be alone with your family and your doctors and nurses.

While you're in the hospital, it's okay to ask the nurses to take your baby to the nursery for a little while to let you get some rest. Many women are opting for "rooming in," which just means your baby is with you 24/7 after she's born. Even if you have opted for that, if you are exhausted and you need to sleep, take advantage of their help. They can bring the baby back to you when it's time to nurse.

Get In Bed

Once your baby is born, even if you have other children to take care of, get in bed with your newborn and let someone else take care of the household. More than vacuuming or cooking or even playing with your older child, you and your baby need the closeness, the rest, the bonding time and the nursing time that you can get from hanging out in bed together. Don’t even get up for meals. And here’s the key: Do this for as long as you want to! As long as it takes! Stay in bed for days if you like. You are recovering from having a baby, don’t forget, and you have to take care of yourself. If you have to get up for a few minutes, don’t make the bed. There’s no point since you’ll be getting right back into it.

While you’re in your bed, use the time to practice nursing. Try lying on your side with the baby next to you to nurse. One of the hardest things to learn is to hold your baby in the correct position while sitting up to nurse, so just eliminate that for now and lie down. It may feel awkward at first, and your baby may even cry about it, but it really does work.