Getting positioned
Try to arrange conditions that are relaxing for you as well as for the baby. Make yourselves as comfortable as possible.

If you are nursing in a bed, sit up as straight as possible. If you are able to sit, choose a chair with arms. There are several ways to hold your nursing baby:

The cross-over hold: This hold is useful in the early days of nursing. Place 1 or 2 pillows in your lap and position your baby on one side so that the baby's chest and abdomen are against your body. Use your right arm to hold the baby at your left breast, while supporting the back of the baby's neck and head with your hand.

The football hold: This hold is helpful for mothers who have had a cesarean, who have twins, or who are nursing small babies. Sit in a comfortable armchair with a pillow at your side to help support your arm and lift the baby. Support the baby in a semi-sitting position facing you, with baby's bottom toward the back of the chair. The arm closest to your baby should support the baby's back, with your hand holding the baby's neck and head.

The cradle hold: This hold works best once your baby is able to coordinate head and neck movements and is at least a few weeks old. With this position, you hold the baby's head in the crook of your right arm for nursing at your right breast.

Side-lying hold: This position works best if you are uncomfortable sitting up, if you are nursing a sleepy baby, or if you are nursing during the night. You and your baby lie on your sides, stomach to stomach.

Latching on
No matter which position you use, the most important skill to master is getting the baby to latch onto the breast correctly. To do so, you should position the baby's head just below your breast, with the baby's nose in front of the nipple. This will help to get the baby to latch on to the areola with the lower jaw well below the base of the nipple.

Next, use your free hand to support your breast and compress your areola to match the shape of your baby's open mouth. Then touch the baby just under the nose with your nipple. When the baby's mouth has opened wide and the lower jaw has dropped all the way down, quickly bring the baby's shoulders and head together to the breast.

You will know that your baby is well latched on if the baby's lips are far apart and flared, if more of the lower section of the areola (rather than the top section) is in the baby's mouth, and if you feel comfortable.

Feeding time
The length of time required for a feeding varies from baby to baby. Some babies who nurse vigorously may finish in 10 minutes. Others who take their time may require 45 minutes for a feeding. The average feeding time is about 20 to 30 minutes. But keep in mind that the length of feeding time may also vary from feeding to feeding.

Ending the feeding
The best way to end a feeding is to wait until your baby lets go of the nipple. Most will let go after 20 to 25 minutes on a side.

If you need to break the baby's suction on your breast, you can insert a finger into the corner of the baby's mouth or gently push down on your baby's chin with your thumb and forefinger.

Gently burp the baby and offer the other breast. If the baby does not nurse on the second breast, it should be offered first at the next feeding.

Burping your baby
The most common way to burp your baby is to lift him or her to your shoulder and pat the baby on the back. Another method is to lay the baby across your knees, stomach down, and rub or pat his or her back. You can also sit the baby in your lap, supporting his or her chest and head with one hand while gently patting the back with your other hand.

Feeding frequency
Babies do best if they are nursed when they seem hungry. To help establish a good milk supply, infants should be nursed on demand around the clock and receive no other food or drink.

For the first few weeks, your baby will probably nurse at least 8 times every 24 hours. As your baby grows, the frequency of feeding will likely decrease.

To see if your baby is getting enough milk, note how frequently the diapers are soiled. If intake is adequate, each day he or she will soak 6 to 8 diapers and have several small bowel movements. If you are unsure about your baby's milk intake, speak to your health care professional.

One breast or two?
During the first weeks, nursing the baby on both breasts at each feeding helps stimulate the breasts and establish your milk supply. If an infant will not latch onto the second breast, the next feeding should be started on the second side.

After your baby is one month old, experts suggest that you start feeding on one breast and continue until your baby stops feeding. The next feeding should be started on the opposite side. This helps ensure that your baby gets the high-calorie "hindmilk" that is delivered later in a feeding.