 Hi, I'm Caitlin, a nurse at Kaiser Permanente's Maternal Child Care Unit, and I'd like to congratulate you on the upcoming birth of your baby. If you are choosing to breastfeed, I hope this video will provide you with great information as you begin your breastfeeding journey and return home with your baby. Breast milk offers many benefits to you and your baby. Providing breast milk will help protect your baby from illnesses such as colds and respiratory ear and throat infections, and will decrease the risk of chronic conditions such as allergies, diabetes, and obesity. Breastfeeding can decrease the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Mothers also experience benefits from breastfeeding, such as lower rates of breast and ovarian cancer, less postpartum bleeding, and postpartum weight loss. While breast milk is the biological norm for babies, it will take some practice. Your nurse will assist you and you will have access to a lactation consultant should the need arise while you're in the hospital. Let's discuss a few ways you can get your breastfeeding journey off to a good start. As soon as it is safe to do so, your baby will be placed directly on your skin. You are encouraged to continue skin-to-skin contact as much as possible with your baby. Skin-to-skin contact begins your bonding and breastfeeding journey, keeps your baby warm and calm, and stabilizes blood sugars. Rooming in is when mom and babies are kept together in the same room during their hospital stay. This allows mothers to recognize their baby's early feeding cues, such as opening eyes, licking and moving hands to mouth. Crying is a late sign of hunger. Feeding at the first sign of hunger will allow the feeding to go more smoothly. Your nurse and lactation consultant will ask to observe feedings. This will give them the opportunity to look for signs of effective feeding. We can offer suggestions to position your baby in ways that keep both you and your baby more comfortable. Optimal positioning ensures your baby is getting enough milk. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breast milk feeding for the first six months of life. Offering your baby anything else, such as formula, sugar water or milk, can lead to increased illness, decrease your baby's desire to breastfeed, and lower your overall milk supply. Upon discharge from the hospital, you will have an appointment scheduled within three to five days with the Kaiser Permanente Mother Baby Program. You may also call them with additional questions or schedule follow-up appointments as needed. We at Kaiser Permanente are here to partner with you in your breastfeeding journey. And again, congratulations on your upcoming birth of your baby.