But for Marta, things weren't so simple. Her baby fussed and refused to take her nipple. Not so, according to doctors. Breastfeeding usually is trouble-free, but not always. And mothers shouldn't expect to automatically know what to do.
Problems arise, but solutions are easily worked out.
If you're already breastfeeding or looking forward to the day when you will, here's some expert advice to make the feeding go smoothly. Choose a good bra . A good nursing bra simplifies breastfeeding, says Ellen Petok, certified lactation consultant in Woodland Hills and an instructor at the Lactation Consultant Training Program at the University of California at Los Angeles. But don't go bra-shopping until the end of pregnancy. That's when your breasts are about the same size they'll be when you're nursing.