Got Milk? 15 most frequently asked questions about breastfeeding By Jill Caryl Weiner with expert advice from Beverly Solow Breast milk is the most natural food you can give your baby, and breastfeeding is one of the most amazing things you can do. But it doesn’t happen automatically. Breastfeeding is a skill that you and your infant will perfect over the weeks and months ahead. “Even moms who took a breastfeeding class are going to need some hands-on experience,” says Beverly Solow, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant who's been working with nursing mothers for 18 years. “It’s like Driver’s Ed - you may have finished the classroom part, but you still have to learn to drive the car. And even if you’re doing it right, you can still feel uneasy behind the wheel.” Still, if you persevere with breastfeeding and embrace it as the first stage in a lifetime of learning with your child, you’ll likely clear the hurdles and come to love the peaceful, quiet times you spend nursing. To help you get there, we asked Solow to answer questions she hears frequently from moms Something's not right. What’s the most important thing I can do to make this work? “A good latch is the foundation of breastfeeding,” Solow says. The latch is the position of the baby’s mouth around the nipple. A proper latch-on is deep and asymmetrical, with more of the breast in the mouth near the baby's lower lip than the upper lip. So how do you get there? See this animation of a good latch.• Timing is important. Feed your baby when he's hungry, but not too hungry. A baby who is rooting around for the breast is just starting to be hungry. This is the optimal time for breastfeeding.• Hold your baby properly (see Kellymom). Make sure his head is tilted back slightly, so the nipple looks like it's going to go up his nose. Then lightly touch his lower lip with the edge of the areola. Wait for his mouth to open wide. Now, using the heel of your other hand, push fast against his shoulder blade to bring him on to your breast chin first (to get more of the breast in his mouth near the lower lip). His chest, chin and cheeks should be pressed against your breast, and a bit of the areola should stick out of his upper lip. His nose should be clear.Next: How do I know if my baby’s getting enough milk?