Below are some of the ways to ensure that a mother is able to breastfeed successfully:

1. Ithink the first key to successful breastfeeding is determination.
   Determinationhelps you overcome many obstacles, and forces you to find ways to makesure you succeed.
   For me, I didn't give myself any option at all.
   When Iwas pregnant with my first child, I was determined to breastfeed my child,no matter what.
   Nothing was going to stop me from breastfeeding my child,because I didn't want to give my child any formula at all.
   This is becauseI believe that God gives us breast milk for a reason, and it just doesn'tmake sense (to me) if we decide not to use something that is God made, butchoose something that is men made instead.
   I refuse to listen to all thenegative words that were spoken to me about why I should rest and not'torture' my body by breastfeeding.
   Once the mother has determination,there is a higher chance that she will succeed in breastfeeding her child.
   
2. Thenext important ingredient for successful breastfeeding is support.
   If amother has people that are close to her that discourage her frombreastfeeding, it will be quite hard for her to continue.
   This is becausethese people will jump at every opportunity to tell her why breastfeedingis not good, either for her or for her baby.
   For example, if the babycries a little the first few days after she was born, then these closerelatives will suggest that it is because the baby is not having enoughmilk, and that the mother should give the baby formula.
   However, if the motheris determined, and knows that her close relative discourages breastfeeding, then she should seek breastfeeding support groups, or experiencedmothers who have breastfed before, that will give her the support andencouragement that she needs.
    Nowadays, most maternity hospitals havethese kinds of support groups.
   
3. Anotherimportant factor that determines whether a mother is able to breastfeedsuccessfully is knowledge.
   Ignorance is definitely not bliss.
   With knowledge,the mother will have confidence that she can produce enough milk regardlessof the size or shape of her breasts, or other family member's lack ofsuccess at breast feeding.
   So it is very helpful if the mother readswidely, talk to experienced breastfeeding mothers and get herself preparedfor breastfeeding before her baby is born.
   This will not only help hersucceed in breastfeeding, it will also help her avoid learning how tobreastfeed from the hard way.
   
4. A lotof times, the success of breast feeding is largely determined by how themother manages her breastfeeding first few days after the baby is born.
   Ifthe mother didn't insist that she wants to breastfeed completely themoment the baby is born, and the baby is being fed by formula, the chancesof success tend to be slimmer later on.
   Nipple confusion also often ariseswhen the baby is being introduced to the bottle too early (if the motheris planning to breastfeed).
   The baby needs to suckle even though themother's milk has not come in yet.
   It helps to stimulate milk production.
   Besides,the baby will also be getting colostrum, a mixture which containsantibodies, produced by the breasts prior to milk.
   Many motherserroneously think they have no milk or not enough milk.
   They becomedisheartened by the seemingly meager amount of thin-looking colostrum.
   Inactual fact, colostrum alone, in very small quantities - teaspoons, notounces - is all the baby needs for the first three to four days afterbirth.
   The fact that the baby doesn't feel full encourages the baby tonurse frequently, as a result, helps the mother establish an early goodmilk supply.
   Hence, it is important that the mother does not cave in togiving her baby formula immediately.
   The transition to produce mature milktakes about two weeks to complete.
   Therefore, it is a matter of timebefore her milk comes in.
   Total breastfeeding with no supplements willestablish the mother's milk supply more quickly.
   

In short, only for a few exceptional cases, most mothers should be able to breastfeed successfully, because this is what God give mothers.
Sadly, a lot of misinformation has caused lots of mothers to fail to breastfeed.
But I am glad that more and more people are aware of the importance of breastfeeding their children these days.