Preparing for the Early Days of Breastfeeding
The first few days and weeks of breastfeeding can be a learning curve for both you and your baby, but with a little preparation and understanding, you can set the foundation for a successful breastfeeding journey. Here are some key points to remember during those early days:
Bring Baby to the Breast Often
Frequent feedings are crucial in the first few days to help establish your milk supply, ensuring your baby is getting the nutrition they need. Aim to feed every two to three hours or whenever they show signs of hunger.
Removing milk often–either through breastfeeding or pumping–stimulates your body to make more milk and maintain production!
Skin-to-Skin Time is Vital
Spending time skin-to-skin with your baby is incredibly beneficial. It helps lower stress levels for both of you, regulates your baby’s breathing and blood sugar. It also stimulates the production of oxytocin and prolactin-hormones that increase milk production and bonding.
Baby’s Natural Instincts
Babies are born with natural instincts to breastfeed. Most healthy, full-term newborns can self-attach to the breast if placed skin-to-skin on their mother’s abdomen. They will instinctively crawl up her torso using their stepping reflex and massage the breast to activate their feeding reflexes.
Understanding Colostrum and Baby’s Tummy
In the first few days, your body produces colostrum—a thick, golden milk packed with nutrients and antibodies to help prime your baby’s immune system. Many new moms worry they aren’t making enough milk, but colostrum is all your baby needs. Did you know a newborn’s stomach is about the size of a cherry and can only hold a small amount? By day three, it grows to the size of a walnut, and by one month, it’s about the size of a chicken egg.
Refer to this chart for a visual representation:
Milk Transition
Monitoring Wet and Dirty Diapers
One of the easiest ways to ensure your baby is getting enough milk is by keeping a log of their diapers. Tracking their wet and dirty diapers provides valuable insight into their hydration and digestion, especially in those early days.
Wet Diapers
- Day 1-2: Expect 1-2 wet diapers per day
- Day 3-5: You should see at least 3-5 wet diapers daily as your milk transitions
- Day 6 and Beyond: Look for around 6 or more wet diapers daily.
- Day 1-2: Your baby’s first stools, called meconium, will be thick, sticky, and black
- Day 3-4: Stools will transition to a greenish-brown color as meconium clears
- Day 5 and Beyond: Stools should become mustard-yellow, seedy, and loose in consistency. Breastfed babies typically have 3-4 diapers a day, which can vary.
Dirty Diapers
Below is another visual that may be helpful:
Around day three or four, your milk will transition from colostrum to mature milk. This is often when moms notice their breasts feeling fuller. If your baby is latching well and effectively removing milk, your supply will adjust to meet their needs.
Latch and Feeding Cues
Breastfeeding should not be painful! Some tenderness is normal in the first few days, but sharp pains or discomfort could indicate a poor latch.
Signs of a good latch include:
• Baby’s cheeks are full (not dimpled).
• You hear active sucking and swallowing.
• Baby’s lips are flanged outward.
• Their chin touches your breast.
You can express a little milk or gently stroke your nipple along your baby’s upper lip to encourage a wide mouth before latching.
Seek Support Early
Lactation specialists and International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) can provide valuable guidance to prevent and address breastfeeding challenges. They can show you different feeding positions to ensure you and your baby are comfortable.
Breastfeeding Benefits
Breastfeeding offers many health benefits for both you and your baby. For your baby, it strengthens their immune system, protects against obesity and GI issues, and reduces their risk of infections. For you, it lowers the risk of ovarian and breast cancer and supports postpartum recovery by releasing oxytocin-the ‘love hormone.’
Weight Gain and Feeding Schedule
Your baby may lose some weight in the first few days due to fluid loss, but you should see them regain their birth weight by around day 10. Feeding every two to three hours, or on demand, will help maintain your milk supply and support your baby’s growth!
Every Drop Counts
Breastfeeding, even in small amounts, provides incredible benefits for your baby. Each drop of breast milk is packed with valuable nutrients and antibodies that support your baby’s health and development.
Additional Resources
If you’d like more guidance, I offer a free downloadable journaling guide for setting your unique breastfeeding goals! Click here to download.
For moms returning to work, I recently joined Madison Fugere- on the Postpartum Plan Podcast to share tips on building a milk stash and managing pumping schedules. Click here to listen!
If you like to explore virtual support, I offer video consulting through the I help moms platform. I can provide tailored support with breastfeeding and infant sleep routines, providing evidence based-guidance and a listening ear. Your first 15-minute consult with me is free and then $1.25 for expert support on your motherhood journey. Click here for my coaching link.
If you’re an expectant mother and would like more info on hand-expressing breast milk, the importance of the first hour after birth, and optimizing milk production in the early days, check out this wonderful resource: First Droplets by Dr. Jane Morton. Her videos are highly demonstrative and easy to follow.
Breastfeeding can come with challenges at times, but it’s also a rewarding journey! Remember, you and your baby are learning together, and it will get easier with time and practice. You’ve got this, mama, and I’m here if you need extra support.
Comments
Post a Comment