Breastfeeding is a beautiful and natural way to nourish your baby. It offers countless benefits for both mother and child, from boosting immunity to fostering a strong bond. Breastfeeding may be natural but it’s not instinctive. Throughout human evolution, breastfeeding was a learned skill. Women learned it from watching other women breastfeed. Today most new moms haven’t seen enough breastfeeding around them so they didn’t have a chance to learn,    That’s why prenatal education is crucial. This blog post will equip you with the essential knowledge to embark on your breastfeeding journey with confidence.

The Importance of Breastfeeding

Breast milk is the ideal food for babies. It contains all the nutrients and antibodies your baby needs for optimal growth and development. Studies consistently show that breastfed babies have a lower risk of:

• Ear infections
• Respiratory illnesses
• Allergies
• Asthma
• Type 1 diabetes
• Obesity
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• Cancer
• ADHD
• Autism

Breastfeeding also offers numerous benefits for mothers, including:

• Reduced risk of postpartum bleeding
• Lower risk of breast and ovarian cancer
• Lower risk of heart disease
• Cost savings
• Convenience

The Golden Hour: A Special Bonding Time

The first hour after birth is known as the “golden hour.” This precious time is crucial for initiating breastfeeding. Skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby helps regulate the baby’s body temperature, heart rate, and breathing. It also stimulates the production of oxytocin, a hormone that promotes bonding and milk production.

During the golden hour, your baby is alert and eager to breastfeed. This early initiation can help establish a successful breastfeeding relationship. Research shows that mothers who breastfeed in the first hours after birth have more milk even 6 weeks later. If you can’t breastfeed during the first hours for any reason the same beneficial effect can be achieved by hand-expressing colostrum (the first milk).    

Colostrum: Liquid Gold for Your Baby

Before your mature milk comes in, your body produces colostrum. Often referred to as “liquid gold,” colostrum is packed with nutrients, antibodies, and immune-boosting properties essential for your newborn. It might seem like a small amount, but it’s perfectly designed to meet your baby’s tiny tummy needs in those early days. Colostrum helps protect your baby from infections, aids in digestion, and establishes beneficial gut bacteria. Don’t worry if you think there’s not much; even a little colostrum goes a long way in nourishing and protecting your baby.  Colostrum is usually thick like honey, it’s brown or yellow and comes out slowly (sometimes you have to scrape it off the nipple!).  

Latching Challenges: what to Do

Latching can be a learning process for both you and your baby. It’s common to experience difficulties in the beginning. A large percentage of babies don’t latch in the first 24 hours.  Here are some tips:

• Spoons solve everything: if your baby isn’t latching, no worries! You can spoon-feed them colostrum you hand-expressed. During the first 24 hours, all they need is 2-5 ml. over 3 hours (importantly distinctive from every 3 hours because it might take you 3 hours to hand express that amount. It’s normal for the baby to come off and on the breast over 3 hours to get 2-5 ml). With spoon feeding, the baby is being fed and your breasts are being stimulated so you can patiently wait for the latch with no pressure. To learn how to spoon feed, watch this great video about spoon and cup feeding. After 24 hours it’s a good idea to add pumping for 15 minutes every 3 hours if the baby still hasn’t latched. This is because hand expression might not be as stimulating as breastfeeding so the stimulation of the pump is needed to establish milk supply. This is a supply and demand system so the more stimulation the nipple gets from suckling or pumping the more breastmilk you will make. Scroll down for a link to a great video showing how to hand express effectively.   
• Seek help: Don’t hesitate to ask a lactation consultant or nurse for assistance.
• Patience is key: It may take several days for your baby to latch. If this is the case keep your baby skin to skin for plenty of opportunities. Make sure to feed them as much as they need while maintaining your milk supply by pumping.
• Proper positioning: Ensure you and your baby are comfortable and supported.
• Watch for signs: Observe your baby’s mouth and body language for cues. If your baby is full of amniotic fluid (babies take a big gulp during birth and are still spitting it up for many hours postpartum), they might not be ready to latch for a while.   
• No nipple shield with colostrum: Nipple shields might seem like a quick and easy fix for latch issues but more often than not they cause a cascade of interventions that hinder breastfeeding. Colostrum, the first milk, is not easily removed through the shield. Babies may spend a long time at the breast but still might not get enough. This may lead to excessive weight loss and supplementation as well as reduced milk supply. Also, once the baby’s latch reflex is desensitized by the aggressive stimulation of the silicone shield it might be hard for your nipple to stimulate the suck reflex. A better strategy is to spoon-feed expressed milk as needed by age while working on the latch with a lactation consultant.    
• Drip feeding: drip feeding pumped milk from a syringe on the areola or into the baby’s mouth when they are latching can facilitate a latch.    

If you’re struggling with latching, don’t despair. With patience, practice, and support, you can overcome these challenges.

Hand Expression: A Helpful Technique

Hand expression is an effective way to remove milk and especially colostrum from your breasts. To hand express use your thumb and index finger to gently compress your breast tissue, starting from the base and moving towards the nipple. Here is a great video to learn hand expression.  

Knowing if Your Baby is Getting Enough Milk

Newborns typically feed frequently, often every 1-3 hours or more. However, every baby is different. Some common signs that your baby is getting enough milk include:

• Diapers: in the first 48 hours we wet to see at least 1 wet diaper and at least 1 stool. After 48 hours (when the amniotic fluid is out of the system and every stool and urine is a sign of feeding) we want to see at least 4 wet diapers and at least 2 stools. The color of the stool should change from the black meconium (the first stool) to a fall palate-colored stool (except for red, red stool is something to consult your doctor about).
• Weight gain: in the first week all babies lose weight, a baby shouldn’t lose more than 10% of their weight. Then the baby should go back to birth weight by 2 weeks and then gain at least 150 grams a week (up to age 4 months when 80 is the minimum).
• Good latch and sucking: if you see deep jaw motions during a breastfeeding session that’s a good sign that your baby has a good latch.

If you’re concerned about your baby’s milk intake, consult with a lactation consultant or your pediatrician.

How Much Milk Does My Baby Need?

While it’s essential to trust your baby’s cues, here’s a general idea of how much milk your baby might consume in the early days. Remember, these are estimates, and individual variations are normal.

• Day 1: Your baby might consume around 2-10ml (about a teaspoon to four teaspoons) per feeding, approximately 8 times a day.
• Day 2: The amount typically increases to around 20ml per feeding.
• Days 3-5: Your milk supply starts to increase significantly. Your baby might consume around 30ml per feeding on day three, increasing by about 10ml each day.
• By day 10: Your milk supply is likely established, and your baby might be consuming around 80-90ml per feeding (about 3 oz).

However, it’s important to note that this is just an average. Breastfed babies in their first year can vary widely in their milk intake. The most crucial factor is ensuring your baby is thriving, gaining weight steadily, and showing signs of satisfaction after feedings.

Normal Newborn Feeding Patterns

Newborn feeding patterns can be unpredictable. Some babies feed frequently, while others cluster feed (feed for several hours at a time). It’s essential to trust your baby’s cues and feed on demand.

It takes time and patience to establish a successful breastfeeding relationship. Don’t be afraid to seek support from lactation consultants, breastfeeding support groups, or other mothers. With the right information and support, you can enjoy the many benefits of breastfeeding for both you and your baby.