Breastfeeding is a skill, it doesn’t come to most mothers naturally. Being well informed while you’re still pregnant and having good support after the birth makes all the difference. Knowing why you want to breastfeed, when and how to breastfeed, and ways to overcome the challenges will also help you persevere on difficult days.
Breastfeed Early
Breastfeed skin-to-skin with your baby within the first hour of birth in the labour ward. This boosts your milk production. Early nursers also tend to catch on sooner.
If your baby doesn’t want to feed early, or he can’t be brought to you to feed within the first hour or you are too exhausted to try, you can still try later. Cuddle him and enjoy the moment! However, if your baby isn’t latching on for whatever reason within the first six hours, you should stimulate your breasts to make milk by hand expressing (often more effective than pumping in the early days).
Rooming-in 24 hours with your baby establishes breastfeeding sooner. You can watch him, learn his hunger signs and feed him whenever he cues hunger.
Be Realistic About Your Milk Supply
Your milk supply won’t be abundant in the first four days. The “little” milk you have in that time (colostrum) is more than sufficient for your baby. Don’t worry, and don’t let anyone tell your otherwise! Stress hinders successful breastfeeding.
Your milk will fully come in (increase in quantity and change from colostrum to mature milk) usually between three to five days. Nevertheless, start feeding frequently and work on your nursing technique.
Breastfeed Frequently
A one-day old baby doesn’t feed much, perhaps five to six times in 24 hours. His first feed may last 10 to 20 minutes. Rest as much as possible then, because from the second day onwards he may feed about one-and-a-half to two hourly, at least 10 to 12 times in 24 hours. Each feed may last 20-40 minutes or more. By then, you may have a very short time left before the next feed. Frequent and/or long feedings are normal.
Don’t limit your baby’s feeds to a fixed duration or schedule the frequency of feeds. “Feeding on demand” and unlimited feeding can be time-consuming but it increases your milk supply naturally, reduces engorgement and satisfies your baby’s suckling needs. Remember, it can take a few months before you and your baby finally settle into a nursing rhythm. Be patient during this tiring time to get accustomed to your new role.
While you shouldn’t restrict feeds, you should check if your baby isn’t feeding enough. Many newborns are more sleepy than hungry. If, in the day time, your newborn’s been sleeping past two hours from the time he started his last feed, wake him up to feed.
A good evening practice is to feed every two hours after 6pm until midnight. This ensures your baby’s tummy is kept full so he won’t wake up so often in the wee hours. Feed again at 2-3 am (if he hasn’t yet awakened earlier to feed) and again at 5-6am. Two (or more!) in-the-middle-of-the-night-feeds is normal for a newborn. Co-sleeping with your baby helps facilitate frequent and more relaxed feeding.
Once your baby has reached four weeks old, you can stop waking him at night to feed and let him set his own pattern, if he is peeing, pooping and gaining weight acceptably.
Understand Your Baby
Don’t interpret all your baby’s cries as signs of hunger. Many mothers feel pressured to give their babies formula milk in the first few weeks because “Baby’s crying, I don’t have enough milk”. Your baby could be restless because your new eating habits are affecting your milk, your daily routine doesn’t suit him, or he can’t breastfeed effectively in the position you’re using. You may need to control your diet, breastfeed in a calmer environment, or improve your breastfeeding technique to ensure he’s getting the milk you already have.
In the early months, your baby’s nursing pattern will vary. In the evenings, it’ll be normal for him to cluster feed for several hours (very frequent to constant nursing) and possibly appear fussy. He’ll experience growth spurts, nursing more than usual for several days, and also act fussy.
Periods of cluster feeding and growth spurts can be very exhausting and frustrating but giving your baby formula milk isn’t the foremost answer; formula fed babies have fussy periods too. Supplementing with formula at this time actually interferes with the natural supply and demand of milk production and tells your body it doesn’t have to make more milk – when that’s what your baby needs. Use techniques to soothe your fussy baby and explore ways on how you can cope. Remember, these challenging days will pass.
Note: This is not to say that mothers should never use formula, or that they should feel guilty if they do. Often, however, mothers are ill-advised by hospitals and health professionals who don’t possess the most accurate information and/or subscribe to practices that actually undermine breastfeeding. Make an educated, empowered choice. Find out more on how you can reach your breastfeeding goal by reading the best breastfeeding sites listed below.
References: The International Breastfeeding Centre, La Leche League and Kellymom.
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Jin Ai traded refugee work for diapers, dishes and homeschooling. She blogs about parenting, home education and life as mom to four kids (one baking) at Mama Hear Me Roar.
