How to Breastfeed a Newborn in the First Week After Birth

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Breastfeeding can be challenging during the first week after birth, even for women who have breastfed in the past. By knowing what to expect and how to increase your chances at effectively breastfeeding in the first week, you can set yourself up for a successful breastfeeding experience throughout your baby’s first week of life and beyond.

Steps

Breastfeed Early and Often To give yourself the best chance at producing sufficient milk in the first week, it is important to try to breastfeed at every opportunity. This will help encourage your body to produce milk and will help you and your new baby adjust to the process of breastfeeding.

1. Try breastfeeding almost immediately after birth. The sooner you introduce your baby to the breast, the better your chances of having the baby accept and effectively breastfeed. It will also immediately prompt your body to begin the process of producing milk.
2. Request the baby stay in your room or be brought in for feedings. Having your baby nearby encourages the stimulation of important maternal hormones that promote milk production.
   • If you give birth in a hospital, request that the staff either allow your baby to remain in your room or be brought in every 1 to 2 hours–even overnight–for feeding.
   • Do not allow hospital staff to supplement your breastfeeding with sugar water or infant formula unless the baby has a medical need for additional calories, suffers from a feeding problem, or you are temporarily physically unable to attempt to breastfeed.
3. Offer the breast every single time the baby wants to feed. Do not offer pacifiers and instruct medical staff at the hospital that you do not want the baby offered pacifiers or bottles. The more frequently you bring the baby to your breast to try to feed, the more your body will receive signals to produce milk and the more accustomed your baby will become to sucking effectively, which encourages the production and let-down of milk.

Know What to Expect If you know not to expect an immediate influx of plentiful white milk, you will know not to be discouraged when your body produces only small quantities of thick, yellow fluid or if you have difficulty getting the baby to feed. Staying confident in your ability to breastfeed is much easier when you know what to anticipate in the first week of breastfeeding.

1. Do not expect immediate let-down of breast milk. Many women have a delay of several hours or even days before breast milk supply fully arrives.
   • Let-down of milk may be delayed by medication, a surgical birth, or extended separation from your baby after birth. Do not get frustrated if your milk supply seems to be delayed, as most women take up to a week to get a full supply in their breasts on a regular basis.
2. Do not expect large quantities of breast milk. The first several days after your baby is born, you may only produce colostrum. Colostrum arrives before regular milk and is thick, yellowish fluid that provides high fat content and important antibodies and nutrients to your baby. In the first several days after birth, this is the only nutrition your baby is likely to need, and the amount you may produce during feeding will be small but adequate for your newborn.
3. Get as much skin-to-skin contact with your baby as possible. Direct contact with your baby encourages the release of hormones in your body that stimulate milk production and emotional bonding with your child. Cuddling and letting the baby rest on your bare skin will help signal your body to produce breast milk.
4. Have faith in Mother Nature. The process of giving birth naturally signals your body to begin milk production.
   • Unless you have a medical condition or physical problem that precludes milk production (which is very rare), your body will produce what is necessary for your baby to consume during the first week. Your newborn’s stomach will be small, and his or her nutritional needs will be limited.
   • As your baby’s nutritional needs and stomach size grow, your milk supply will also increase, and your production will keep pace with or exceed your baby’s needs.

Meet with a Lactation Consultant Breastfeeding consultants can be very helpful in guiding you through the process of learning to breastfeed. Even if you have breastfed before, each baby is different and you may experience new challenges. Take advantage of any opportunities to work with a lactation advisor to ease the process of breastfeeding in the first week after delivery.

1. Request a visit from a professional breastfeeding advisor. Most hospitals or birthing centers staff lactation consultants, peer counselors, or nurses with expertise in breastfeeding.
   • Lactation consultants can offer useful tips, demonstrate appropriate technique, and let you know what is normal in terms of feeding frequency, milk consistency, pain or discomfort, infant appetite, and milk production.
   • Most institutions will set-up an in-room visit while you are at the hospital or schedule a home visit to enable you to see a breastfeeding counselor.
2. Share your questions or concerns about breastfeeding. Let the consultant know about your troubles or questions as soon as possible so that she can direct you toward the appropriate resource for help or correct problems early in the process.
   • Most counselors will have you attempt to breastfeed while they are present so that you can walk through the steps and get reassurance, feedback, or answers to any questions as they occur to you.
3. Be open about pain or problems. Breastfeeding can be intimidating, especially if you are a first-time mother. If you suspect you do not have enough milk or if breastfeeding is causing pain in your nipple or breast, discuss this with the lactation consultant. She may be able to direct changes in position, the use of creams, or additional tips to encourage the let-down of milk and to make the feeding process comfortable and successful.

Tips

• Remember that breastfeeding can be challenging, but it is the natural mechanism for nourishing an infant. Your body will rise to the challenge, and you can take comfort that you are working hard to provide the best possible nutrition for your baby.
• If you are unable to breastfeed due to surgical recovery, unconsciousness, or medical limitations during the first several days after delivery, you may have additional challenges in beginning to breastfeed. Inform medical staff of your wish to begin breastfeeding as soon as possible and request that they help you stimulate lactation and take advantage of breastfeeding opportunities as soon and as frequently as possible to increase your chances of being able to breastfeed.
• Do not be afraid to ask other women about their experiences with breastfeeding, as they may be able to give useful tips or reassurance to help you through the first week or more of breastfeeding.

Warnings

• If you are experiencing significant pain or if you do not believe you are producing any fluid at all, alert a physician or breastfeeding expert. In some cases, medication supplements can be given to help stimulate lactation. In other cases, you may need to consider aggressive breastfeeding counseling or supplementing with infant formula to ensure your baby receives adequate nutrition.

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