The arrival of a new baby can be both thrilling and overwhelming. They say breastfeeding comes natural and instinctive, but what most people don’t know is that there’s often a learning curve to get through before milk starts flowing. To guide you through your first week of breastfeeding, here’s everything you need to expect in the first few day!
Expectations: First Few Hours After Birth
Skin-to-skin contact.
- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), initiating breastfeeding within the first hour after birth is essential in establishing good milk supply. That’s why right after delivery, it has been a practice that babies are given to their mothers to do skin-to-skin contact.
Securing a good latch is also extremely important. A practice that helps babies figure this out is through breast crawling. When babies are placed on the mother’s tummy after birth, they naturally crawl into your breast to start nursing. Although you may be tempted to put them directly on your breast, not letting them crawl on their own can often result in a shallow latch.
Nurse and sleep. No matter what, labors are exhausting, so you and your baby both need good rest. In fact, babies often go into a deep sleep which makes it challenging to breastfeed them well. Even so, it’s still good to encourage your baby to nurse so they can pick up the benefits of your first milk — the colostrum! Studies have shown that nursing in the first few hours can lead to longer breastfeeding duration in the long term.
Expectations: Day 1 to 3 of Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding after every 1-3 hours
- . The first few days of breastfeeding will be hectic. Your baby will be asking for your milk every now and then! On average, babies can drink up 8 to 12 times in the day! Nursing frequently also helps you increase your milk supply over time.
Your baby might lose some weight. Panic usually rushes through a mother who finds out her baby is losing some weight after birth. Don’t worry though, this is completely normal for breastfed babies to shed a little weight in the first three days of life. This is usually due to them passing out their first poop and other bodily fluids they may have absorbed during labor.
Not a lot of milk supply yet. Another issue many moms feel like they face is that they have a fairly low milk supply in the first few days. Many don’t realize that this is very common. In fact, you would only probably be producing less than 200 ml of colostrum around this time. This should be just right for your baby’s small and premature digestive system.
Expectations: Day 3 to 5 of Breastfeeding
Your milk letdown finally arrives.
- Feeling like your breasts are getting fuller? Slowly but gently, your milk supply is finally coming in. With the increase in milk supply, expect your baby to breastfeed a little longer.
Your breasts can become engorged. Whenever you’re not getting to empty out your milk supply, your breast can become full and, eventually, engorged. The first thing you need to check on is if you’re latching right. When your baby gets a good latch, there’s a good chance they’re getting to empty out your breast well. You can also try doing some hand expressions to relieve you of the engorgement.
Your baby’s poops will start to change. Starting from a greenish-brown color (called the meconium), it will soon transition into a mustard yellow color. Diaper changes will become more frequent as well.
Expectations: Day 5 to 7 of Breastfeeding
Your feeding schedules begin to change.
- Breastfeeding doesn’t come on a schedule. A baby’s feeding clock varies from one another, so it’s best to rely on and listen to early hunger cues and signals.
Breast tenderness can begin to subside. Now that you’re getting the hang of breastfeeding, you’d notice that the initial discomforts will start to go away.
If you’re still having persistent pain, consult with a lactation expert. Breastfeeding can be quite challenging for some women. If you’re still having a hard time, it’s best to get a professional on board to help you out.
