Breastfeeding Basics

SKIN TO SKIN CONTACT

(Baby on parent’s chest, parent lying in the center of bed, baby’s face and nose uncovered, no one in the room smoking or drinking, baby’s head turned towards one side)

  1. WITH MUM/ DAD IS IDEAL FOR THE BABY DURING INITIAL DAYS (if you are afraid to do that, start with keeping baby close to your body, that is also helpful, and ask us how to do that).
  2. IT HELPS THE BABY IN ADJUSTING TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD BETTER.
  3. IT ALSO KEEPS BABY WARM AND COMFORTABLE.
  4. IT HELPS MOM/ PARENTS IN IDENTIFYING BABY’S EARLY HUNGER.

SIGNS THAT BABY IS IN EARLY HUNGER

  1. ALERTNESS
  2. MOVEMENTS
  3. TONGUE MOVEMENTS / OPENING MOUTH

Baby should be put to breast when in mild hunger, once baby starts crying, it is difficult for them to feed well.

MILK PRODUCTION STARTS WELL BEFORE BIRTH (around 16th -18th week of pregnancy) Day 1 and 2, breasts might feel soft but they have milk. It starts feeling heavy after day 2. If a baby is able to suckle at a large part of the breast, he/ she will get adequate milk right from immediately after birth. if your baby is staying dissatisfied at breast, the way baby is suckling at breast needs to be assessed.

SIGNS YOUR BABY IS SUCKLING WELL AT BREAST:

  1. You feel a nice big grab and not bite or pinch or pain.
  2. Your baby suckles and pauses on its own, doesn’t need to be tickled/woken up.
  3. Baby is relaxed post breastfeeds and is comfortable.
  4. A well fed baby passes at least 1-2 urine and 1-2 stools on day 1 and the numbers increase with each day. By day 4-5 baby should be passing at least 7-8 urine and 4-5 stools/day
  5. Babies can lose up to 8-10 percent of their birth weight in the first week which they regain by the end of 2nd week if they are breastfeeding well.

IMPORTANT

  • Having no milk/ Less milk is extremely rare. If baby is put to breast correctly and frequently, your milk supply will increase based on your baby’s requirement.
  • SCHEDULE A LACTATION CONSULT URGENTLY IF:
    • your nipples hurt while breastfeeding/ 
    • baby is crying a lot/ baby is not gaining weight / baby does not seem satisfied after breastfeeding. 
    • your breasts are hard-painful.
    • you feel your supply is less.

(All the above indicate that baby is not efficiently suckling at the breast)

  • If breast milk is not being used, it will start accumulating in breasts and breasts can start hurting by day 3-4. Also, milk production might decrease with time.
  • Powders/ tablets sold in the name of increasing milk supply will not help if breasts are not being regularly drained either by baby or by expressing milk.

Click Here to Download PDF/Printable version of above Information

Dr Shacchee Baweja
(Interational Board Certified Lactation Consultant)

(Please Call 9560916959 for Clinic appointments) 

For Video Consults use DOCON Patient App

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