Breastfeeding Day 1: Everything You Need to Know!
Many times women are blindsided the first day of breastfeeding. What they THINK is going to happen, doesn’t, and then their whole world is shaken. They expect everything to happen naturally and easily and, often, that’s the furthest from the truth.
Knowing what to EXPECT going into breastfeeding day one can make a world of difference! If you learn what to expect ahead of time you’ll understand what’s normal and what’s not - what to look out for, what to do, and when to seek out help.
Let’s explore exactly what to expect the first day of breastfeeding from right after birth for the first 24 hours postpartum…
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WHAT TO DO THE FIRST DAY OF BREASTFEEDING
Keep baby with you right after delivery (if possible)
Unless your baby has a medical condition that requires immediate attention after birth, postpone any interventions that aren’t urgent (like getting baby’s stats and giving baby a bath) so you can ideally practice breastfeeding.
Try to delay passing baby around to visitors and keep your baby close to you.
Even if you’ve had a c-section, your baby can be placed in your arms after birth.
Practice Skin to skin
Being skin to skin with your baby is the absolute BEST way to help transition them to their new environment outside the womb. It also helps calm them and keeps them close to the breast so they can breastfeed when they’re ready.
Skin-to-skin helps baby:
keep warm
steady their breathing
regulate their heartbeat
breastfeed
cry less
stabilize their body temperature and blood sugars
How to do skin-to-skin:
Hold baby against your bare chest
Cover their back with a blanket
Tuck the ends of the blanket behind your back to keep your baby snuggled close
Try latching baby within the first hour (or ASAP after delivery)
The first hour postpartum is a magical time.
Babies are often awake, alert, and looking for the breast.
If possible, you should try breastfeeding during this special window of time because after an hour or two after birth, babies often fall into a deep sleep.
Keep in mind that there’s a learning curve for both you and baby.
Don’t expect them to latch perfectly at first because they’re learning a new skill. It may take several attempts before a successful latch. If the first latch hurts, unlatch by sliding your finger into the corner of their mouth to break the suction and then try again.
Also, breastfeeding may not be comfortable for you at first because you may be recovering from a c-section or hooked up to a blood pressure cuff or IV.
Don’t worry…things will improve as you and your baby learn the ropes.
Babies may exhibit many different behaviors that first breastfeed. Some babies latch on and take a full, long feeding lasting up to an hour, other babies latch on quickly and then fall into the deep sleep, and yet others won’t take the breast at all.
Whatever you and your baby experience during the first feeding, know that with patience and persistence your baby will eventually latch and you’ll soon find your groove breastfeeding.
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Try laid-back” breastfeeding
The reclined breastfeeding position is perfect for the first feeding because it’s comfortable for you and taps into your baby’s innate feeding reflexes.
Room in with your baby
If possible, demand to keep your baby in your room with you at all times while you’re recovering at the hospital.
Related Article: 8 Ways To Prepare For Breastfeeding Before Baby Arrives
Feed on demand - day and night
Breastfeed at the first signs of hunger and try not to wait until baby is crying.
You CAN’T nurse too often– but you CAN nurse too little.
Let your baby feed as often as they like.
Feed on demand and offer both breasts at each feed. Allow your baby to finish the first breast before offering the second. Whether your baby takes the second breast will depend on baby’s appetite.
If the second breast isn’t taken for long, offer that breast first at the next feed.
Feed frequently
Newborns need to breastfeed at least 8-12 (or more!) times every 24 hours. Many babies will feed more than twelve.
Their tummies are small and require to be fed frequently. Feeding around the clock will also tell your body to produce the perfect amount milk.
Your newborn may be very sleepy the first 24 hours postpartum as they’re recovering from birth but you can expect them to become much more alert and breastfeed better as the days go on.
Keep track of feedings and diaper output
Print out our free feeding + diaper tracker so you can keep track of how much your baby is taking in.
Avoid pacifiers or bottles if possible
If your baby is healthy and full term, ask that your baby is not given any bottles or pacifiers.
Ideally all of baby’s suckling should happen at the breast, especially in the first month postpartum.
If your baby doesn’t latch at first or you need to express milk to feed them, you can use a spoon or syringe which will give you more control over how much baby is getting and also helps them easily transition back to breast.
Think about limiting visitors
You and your baby will be learning a new skill. You may not be comfortable having people come and go while your baby is learning to latch and how to breastfeed.
Do whatever is best for you and your family but be sure to make it clear that your baby will be breastfeeding around the clock and that you’ll need time for rest.
If others want to help - you can opt to have others take care of and feed YOU while you take care of and feed baby.
Ask for help if you need it
Ask a nurse to help you with positioning or request a visit from an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) while you’re in the hospital. And if you’re in any sort of pain while your baby latches, definitely reach out to an IBCLC for skilled help.
WHAT TO EXPECT BREASTFEEDING DAY 1
You’ll only produce a tiny amount of colostrum.
Think of colostrum like concentrated milk.
It’s small in amount, but rich in nutrition.
It’s powerful stuff and every little drop you give your baby is important!
A newborn’s stomach is tiny so, at birth, you actually produce the PERFECT amount to fill it.
Colostrum has antibodies to protect your baby from their new environment outside the womb and also acts as a laxative to help your baby clear out the meconium (first poop) from their system. Colostrum also contains proteins that coat the wall of your baby’s intestine and acts as a protective barrier.
Only 1 pee and 1 poop in the First 24 hours
You’ll know if your breastfed baby is getting enough breast milk to eat in the first 24 hours by their pee and poop frequency (what goes in must come out!)
You measure if breastfeeding is going well by looking for wet and dirty diapers.
You’ll need to record the frequency and check the count and color closely every 24 hours for roughly the first 1-2 weeks of life postpartum.
Expect your baby to produce 1 wet diaper and 1 diaper full of sticky green/black poop (called meconium) in the first day.
Your baby will lose weight
It’s completely normal for your baby to begin to lose weight in the first 24 hours. In fact, most babies lose weight (up to 7-10% of their birth weight) in the first few days postpartum.
Your baby will be awake for a couple hours, and then fall into a deep sleep
While newborns are generally awake and alert the first 2 hours of life, they then usually become extremely sleepy and hard to rouse from about 2 to 24 hours after they’re born.
You may need to wake your baby to breastfeed to ensure they get at least 8-12 feedings every 24 hours.
Your nipples may be sensitive
You may have sore nipples. Although many experts say that breastfeeding should never hurt, the truth is that it can be a tad uncomfortable at first, especially while your baby is learning to latch and you’re learning how to breastfeed.
Slight tenderness during the first 30 seconds of a feeding is normal but if it continues past that point or you feel pinching pain, unlatch baby and try again.
If pain lasts for an entire feed, or you have damage to your nipples, you should get professional help with latching right away (ideally from an IBCLC).
Care for your nipples:
Use a nursing salve or balm on your breasts after each feeding to soothe and protect your nipples. Our favorite nipple cream is THIS one.
CRAMPS WHILE BREASTFEEDING
In the first few days after delivery, you may feel cramping in your lower stomach every time you breastfeed. The cramping is a good sign that your uterus is contracting and shrinking back to its original size. This is normal and will not last forever!
FAQs About Breastfeeding On Day One
What if my baby won’t breastfeed in the first day?
For whatever reason your baby won’t latch, try to keep your baby skin-to-skin as much as possible to give them every opportunity to practice latching. In the meantime, you can hand express your colostrum (pumps don't work as well in these first few days because colostrum is thick). Feed your baby the colostrum with a small spoon or a medicine dropper.
Should i wake my newborn to feed?
Depending on the type of labor you had, both you AND your baby will be exhausted (and possibly have residual labor medications in their system). If your baby is really sleepy, wake your baby to breastfeed if 2 hours during the day or 3-4 hours at night have passed.
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