Latching: good breastfeeding starts with a good latch. Your nurse and lactation specialist will help make sure your baby is latching well. This helps the baby easily get as much milk as possible, and each latch tells your body to make more milk. A good latch also helps to prevent sore nipples. It’s important to make sure you feel comfortable latching before you leave the hospital. If it is difficult, we will help you develop a plan to feed your baby while you work on improving the latch. Here is a great video that demonstrates a good latch.
Timing: let your baby tell you when they are hungry, and follow their lead. They may tell you they are hungry by lip smacking, stretching, or sucking on their hand or fist. You should make sure they eat at least 8-12 times a day. Some babies will eat more often! The amount of time between feedings will vary. Watch your baby, not the clock, to know when it is time to feed again.
How much: a baby’s stomach is small. You will only make a little bit of milk, or colostrum, your first few days. That is all the baby needs at first. You can expect your milk to come in 3-5 days after you give birth. That is when your breasts will feel full and you may see or feel leaking.
You can tell that the baby is full and satisfied with their meal by watching them. Full babies look relaxed, happy, and sleepy after eating. They may doze off and unlatch. Another way to make sure your baby is getting enough to eat is by counting the number of wet and dirty diapers they make. The hospital staff will also closely watch the baby’s weight. These are the best signs of whether the baby is getting enough to eat.
Want to learn more? We offer a virtual class on the basics of breastfeeding, taught by an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant from The Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania. See the schedule and sign up for the Virtual Breastfeeding Class here: Childbirth and Parenting Classes at HUP – Penn Medicine