We want to support you in meeting your breastfeeding goals. The early days of feeding your baby will encompass your entire focus. Set yourself up for success while you are pregnant with the knowledge of what to expect in those first few days & weeks.
I partnered with Wisco Lactation of Wisconsin to bring you the best advice to ensure your breastfeeding goals are met – burnout free! Enjoy!
Build your village!
Who can help support you after your baby is born? Can family members or friends come to be with you? What about a doula that could support you through birth and postpartum? Thinking about this ahead of time can allow you to focus on feeding your baby and your support team can take care of everything else. Don’t be afraid to give specific tasks. Emptying the dishwasher, throwing in a load of laundry or cooking a meal are great things to ask of those around you while you stay snuggled up nursing your little one. Postpartum doulas are EXPERTS at this. They focus on nourishing and supporting the whole family in those early days after your baby is born. Those overnight postpartum doulas are especially wonderful!
Know what to expect.
Take a breastfeeding class! I promise you this will be so helpful. We often hear that breastfeeding is natural and some people think it will just happen automatically. Many times this is not the case. It’s good to know what to look for in the early days of breastfeeding. Wisco Lactation offers a Virtual Infant Feeding 101 class monthly that covers everything from benefits of breastfeeding to latch & positioning to bottle feeding and back to work. Book here!
We also offer prenatal visits for a one on one session with one of our lactation consultants! This is a more personalized appointment that goes through your medical history and gets all your questions answered. We also prioritize those that meet with us prenatally to get them booked quickly after your baby is here. Most insurances will cover this!
Nourish your body.
Eating well is important. Your body needs nutrients to grow your baby, but also to make breastmilk. Focus on whole foods. Lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables should comprise most of your meals. Prep some healthy meals while you are pregnant for after your baby is here and pop them in the freezer. Better yet, use your village of family and friends to help with this!
What to look for in the first 2 weeks after your baby is here.
● Newborns nurse really often! You will be feeding your baby 8-12 times in 24 hours. Ideally initiate breastfeeding within an hour of birth starting with immediate skin to skin after your baby is born. During the second night babies will nurse almost continuously and may be a bit fussy at the breast. Put your baby skin to skin to calm them and follow their feeding cues, latching at the first sign of hunger.
● Milk supply is demand and supply. You need to empty your breasts a minimum of 8-10 times per day to ensure your milk supply builds over time. If your baby is not latching or is inefficient you will need to use your breast pump. Most insurance companies will cover a breast pump. It’s helpful to have your pump and to learn how to use it before your baby is born. We can help with this during your prenatal visit!
● Latching takes practice! Give you and your baby grace as you figure out the most comfortable latch. It may take time. Your baby should be very close to you when attempting to latch. Their body should be touching yours with their tummy on your tummy. Your baby’s chin should touch your breast first and then they should latch with the bottom lip first and the upper lip touching last. Your baby’s cheeks should be touching your breast and you should not be able to see their lips. If you feel like their nose is being squished into your breast, then slide your baby towards their feet so that their chin tilts up and frees the nose. Check out this video for a great example!
● Watch for baby’s swallows. Pay attention to your baby’s sucking patterns. When your baby starts slowing or falling asleep use breast compression to help get more milk down to them. Babies are flow-dependent and fall asleep quickly when the flow stops. Newborns may need help staying active and not falling asleep too quickly. Generally make sure your baby is finishing the first breast first before switching to the other breast.
● Keep track of diaper output in the first few weeks. Poopy diapers are a great way to be sure that your baby is getting enough to eat. For every day of life your baby should have 1 poopy diaper up until they average about 3+ poopy diapers on day 3. After day 5 poop should transition to yellow and seedy.
● Keep an eye on weight loss and gain. Weight loss of 7-10% can happen by day 3 or 4 and is normal. After this weight gain of about 1oz per day starts to occur, with most babies returning to their birth weight by 2 weeks old.
● Check in with an IBCLC Lactation Consultant. Let us help support you through these early days! Getting off to a good start is important for your milk supply long term. If you are having pain, your baby is not gaining well, latching is difficult, you have milk supply concerns or you just need some reassurance – Book an initial visit with us!
✨ Need extra help or breastfeeding support? Book a consult with Wisco Lactation at www.wiscolactation.com. Let our Milwaukee Wisconsin and Southern Wisconsin Lactation Consultants help you meet your feeding goals, whatever those may be!
(Article by Wisco Lactation)
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