Sign out
While breastfeeding is a natural physical process, it’s also a learning experience for new parents and babies. Here is information to get you started off strong and guide you along the way. Feeding your baby is a journey, and things change over time. It is normal to need support.
Why should I breastfeed?
Breast milk gives your baby the perfect food and has many advantages, including:
- Strengthening your baby’s immune system with personalized antibodies made just for them on a daily basis.
- Providing good fats that support brain development.
- Decreasing childhood colds, ear infections, and urinary tract infections.
- Reducing long term risk of asthma, allergies, diabetes and obesity for children, and some cancers for moms and babies.
- Helping you and your baby to develop a strong bond.
- Helping your body return to a non-pregnant state, helping the uterus to contract back to its pre-pregnancy size.
- Reducing what you spend on feeding your baby. Baby formula costs $1,500 to $4,000 per year.
What will breastfeeding be like at first?
For most moms and babies, you will begin breastfeeding in the first hour after birth. As you hold your baby against your chest, skin-to-skin, don’t be surprised if your baby naturally moves towards the breast and tries to find the nipple, a process called “rooting.” This special bonding time, immediately after birth, encourages your baby to practice breastfeeding.
The milk you produce during the first two days of your baby’s life is called “colostrum.” Colostrum is nature’s perfect food for a newborn. It’s easy to digest, and a little bit goes a long way. It also is very thick and coats your baby’s digestive track with a protective layer. Your colostrum is only available in the first few days, so each feed matters. As your baby takes in early colostrum, your body responds to the signals from your nipple being stimulated by sucking, which makes your milk production start to increase, meeting baby’s needs for the next coming days.
It’s important to know that at first you will produce only a few teaspoons of colostrum per feeding. Don’t worry: Colostrum is concentrated to give your baby the right amount of nutrients and immune factors, even though it’s not much liquid.
How often and how long do I breastfeed?
Most newborn babies should breastfeed at least 8 times in 24 hours, but as many as 12 to 14 feedings are common in the early weeks. Feedings can be as little as 30 minutes apart, or up to 3 hours apart when babies are sleeping. You may be surprised by how often your baby wants to feed during the first few days or weeks. It’s possible that your clinician might recommend waking your baby up to feed so that they are getting enough nutrients throughout the day.
It’s important to help your baby feed efficiently so that they are getting milk easily. Compressing your breast while baby sucks to a count of 1..2..3 can help. This way you can be sure baby is moving milk most of the time on the breast. Baby will stop sucking when they are satisfied and need to rest. This is called “Responsive Feeding” and means you are learning to respond to the baby’s needs instead of simply watching the clock. 10 minutes of strong nursing can be more effective than 45 minutes of light pacifying sucking.
After 3 to 4 days, your baby will often wake up to feed on their own. Allow them to feed for as long as they want. This can usually take from 10 to 50 minutes depending on the baby and the feeding. For the first two weeks babies often eat more frequently at night and are sleepier and a little more difficult to engage in feeding in the day. Don’t be too concerned. At about two weeks old baby figures it out and will turn sleepier at night and start doing those frequent feeds in the day.
Where should I breastfeed?
Consider having a special place to breastfeed, like a comfortable chair, couch, or bed. Have items you may need within easy reach: burp cloth, diapers, baby wipes, a phone, a channel changer, pillows to help you position yourself, and something to drink. It is important to stay hydrated while breastfeeding, roughly 16 glasses of water a day. Consider making “stations” throughout your home so you don’t have to lug your supplies around.
As you are learning to breastfeed, set up where you feel comfortable to be naked from the waste up. You really want to be able to focus on latching and compressing the breast so you can grow confident in responding to baby’s needs for feeding. In the first two weeks this may mean you prefer to be a little more private during feeding times. Let family and friends know this is important and do not feel like you need to apologize for breaking away to breastfeed. Your partner can have the job of clearing out the room or entertaining visitors while you respond to baby’s needs.
What positions are best for breastfeed?
Positioning is important so that both of you are comfortable. Use pillows to support your back and arms and to help bring your baby level with your breast.
Some safe and effective positions include:
- The cradle hold: Baby rests in the crook of your elbow on the side you are nursing. The free hand often supports the breast and helps get baby to latch and compresses to keep milk flowing nicely. This position often works well to transition from cross cradle position as the baby starts to nurse a little stronger. A good measuring point to know if you are ready to use this more casual hold is if your nipples are not sore anymore.
- The cross-cradle hold: This is when your arm that supports baby is coming across your body bringing baby to the breast.
- The clutch or “football” hold: Cradle your baby at your side with their head facing your nipple. The pillow behind your back should be going up and down making extra room for baby’s feet and knees behind you. YES, behind you! Tuck your little one deep around your back and scoop them up with your arm like you are holding a football. As the nipple lines up with the nose baby will sense it and open up and latch.
- Side-lying position: Once you are feeling comfortable latching baby you can use that skill while lying down. Just apply the same concept of baby lying along your side and they come from under the breast. As soon as their nose lines up with the nipple they tilt their head back and open up. Flip the breast into their mouth and tuck your arm behind your and rest in a lying position. You can tuck a small, rolled blanket behind baby’s shoulders to help them stay in the right tucked in position.
How do I get a good latch?
Getting a good latch will help your baby take in more milk during feeding, and you will be more comfortable.
To get a good latch, start by making a C shape with your hand. Where you place that C on your breast just depends on what direction you are bringing baby from. The most important thing to remember is that your thumb will always want to line up with baby’s nose. This helps that C shape hold your breast in a way that it will more easily fit in the baby’s mouth. With some practice this all starts to “Click.” Tuck baby up to the breast where the nipple rests just on top of their nose. YES, on top of the nose! When it looks like they’re yawning and their mouth is wide open, quickly flip your breast deep into the baby’s mouth imagining your nipple hitting the roof of their mouth. The goal is for the baby’s mouth to cover a large portion of your areola, not just the tip of the nipple. It is usually the most comfortable for mom and baby when baby is covering most of the bottom of the areola and mom can see the top portion of it. Once baby is on and sucks once or twice then try moving your thumb back further on the breast so baby can suck the tissue deeper in and get more milk.
You may not have good latching if:
- You feel your baby’s gums on your nipple.
- Your baby’s upper or lower lips are tucked in and pulling on the nipple, much like sucking on a noodle.
- The latch hurts throughout the feeding session. Not just a little sore the initial 20 seconds or so until baby gets deep.
- Your nipples are raw, red, bleeding, or cracked. Or even if they are just really tender and it is lasting longer than 1 week.
If while breastfeeding you notice these signs, stop and de-latch your baby from your breast. To safely de-latch your baby, with a clean finger, stick it between the corner of your baby’s mouth and your breast to break the seal. Then, try again to get a good deep latch. It can take time and lots of practice. If you’re having difficulty, it’s a good time to ask for help from your postpartum nurse, and possibly a lactation consultant.
How do I know I’m making enough milk?
Babies who are getting enough milk:
- Have 6 or more wet diapers and 3 loose, yellowish stools every day by day 5
- Gain about 1 ounce every day after day 5.
- Have growth spurts where they feed more often for one to two days about once a month and then go back to nursing contently after the feeding cluster has boosted the milk to meet their new size.
- Their arm will go from being flexed and tight up by their chin to more relaxed lying flat as they finish one breast and move to the second.
- Are content, not fussy, after feeding.
- Will remove themselves from the breast on their own to either fall asleep or play and be alert and content.
Keeping a checklist with a piece of paper or an app can help you track how your baby is doing. Consider bringing your notes to the first doctor check in at a few days old and at the two-week checkup.
Is my baby crying too much?
If your baby is crying a lot, there could be many reasons. Your baby is adjusting to life outside of your body. Try to relax your baby by holding them close to your body on your chest. Lots of skin-to-skin time is soothing and comforting to your baby and it also helps to encourage milk production.
The second and third night after birth, babies are waking up from their tiring journey of birth and are usually very awake and want to feed much more frequently than before. It is very normal for them to appear fussy and upset. These cluster feedings are helpful to move more colostrum to your baby and stimulate milk production. Your baby will want lots of snuggles and to be held. Take turns between you and your partner so the breastfeeding parent can get some rest before the next feed.
Your baby may be gassy. Colostrum, your first milk, acts like a laxative to help the baby pass their first stools. Burping your baby after every feed can relieve their discomfort. Sucking is also a wonderful way to comfort baby and help them soothe any discomfort. A clean finger upside down in the baby’s mouth offers something besides mom’s nipple to pacify on and does not negatively impact breastfeeding like early pacifier use can.
It’s possible to miss your baby’s hunger signals. Keep your baby close and feed them whenever they show signs of hunger.
Babies hunger signs can look like:
- Lip smacking
- Sticking their tongue out and in
- Fist moving to mouth
- Hand or finger sucking
- Head turning to look for the breast
- Opening and closing mouth
- Becoming more alert and active
If your baby continues to be gassy, fussy, or uncomfortable, contact your pediatrician or newborn clinician. They will assess your little one and make sure the nursing is going well and baby is getting what they need.
What about classes or support groups?
You, your baby, and your family need time to get comfortable with breastfeeding. Consider attending a pre-birth breastfeeding class available through Kaiser Permanente. Research shows that parents who attend some form of breastfeeding class before birth usually have a smoother time breastfeeding and reaching their personal goals for feeding their baby.
Breastfeeding mothers who stay in contact with other breastfeeding mothers also breastfeed longer and feel more supported. Virtual or in person breastfeeding support groups will connect you with other moms who are going through the same struggles and victories as you are. It is priceless to know you are not the only one and get guidance from Lactation educators so you can feel confident with what you are doing. Support groups can be found through:
- Many Kaiser Permanente facilities
- Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) programs
- La Leche League, a parent-to-parent information and support organization
- Community centers
One of the most influential factors in families reaching their breastfeeding goals is your partner or support person! The non-breastfeeding parent has one of the largest impacts on the length of breastfeeding. Specifically, the words they use. When the partner says positive and encouraging words in front of friends and family about mom breastfeeding it supports mom in an enormously powerful way. Include your partner or support person in the classes you attend before birth and encourage them to take an active part in learning about latching while in the hospital. They can be incredibly supportive with getting the baby changed and bringing baby to mom while she is getting ready with her pillows. Keeping track of the diapers and feeds is also very helpful.