Breastfeeding Guide
During Pregnancy
What's Happening
The pregnancy hormones in your body are working to prepare your body for breastfeeding.
What to Expect
- Your breasts gradually become larger, firmer, and more tender
- The brown part around your nipples (areola) becomes larger, darker, and develops small bumps called Montgomery glands. These glands secrete an antiseptic lubricant that keeps the nipples supple.
- Colostrum, a thick yellowish liquid, may leak from the breast
What You Can Do
- Avoid using soaps on the nipples which may wash away the natural lubrication
- Determine what kind of nipples you have-exerted, flat, or inverted. Try plastic milk cups for flat or inverted nipples
- It is not recommended that you try to hand-express colostrum
Immediately After Birth
What's Happening
The delivery of the placenta causes a surge of prolactin-the hormone that stimulates milk production
What to Expect
The baby may be eager to nurse on one or both breasts immediately after birth, or he may not be interested at all. Do not worry if it takes a while for him to “get the hang of it”
What You Can Do
- Nurse as soon as possible after birth to further stimulate milk production (early, frequent feeding may also help to prevent jaundice and engorgement
- Have rooming-in
- Nurse on each side every 1 ½ - 3 hours as the baby desires
- Vary your nursing positions
- In order to avoid “nipple confusion” ask your pediatrician if you can eliminate bottle nipples completely
3-5 Days After Birth
What's Happening
Your milk comes in.
What To Expect
- Your breasts will feel very full and heavy.
- They may be engorged-hard and very uncomfortable. The engorgement will disappear spontaneously.
What You Can Do
- If you are still in the hospital, continue rooming-in and frequent demand feedings
- If you are at home, continue to get plenty of rest. Continue short, frequent nursings on demand
- If you are engorged, nurse frequently
- Take warm showers and hand express some of the milk out
10 Days Afer Birth
What's Happening
If you had engorgement, it usually has subsided. Normal swelling of your lymph glands has also decreased so that your breasts may actually feel small.
What To Expect
- Babies tend to be very grumpy at about 10 days of age
- As the baby’s grumpiness coincides with the disappearance of your engorgement, you may feel that you are not producing enough milk. This is usually not the case; just an unlucky coincidence.
What You Can Do
- Continue to take naps during the day when the baby sleeps. You still need extra rest.
- Continue frequent nursings on demand. Most newborns need 10 to 12 feedings every 24 hours.
One Month After Birth
What's Happening
You are often resuming many activities you pursued before the pregnancy.
What To Expect
The baby may be experiencing a growth spurt, needing to nurse even more frequently for 24-48 hours in order to build up your milk supply.
What You Can Do
- You still need extra rest during the day.
- Share your feelings (both positive and negative) with your spouse and your friends. Do something special for you and your spouse or just for yourself.
- Be assured that if your baby is only on breast milk, 6-8 wet diapers per day indicates he is getting plenty to eat.
Six Weeks After Birth
What's Happening
Hallelujah! Usually you are “feeling yourself” again and have recovered physically from the birth.
What To Expect
The baby, too, seems much happier. He is starting to coo and smile often. He seems to maintain some kind of schedule (although the schedule usually changes frequently).
What You Can Do
- Keep up the good work
- Try to rest when you’re tired
- Continue nursing on demand and expect some periodic growth spurts when the baby needs to nurse “all the time” in order to build up your supply of breast milk
- Enjoy this very special time in your family’s life
