Getting started with breastfeeding
Your milk and how you breastfeed change as your baby grows and develops. A newborn’s feeding routine is different than that of a breastfeeding 6 month old. As your baby grows, the nutrients in your milk adapt to your growing baby’s needs. The anti-infective properties also increase if you or your baby is exposed to some new bacteria or virus. Here’s how to get started:
Early breastfeeding
The first few weeks of breastfeeding are a learning period for both you and your baby. It takes time for you both to work as a coordinated team. Be patient as you recover from your delivery, develop a daily routine, and become comfortable with breastfeeding. Keep track of feedings and wet diapers. This can help your child’s healthcare provider assess how your feedings are going.
Day 1
Most full-term, healthy babies are ready and eager to begin breastfeeding within the first half hour to 2 hours after birth. This first hour or 2 is an important time for babies to nurse and be with their mothers. The AAP recommends that babies be placed skin to skin with their mother immediately after birth (or when both you and your baby are able). Skin to skin means placing your naked baby stomach-down on your bare chest. This keeps the baby warm, helps keep the baby’s blood sugar up, and helps the baby breastfeed for the first time. It is recommended that babies be kept skin to skin at least 1 hour, or longer if the baby hasn’t breastfed yet.
After these first few hours of being awake, babies will often act sleepy or drowsy. Some babies are more interested in sleeping than eating on their birthdays. You can expect to change only a couple diapers during the first 24 hours.
Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine
Link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/breastfeeding-your-baby/breast-feeding-getting-started%3famp=true
