How to Breastfeed
Now that you have decided to breastfeed our baby, here are some guidelines:
- Breastfeed within the first hour
- Have the baby room in
- Watch out for feeding cues every 1-3 hours(sucking movements, sucking sounds, hand-to-mouth movements, soft cooing or sighing sounds, restlessness)
- Crying is a late feeding cue
- Breastfeed first on one breast until baby drops off before offering the second breast
- Practice the right latch
- Be with baby 24/7 to establish milk supply
- Don’t pump at the beginning
- Don’t feed through the bottle; don’t use pacifiers
- Do not give formula or water because this will lessen the demand for your milk
- Baby has at least 3 bowel movements in each 24 hours after day 1
- Seedy, yellow bowel movements by day 5
- 6 wet diapers by day 4 with urine that is clear or light yellow
- Satisfied and content after feedings
- Audible swallowing during feedings
- Back to birth weight by day 7 to 10
- Mom has noticeable increase in breastsize and weight by day 5
