Here is the ultimate guide to successful breastfeeding:
Mothers will have many doubts regarding breastfeeding like milk supply, the frequency of feeding, baby's activity, number of stools and urine quantity. These doubts are common for the first time mothers during the first week after delivery. Today we will discuss the guidelines for successful breastfeeding for newborn babies:
- Milk Supply:
- First 0 –24 Hours: You may be able to express a few drops of milk. Usually, it will be sufficient for the baby. Only if baby cries after feeding also or if baby sugars are low you can go for formula milk temporarily with your paediatrician's advise.
- Day 2 - Day 4: Milk should come in between the second and fourth days.
- Day 5: Milk should be in. Breasts may be firm or leak milk.
- Day 6 onwards: Breasts should feel softer after feedings.
- Baby’s activity:
- First 0 – 8 Hours: Baby is usually wide awake in the first hour of life.
- First 8 – 24 Hours: Wake up your baby. Babies may not wake up on their own to feed.
- Day 2: Baby should be more cooperative and less sleepy.
- Day 3-5: Look for early feeding cues such as rooting, lip smacking, and hands to face.
- Day 6 onwards: Baby should appear satisfied after feedings.
- Feeding routine:
- First 0 – 8 Hours: Baby may go into a deep sleep 2–4 h after birth. Put baby to breast within 30 min after birth in normal delivery and as soon as the mother is ready for cesarean delivery.
- Day 1 - Day 4: Feed your baby every 1–4 h or as often as wanted—at least 8–12 times a day. Use a chart to write downtime for each feeding.
- Day 5 onwards: May go one longer interval (up to 5 h between feeds) in a 24-h period.
- Breastfeeding:
- First 0 – 8 Hours: Baby will wake up and be alert and responsive for several more hours after initial deep sleep.
- First 8 – 24 Hours: As long as the mother is comfortable, a nurse at both breasts as long as baby is actively sucking.
- Day 2: Try to nurse both sides each feeding, aiming at 10 min per side. Expect some nipple tenderness.
- Day 3: Consider hand expressing or pumping a few drops of milk to soften the nipple if the breast is too firm for the baby to latch on.
- Day 4-5: Nurse a minimum of 10–30 min per side every feeding for the first few weeks of life. Once milk supply is well established, allow baby to finish the first breast before offering the second.
- Day 6 onwards: Mother’s nipple tenderness is improving or is gone.
- Baby’s urine output:
- First 24 hours: Baby must have a minimum of one wet diaper in the first 24 hours. The maximum time you can wait for first urine is 48 hours.
- Day 2: Baby must have at least one wet diaper every 8–11 h.
- Day 3: You should see an increase in wet diapers(up to four to six) per 24 hours.
- Day 4: Baby’s urine should be light yellow.
- Day 5 onwards: Baby should have six to eight wet diapers per day of colourless or light yellow urine.
- Baby's stool:
- First 24 hours: Baby should pass the first dark stool (meconium) within the first 24 hours
- Day 2: Baby may have a second very dark(meconium) stool.
- Day 3: Baby’s stools should be in transition from black-green to yellow.
- Day 4: Baby should have three or four yellow, seedy stools a day. May pass stool after every feeding.
- Day 5 onwards: The number of stools may decrease gradually after 4–6 weeks of life.
- Day 2 - Day 4: Milk should come in between the second and fourth days.
- Day 5: Milk should be in. Breasts may be firm or leak milk.
- Day 6: Breasts should feel softer after feedings.