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The
first milk your baby suckles after birth
is colostrum; a milk ranging in colour from
pale lemon to dark orange. This is
the perfect food for your baby and the first
feed is very important. It comes in small
quantities (average 37mls over the first
24 hours, gradually increasing daily as the
baby suckles more) as newborn babies have
tummies the size of a marble (an average
feed is 7mls to 14mls. A teaspoon is 5mls).
When your full term milk comes in on day
3-5 the tummy grows to accommodate the greater
amounts (about 500mls every 24 hours, rising
to about 750mls every 24 hours by 3 months).
So it will not be a surprise to find out
your baby needs to feed often at first: about
8 to 12 times in a 24 hour period. Some babies
feed almost continuously for several hours,
then sleep for a while, then repeat this
pattern. Others feed about every 40
minutes for the first couple of days. Some
babies are sleepy for the first few days
and need to be encouraged to feed at least
three-hourly. Feeds become more spread
out as your baby grows older. |
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As
you develop a bond with your baby, you
will begin to identify and understand the
different sounds and gestures she makes.
When your baby is hungry, signs to look
for include putting hands to her mouth,
making sucking sounds, the tongue coming
out and licking, head moving around in
search of the breast, also known as rooting,
and fussiness. Crying is a late stage sign
of hunger. |
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Is your baby getting enough milk? |
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Some mothers wonder if their baby is getting enough milk. While it is hard to quantify just how much milk a baby is getting from the breast, continuous weight gain and alertness is an indication that the baby is getting enough. Nappies are another good indicator that your baby is being adequately nourished. Wet nappies indicate good hydration, while poo nappies indicate enough calories. By about day four, mums and dads may change at least three small poo nappies (the size of a 2p coin) and about six wet nappies each day.
As your baby grows, this becomes approximately one big poo nappy and six wet nappies a day. However, some babies have different patterns. A wet disposable nappy has two to four tablespoons of liquid in it; you can familiarize yourself with how this feels by measuring water into a dry nappy. Your baby's poo nappies will change during the first few days from black and tarry to greenish, then to yellow. This mustard yellow stool is typically loose and unformed, like pea soup. If you have any questions or concerns, contact a health professional. |
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Artificial
teats used before a baby is three to four
weeks old may make breastfeeding more difficult.
This is sometimes called nipple confusion,
as the sucking techniques are different
for breast and artificial teats. Some
babies find it difficult to alternate between
the two. If your baby is fussy at
the breast, expressing some milk until
the milk ejection reflex starts, to get
the milk flowing before he goes to the
breast, may help him stay on the breast.
Or someone could help you by dripping cooled
boiled water or breastmilk onto the breast
as the baby latches on, to supply instant
flow for a feed or two while he is relearning
to breastfeed. |
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Occasionally
some babies suddenly refuse the breast
after months of successful breastfeeding.
If this happens before your baby is a year
old it is unlikely to be weaning, and the
baby is usually unhappy about it. Feeding
while the baby is drowsy, in motion, or
skin-to-skin contact can help to get her
back to the breast. It can sometimes
take 2 to 4 days to get her back to the
breast. Expressing as often as she would
have normally fed will keep up the milk
supply. This milk can be given to the baby
in a cup, thus encouraging her back to
the breast for her sucking needs.
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