The First Few Weeks
In the first few days, the milk that you make in the first few days
is called colostrum. It is yellow in color and rich in nutrition. Colostrum
protects your baby from disease and gives her everything she needs. After
three to five days, your milk will change to a bluish-white color and will
be produced in greater amounts.
Let your baby nurse whenever he/she wants, day and night—usually about 10 to
12 times in 24 hours. Feeding often will get your milk flowing, help you make
plenty of milk and help your baby grow. By four to five weeks, your baby will
probably have a more regular feeding pattern and nurse less often.
Feeding cues - early signs that he is hungry - include:
- Sucking on his hands
- Smacking his lips
- Moving his mouth
- Moving his eyes while sleeping
- Sleeping lightly after one or two hours of deep sleep
Don't wait until your baby is crying for a feed - that is a very late sign of
hunger.
Here are some signs that your milk is flowing well:
- A change in your baby's sucking rate from rapid sucks to sucking and
swallowing rhythmically, at about one suck per second.
- A tingling or pins-and-needles feeling in your breast.
- A sudden feeling of fullness in the breast.
- The other breast is leaking milk.
- You've become thirsty.
Always wash your hands before breastfeeding, or pumping/expressing milk.
Avoid using a bottle or pacifier too soon, as it can get in the way of
developing a good breastfeeding routine.
Adding extra foods like cereal, fruits and vegetables before six months of
age is not recommended.
