Naomi's Top Tips for getting started with breastmilk

You have 6 weeks to set a milk supply!

• From birth to 6 weeks, the accelerator is on the floor to get the milk supply up as high as possible before it locks in! During this time, the ‘rules’ are important. After 6 weeks, you are set free to follow Baby’s lead.

• You need to breastfeed or pump (draining the breasts) every 2-3 hours, for about 8-10 feedings/pumps per day to stimulate the milk supply. Think about aiming for shorter intervals during the day, to support longer ones at night, if Baby will let you!

• Do not go longer than 4 hours between feedings/pumps at the absolute maximum (even if Baby is sleeping longer) or the milk making hormones drop too low.

• If Baby doesn’t drain the breast at a feeding (i.e. takes a bottle afterwards), pump to empty the breast so that contact counts as a full stimulation.

Your pain is important, and healing is a priority!

• Pain is a signal that something is not correct and needs attention. Don’t keep suffering silently - ask for help! Feeding your baby isn’t supposed to hurt.

• Once nipple damage has occurred, it can make continued feeding very painful. Nipple shields can help a lot with managing the pain, and are a great tool to help you keep going, but they won’t solve the underlying issue, so continue to pursue help to improve the latch.

• Most breast problems are due to inflammation, so treat breast pain, engorgement and plugged ducts with ibuprofen, cold packs/ice and only the very gentlest massage. 

• If you start to feel fluish and have a fever, and/or notice red streaking across your breast from the sore spot, call your provider immediately. These are classic signs of mastitis, and you will want to get on antibiotics as soon as possible!

Pumping is personal!

• Don’t pump for more than 20 minutes. You don’t usually get much more out after that, and can stress the tissues. But…

• If the milk has stopped or slowed nearly to a stop BEFORE 20 minutes, go ahead and turn off the pump. You’re not going to get any more out by pumping longer (the milk won’t suddenly restart), and will just stress the tissues.

• If you have pumped out 4 ounces total, between both breasts, BEFORE 20 minutes, go ahead and turn off the pump. Four ounces is a full bottle for the baby once they reach their maximum capacity, and there’s no need to take out more than that, or you risk developing an oversupply. 

• Be careful with the amount of milk you’re removing in the Hakaa - if you’re getting measurable ounces each feeding, that is similar to pumping and should be included in daily totals. You really don’t want to be removing a huge amount of ounces by Hakaa throughout the day in addition to pumping, and not feeding it to the baby immediately, or you will create an oversupply.

The ounces don’t increase indefinitely!

• Babies start off drinking tiny amounts of colostrum, and gradually start drinking more measurable amounts of milk.

• The amount of milk your baby drinks depends on their age, how hungry they are, how big their stomach is. Some babies eat more or less than we expect for their age but in general, it is continually increasing in the first few weeks of life. 

• However, it does not increase forever! Babies eventually top out at six weeks old at around 32 ounces per day, averaging about 4 ounces per feeding. This stays the same until six months of age, when it starts to decrease, as they add complementary foods into their diet!

You are doing a great job!

• Feeding a newborn is exhausting, by any method! They are sleepy and hard to wake, but wake frequently. Everyone is learning something new. This is hard!

• The external and internal expectations around feeding are massive and deeply affect most people.

• It’s ok to find your own way to a feeding plan that works for your family, even if it’s different than what you expected.

• If the outcome is different than what you expected, it does not mean that you are a failure, or that your baby is a failure. You are a great parent doing a great job if you are present for your baby and your baby is fed!

~ Naomi, Infant Feeding Expert