Breastfeeding Your Baby: the First Few Weeks

healthy living Breastfeeding Your Baby: The First Few Weeks

Allow your baby to nurse for as long as • Make sure that your baby’s head is he or she wants. If your baby is still at the level of your breast and that hungry after finishing the first breast, his or her lips are lined up with your offer the second breast. Some newborn nipple. Your baby’s face, chest, and babies may nurse for about 10 to 15 knees should be turned toward you minutes on each breast. Others may so that the two of you are tummy nurse for 15 to 20 minutes on only to tummy. one side per feeding. You should wake • Tickle the baby’s lower lip with your your baby up to eat if more than 3 nipple and wait for the baby to hours have passed since the last feed- make a wide “O” with his or her ing. Feedings should be timed from mouth before putting the baby to the beginning of one to the beginning your breast. of the next. • Quickly bring your baby towards Unless your baby’s doctor tells you to, you, centering your nipple in the don’t offer any supplements such as baby’s mouth. water or formula. • Make sure your baby is taking the nipple and a good portion of the How do I help my baby latch areola in his or her mouth. reastfeeding is the natural way onto my breast? • Make sure your baby’s lower lip is Bto provide all the nutrition your Find a comfortable chair to sit in. sticking out and that the chin is baby needs. Kaiser Permanente recom- Place pillows behind your back and touching your breast. Your baby’s mends the American Academy of on your sides to support your body nose should barely touch your breast. Pediatrics’ guidelines to feed your and another pillow on your lap to baby only breast milk for the first 6 What can I do to prevent support your baby. and relieve engorgement months of life. Breastfeeding works • Cradle your baby with one arm and on a supply and demand basis: The hold your breast with the hand of (swollen breasts)? more your baby nurses, the more the other arm. Your breasts may become engorged milk you will produce. It may take • Support your breast by placing your (swell) during the first few days of some time for your body to get into thumb lightly above the areola breastfeeding, or when you cut back a rhythm, so be patient and keep (dark area around the nipple) and on nursing. Regular, frequent breast- trying. Breastfeeding is a learned your fingers under the breast. feeding is the best way to prevent skill. It takes practice! and relieve engorgement. Getting a good start! WAYS TO HOLD YOUR BABY FOR BREASTFEEDING Breastfeeding should begin within the first hour of your baby’s life. Nurse whenever your baby wants to eat (or at least every 11/2 to 3 hours). This is called feeding on-demand. Put your baby to your breast at the first sign of willingness to nurse (i.e., stirring about in the bassinette, CRADLE HOLD CROSS-CRADLE CLUTCH OR LYING DOWN WHILE HOLD FOOTBALL HOLD FEEDING rooting, or making sucking motions).

REGIONAL HEALTH EDUCATION healthy living Breastfeeding Your Baby: The First Few Weeks

Here are some other tips: babies are getting enough milk. Make Most medications are safe to take • Take a warm shower or apply moist sure to feed your baby whenever you while breastfeeding, but there are a heat to the breast before nursing. see signs of hunger. Your baby is getting few that can be harmful to your baby. • Express milk before nursing to help enough to eat if, by the third day of Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen with latch-on. life, your baby: (Advil, Motrin) are safe to take while • Apply a cool compress to the breast • Has 3 or more wet diapers every 24 nursing, but aspirin should be avoided. after nursing. hours. (Highly absorbent disposable You should let your practitioner and • Take a pain reliever such as Aceta- diapers can make it hard to tell if your baby’s pediatrician know that minophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen your baby has urinated.) you are breastfeeding. Let your phar- (Advil, Motrin). Avoid aspirin. • Has 3 to 4 loose, yellow stools every macist and your practitioner know 24 hours, not meconium (sticky, about all medications, including non- How can I prevent sore or dark green stools). prescription drugs and herbal prod- cracked nipples? • Has stools that have changed from ucts that you take. Also, take medication just after you nurse rather than Proper positioning will help you dark green to yellow. just before nursing. prevent soreness and cracking. • Has brief active periods. • Vary your nursing position from • Makes swallowing sounds after time to time to relieve the pressure every 1 to 3 sucking movements. Additional resources on your nipples. Try sitting up, You should feel some breast fullness • American Academy of Pediatrics: lying down, and switching between and may notice drippings from the aap.org different ways of holding your baby opposite breast while nursing. Breast- • The American College of while breastfeeding. fed babies should be seen by a medical Obstetricians & Gynecologists: • When you are done nursing, break professional between 2 to 4 days of acog.org the suction by putting your finger age to check for signs of successful • La Leche League International: in the corner of the baby’s mouth breastfeeding. lalecheleague.org between the gums. • The Nursing Mother’s Companion • After nursing and bathing, allow Are there foods or medica- by Kathleen Huggins (Harvard your nipples to air dry. tions that I should avoid? Common Press, revised 2005). • Wash your breasts with water only; In general, there aren’t any foods you • Breastfeeding Pure & Simple by Gwen Gotsch (La Leche League avoid lotions and creams. should not eat while nursing. It’s International, revised 2000). • Apply breast milk to sore areas. important not to diet while nursing • Connect to our Web site at kp.org If sore nipples, engorgement, or poor because you’re eating for both you to access health and drug ency- latch-on persist, talk with your practi- and your baby. The best rule is to eat clopedias, interactive programs, tioner or a lactation consultant. and drink enough to satisfy your health classes, and more. hunger and thirst. While you’re nurs- • Check your Kaiser Permanente How do I know if my baby ing, avoid drinking alcohol and using Healthwise Handbook. is getting enough to eat? tobacco and drugs because they pass • Contact your Kaiser Permanente into your milk and they can harm Health Education Center or Breastfed babies normally nurse your baby. Since too much caffeine Department for health information, more frequently in the first couple of can cause poor sleeping and fussiness, programs, and other resources. months. Because of this, many new try to limit your caffeine intake to 1 mothers worry about whether their to 2 cups a day while breastfeeding.

This information is not intended to diagnose or to take the place of medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other health care professional. If you have persistent health problems, or if you have additional questions, please consult with your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. Kaiser Permanente does not endorse any brand name: any similar products may be used.