Nutrition Blog

Newborn Feeding Patterns

Birth Day

The first 24 hours after birth is a beautiful and sacred time
of welcoming your baby into the world.
Depending on your labor and birthing experience, your baby will
be awake and alert for the first few hours after birth.
Medicated labors can often result in sleepier babies.
After this initial “golden hour” your baby may go into a deep
sleep for many hours.
Laying your baby skin-to-skin(s2s) and inviting a latch during
the first hour after delivery is a great start to breastfeeding.
Babies respond to the smell of the amniotic fluid and the
colostrum to latch and suckle as a natural instinctual experience.
Some assistance may be necessary to direct your baby’s toward
the lower areola to allow for a wide latch and to avoid sucking
on the tip of your nipple.
The nipple should be drawn all the way into the mouth towards the back of the throat,as opposed to being latched onto with a small mouth.
The wider the mouth and the more breast tissue is drawn in,
the less painful the latch and your baby will be able to take in more colostrum.
Try to have baby s2s as much as possible
(with just a diaper and a cap).
Blankets wrap baby and mom together in a comfortable cocoon
for baby. Parents often trade off to allow each to catch up on
some sleep. S2s helps your baby stay warm and use less
energy that would be needed to generate his/her own warmth in wrapped
blankets separated from Mom.
In addition,being s2s results in calmer babies, as they are not
using up their energy stores by crying or feeling stressed.
This period is considered “practice’ time for breastfeeding.
Every 3 hours or so, gently wake your baby and attempt
a feeding at the breast.
Your baby might be showing signs of wanting to feed,
but most likely will need to be woken by gently rubbing
your baby’s back and legs/feet.
Your sleepy baby will need this stimulation to keep active and
feeding at the breast too.
Babies tend to feed less in the first day after birth
as they are recovering too!
Massage your breasts and manually express your colostrum
before each feeding to entice your baby to the breast.
Your colostrum will be thick and sticky (like honey) before
it becomes more watery and fluid as it increases and changes
to mature milk.
Consider colostrum to be a concentrated magical elixir/medicine
or condensed milk,
as it is filled with immunoglobulins which are nature’s
best “vaccination” to grow and build up your baby’s immune system.
Your baby should have at least 1 pee and 1 poop in the first day of life.
The poop is called meconium, which has a thick/sticky,tarry consistency)

Hand Expression
First Drops

Day 2 of Life

Anticipate your baby being more wakeful and showing feeding cues. Early feeding cues are small movements as your baby begins to awaken, sucking on hands, opening mouth
(rooting), with crying being a late feeding cue. If you respond to early feeding cues, your baby will be calmer and easier to latch.
Breastfeeding frequency will be closer to 8 feedings in this 24 hour period.
Continue s2s contact as much as possible.
Expect at least 2 pees and 2 green/brown poops on day 2.
Practice cross-cradle or football hold if you are unsure about which positions work for you and your baby.
It is preferable to avoid using a pacifier in the first 4 weeks, to allow for breastfeeding and milk production to become fully established.
Sleep when your baby sleeps. The second and third nights are busy, as baby is more wakeful and you may will feel like breast feedings are never ending! This is ‘cluster feeding’.
Listen for swallows- they sound like “cah”. Breast compression during feedings can help keep your baby awake and actively feeding, as it increases the flow to your baby.

Day 3-5 of Life

Your breasts will begin to feel fuller, firmer and heavier. You will begin to hear more audible swallows or gulps when baby is feeding at the breast. You should be hearing a swallow for every 1-3 sucks during active breastfeeding feeding. Your baby will suck and swallow for 8-10 times before taking a short break (this is called a sucking burst). Expect to see at least 3 pees and 3 poops on day 3. You will notice the poop color transition to green/yellow and seedy. Breastfeeding frequency will increase to 8-12, up to 14 times in 24 hrs, which is every 1-3 hours. Breastfeed duration can be between 10-20 minutes on each breast. Always offer both breasts, but don’t be surprised if baby only takes one at some feedings. As your milk increases you baby will start gaining weight on day 5, after the initial weight loss in the first few days of life. The gain is about 4-7 oz a week and back to birth weight by 2 weeks of age. During this time after the first week, expect at least 6 wet diapers and 4-6 poops in a 24 hrs period.