Breastfeeding in the First 10 Days of Life

So you’ve done it! You made it through birth and now you have a sweet little addition to your family. You’ve prepped the nursery, bought the car seat, and made the freezer meals- now what?

The Nurse checks you out and you look at her and wonder- “your not coming with me?”

Babies don’t come with a manual- and the google searches at 2 am can often lead to very confusing information that often contradicts itself. Here is a quick guide for what to expect in the first ten days breastfeeding your new baby.

(obviously this is for neuro typical newborns who are not born early or have other medical issues present.)

Day 1

Congratulations! You did it! Welcome to the craziest ride of your life, called parenthood. You and baby are both SO tired from birth. Day 1 is all about cuddling and learning to breastfeed. Your baby is born with a stomach the size of a marble, and therefore, only needs drops of colostrum. Your body makes the perfect milk for your baby and this really is liquid gold. It digests very quickly, so baby will be constantly hungry. This does not mean that you don’t have enough milk- it is designed to help bring your milk in and to help regulate baby’s blood sugar.

Skin to skin as much as possible for the next few days is key. Don’t wait till baby is upset to feed, look for those hunger cues: rooting, sucking on hands, turning head side to side and go ahead and offer. Between Day 1-2 baby will begin cluster feeding. This will make you feel like a human pacifier- baby has never known anything other than you and it is expected they want to be near you. Cluster feeding is where a baby is constantly nursing; be vigilant during this time that you do not allow a bad latch and just focus on learning together. The more cluster nursing you do- the more quickly your milk with come in and everyone will be a bit more satisfied. I do not recommend offering a pacifier or using a pump at all in these first few days. Baby can get nipple confusion and a pump will just encourage engorgement (more on that later).

Some parents think that because they cannot hand express milk, or only see drops at this time that they don’t have enough for their baby. This is not true at all. The way to measure if a baby is full and getting enough starts with enough wet/poppy diapers (1 for every day of life- 5 wet, 5 poops= day 5) and if they are gaining weight. The exception here is that we expect baby to loose weight in the first 14 days of life (typically between 7-10%). If baby seems to have lost more weight some things to consider: were you given a lot of fluid in labor (your baby will carry that water weight too at birth) or is there a latch issue to look at.

Day 2-3

Day 2 and 3 are much the same of Day 1. Resting, hydrating and feeding on demand is so important. Baby may become more irritable during this time as they ready for a “full meal” but milk probably is not in yet. Be prepared to continue cluster feeding and doing skin to skin with your baby. Your body has just been through a gigantic event- no cleaning, laundry, or dishes are allowed. Being horizontal and bonding with your baby is what’s important. Bring in help, have meals delivered, and get your mom to come and clean your house. If family is not around to help out, you can look at hiring a postpartum doula who can also be helpful during this time!

Day 3-4

Typically Day 3 is when your milk “comes in”. Again this doesn’t mean baby hasn’t been eating for the last three days it simply means that your colostrum is turning to white breastmilk and the composition is changing to match babies needs. Isn’t it amazing that your body knows exactly what milk composition your baby needs to grow the best! I call the day the “cliff day". Your hormones are taking a cliff dive from being pregnant and your milk hormones are coming in strong. It is totally normal if this day involves a lot of tears, and feeling overwhelmed. Don’t schedule doctor’s visits or friends stopping by. Take care of yourself and know that what you are experiencing is totally normal. Continue to let baby nurse on demand. You can also expect some engorgement during this time. Your body is a supply and demand system- therefore; every time you put baby to breast you are cueing your body to make more milk. This will regulate within a few days; however if you are very uncomfortable you can place cabbage leaves on your breasts, or hand express in a warm shower. Whatever you do, PLEASE, don’t use a pump- all this does is signal your body to make more milk and will keep you more engorged.

Day 5-7

Continue doing more of the same. You still shouldn’t be doing dishes, laundry, or cooking. Snuggling, nursing on demand and feeding yourself/napping are the most important things. By this time you should be getting the hang of nursing and latching should feel more comfortable. You may still be engorged but it should be lessening by the day. Don’t be surprised that as your baby grows you will wake up on a random morning engorged all over again- you can expect this is a growth spurt and your body is adapting to your baby’s needs. If at this point you are still struggling with latching or feeding issues I would highly recommend you see a lactation counselor.

Day 8-10

You are probably rocking it by now and ready to even try out some new positions that will alllow you to sleep/rest in the middle of the night feedings. If you haven’t mastered the side lie with nursing- now is the time- this will save you for the next few months!

Day 11-14

You are still in bed, still resting, still feeding on demand. In our culture we put WAY too much emphasis on “getting back to life.” Some cultures spend months in bed after a baby as they realize what a gigantic shift this is for mom, baby, and your family. Breakfast in bed, naps in your robe, and reading on the couch are what is on the “to-dos.” Continue nursing on demand until your supply is regulated. If you are hoping to return to work on trying to work on more of a “schedule” all of that can be ironed out in the next weeks of life. The more you focus on feeding on demand the better long term success with breastfeeding you will have.

By Day 14 the hope is that baby is back to their birth weight or even beyond. If you are struggling and nursing still doesn’t feel “right” make sure you reach out and get the help you need.

Congrats mama! You are doing such a great job! Want to learn more about what to expect with a newborn. Take our Newborn Care and Breastfeeding course- or take the comprehensive class and learn it all!