Mother’s Milk: The most precious gift for a newborn baby that lasts a lifetime.
1. A newborn’s stomach is as small as a marble. At birth, you have just the right amount of milk to fill it.
2. Your breasts are never empty. And it is never too soon to put baby back to breast.
3. After birth, lots of breastfeeding brings in more milk faster. It also helps prevent engorged breasts.
4. Don’t wait to breastfeed until your breasts feel full. Drained breasts make milk faster. Full breasts make milk slower.
5. Breast fullness is not a good gauge of milk production. By four weeks or so, most mothers no longer feel full, even with lots of milk.
6. Babies need about the same amount of milk per day at six weeks as six months. Once your milk production is set at six weeks, you’re good to go!
7. Breastfeeding can be intense during the first 40 days. But by six weeks, breastfeeding starts to take less time than bottle-feeding.
8. If baby is gaining well on breast alone, your milk production is fine. Don’t judge your production by baby’s mood, sleep patterns, or anything else.
9. As babies grow, with practice they become faster at breastfeeding. The newborn who used to feed for 40 minutes, at six weeks may be done in 10-15 minutes.
10. You don’t need to eat more than usual to breastfeed. Just “eat to hunger.”
11. Newborns tend to breastfeed 8 to 12 times each day, but not at set times. During the first six weeks, most babies cluster their feedings together, often during evenings.
12. Milk production is based on the number of times each day your breasts are well drained of milk either by breastfeeding or pumping. To make more milk, breastfeed or pump more often and for longer.
13. One of the best ways to learn about breastfeeding is from other mothers. Go online to www.lalecheleague.org for mothers’ groups that meet in your area.
Resource:
Ameda
http://www.ameda.com/breast-feeding/breastfeeding-tips
Mother’s Milk: The most precious gift for a newborn baby that lasts a lifetime.