Breastfeeding Baby on the First Day – All you need to know
The initiation of breastfeeding is very important to promote exclusive breastfeeding for newborn babies. The first 24 hours of your baby’s life are crucial to a positive breastfeeding experience for both you and your child. Whether you deliver vaginally or by C-section, your body is always prepared to feed your newborn.
What is Colostrum?
Colostrum is the early, concentrated milk that is full of nutrients and disease-fighting antibodies — it provides everything that your baby needs in the early days after birth. Colostrum is being produced from about 16-22 weeks of pregnancy, although many mothers are not aware that the milk is there since it may not be leaking or easy to express. Your baby’s stomach is very small at birth, and the amounts of colostrum (transitioning gradually to mature breastmilk once your milk comes in) are perfect for the baby’s needs. The average colostrum intake by healthy babies will vary between 2-10 mL per feeding in the first 24 hours.
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Few steps that I followed to feed breastmilk to my baby on the first day
1. No Formula Milk
Intimate doctors and nurses not to feed any formula to the baby at any cost. The body which took care of the baby inside the womb can very well nourish the baby when it comes to the outside world. The formula must be the last resort.
2. Breastcrawl / Skin to Skin
Baby put on the abdomen can move to the nipple to suck the milk. This stimulates your body and helps produce more milk. Breastfeed within the first 2 hours of baby birth. In the early moments after birth, babies are in a quiet, alert state and ready to learn.
3. No perfume or any fragrance in the room
A Baby’s senses are very well developed by birth. The smell on the nipple is similar to the smell of the amniotic fluid in the womb. So do not reduce the chances of baby sucking.
4. Keep baby awake while sucking
The more baby sucks actively the more colostrum baby drinks and then more milk is produced.
5. Proper Latching
The baby opens its mouth wide open and sucks through the areola and not just the nipple. Without proper latching on, your baby will not get the milk she needs and your breasts won’t be stimulated to produce more, initiating a vicious cycle of poor milk demand and poor milk supply. What’s more, your breastfeeding nipples may become cracked and mighty painful when the latch isn’t right.
6. Nurse more often
10-12 times a day – Your milk should start to “come in” (increase in quantity and change from colostrum to mature milk) between days 2 and 5. To minimize engorgement: nurse often, don’t skip feedings (even at night), ensure good latch/positioning, and let baby finish the first breast before offering the other side.
7. Confident
Confidence is more important than you might think when it comes to breastfeeding success. You need to surround yourself with people who want you to succeed, finding your way to believing, ‘We can do this!’ That weak moment where you are already strained from the birthing process, lack of sleep, and terrified how would you take care of the newborn can weaken or break the breastfeeding relationship with your newborn.
Video: Breastfeeding Baby on the First Day – All you need to know
- Video in Kannada – ಹುಟ್ಟಿದ ಮೊದಲನೇ ದಿನ ಹಾಲುಣಿಸಲು ಗರ್ಭಿಣಿ ತಾಯಿ ಮಾಡಬೇಕಾದ ತಯಾರಿ
- Video in Hindi – पहले दिन बच्चे को आसानी से कैसे स्तनपान कराया जाये
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