First Two Weeks of Breastfeeding: What to Expect 

WRITTEN BY
Dylan Kyle
PUBLISHED
September 18, 2017
RELATED ARTICLES
The first two weeks of breastfeeding can be a trying experience. Mom is getting to know her new baby, and the baby is getting to know mom in its new world. Every baby is different, so routines will vary from one person to another. But there are some solid, helpful guidelines and cues that are universal.
[Transcript]
[Graphic: Baptist Health South Florida logo, The Benefits of Breastfeeding, What to Expect Over the First Two Weeks, gentle music]
[Karen Mattson, RNC, IBCLC, Lactation Consultant, Baptist Health South Florida] [Graphic: How often should you expect to breastfeed?] Your baby needs to be breastfeeding at least every one to three hours. Okay, it sounds like a lot. It is. (chuckling) It's eight to 12 times every 24 hours. Sometimes, if your baby
is over seven pounds, the baby can go up to five hours one time at night. But, other than that, we do need to be waking the baby initially.
[Graphic: Keep baby awake during feeding] When your baby is nursing, they'll doze off, right? They're snuggled up, they're comfortable. They're near mom. So, we have to keep waking the baby.
[Graphic: Rub their back] So, you can kind of rub their back,
[Graphic: Stroke their cheek] you stroke their cheek once, wait for them to reflex.
[Graphic: Squeeze their hands] I like to squeeze their hands, squeeze their anything that, kinda bug up a little bit, as we say. (chuckling) Just to kinda keep them going and again, we're looking at the cues. Is that arm tight? Are they still hungry even though they fell asleep? As they nurse, it'll get looser and looser, hands will open, they'll look milk-drunk.
[Graphic: Prevent back-up] If your baby can't, for whatever reason, empty your breasts make them softer to comfort, you can pump to soften them. Just to soften and then you can use some ice.
[Graphic: Is baby getting enough?] What we're looking for is wet diapers.
[Graphic: Day 1 = 1 wet, 1 dirty] The first 24 hours, we want at least one wet, one poop.
[Graphic: Day 2 = 2 wet] The second day, we want at least two wet.
[Graphic: Day 3 = 3 wet, Day 4 = 4 wet, etc] Third day, three, fourth day, four, et cetera.
[Graphic: At Day 6 = 6 to 8 wet diapers] Once the baby is six days old, from then on, we should have at least six to eight wet diapers every 24 hours. That way you'll know your baby's getting enough. And generally, you'll have three to four yellowish, mustardy color diapers from six days on once the milk is in.
[Graphic: Treating soreness] If you are sore, then you can also hand express some of the colostrum or your milk, leave it open to air, air drying, and then you can use a little Lanolin, rub it in to your fingers, just on the tip. You can also use those gel soothing pads.
[Graphic: Changing sleep patterns] Babies are hardwired to eat more at night, generally. Especially the second night after delivery. That's when they tend to eat the most, so just be prepared for that. (laughing) So, you're gonna have to schedule your sleeping around the baby's. When the baby's sleeping,
that's when you're gonna have to try to get a little catnap.
[Graphic: Breastfeed side-lying] You can also learn how to breastfeed side-lying. That's a great way to rest.
Moms can relax, they're not holding the baby. The bed's holding the baby.
[Graphic: Get in your groove] Learn your own little pattern. What works for you may not
work for somebody else. Go with what you know. Because you know, you have that instinct. You know what to do, just trust it.
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