Episode 255

You have heard many moms on this show tell us that they thought breastfeeding was going to be fairly easy, something new and something that they would be able to figure out when the time came. While it most certainly is fairly easy for some moms and they have no great breastfeeding challenges, we have also learned that for many moms, the early days of breastfeeding can be frought with pain, uncertainty, fears and anxieties about their babies well being. Is she getting enough? How do I know? Why is it painful? Should my baby be nursing all night and all day – around the clock? What is normal?

Many moms who struggle ask why? The reasons are many and I am going to give my detailed thoughts on another show in Season 9. However, for right now, I want to say to all new mothers to give yourself a break for not knowing a lot about breastfeeding. It is a learned art.. something to be practiced, over and over again…. and soon it becomes second nature. You are doing this breastfeeding dance and your partner is your baby and together you are learning how to do the breastfeeding waltz together. Takes time and practice. You fumble, step on each others toes and with practice and consistency, at some point it all cliques. If you go into it thinking you will be great at it after one night of lessons, ohhhh

You have also heard my interviews with several pediatricians and a few other healthcare providers who have all humbled themselves and said to me: I received very little, if any, breastfeeding education during all my years of schooling. In hindsight, they are upset that they had no training as they now realize how helpful it would have been.

The major problem with our providers not being breastfeeding knowledgeable, is that this is where most parents go to several times in the first few weeks of their babies lives. They are relying on them for help with breastfeeding. Newborn visits are usually short and do not include a breastfeeding consultation. Most moms tell me that their babies pediatrician does not often ask the mom: How are you doing? How is breastfeeding going? If there is an area of concern, some are referring to IBCLCs and some do not. This leaves moms at a deficit when it comes to help with lactation.

This is why I feel it is so important for you to learn all you can about the early days of breastfeeding. You need to know what is normal weight loss for the first 4 days. You need to learn what is normal weight gain the first 2 weeks and beyond. New mothers need to know what babies act like when they are exhibiting normal newborn breastfeeding behavior. You need to learn what normal output is. So many times I hear parents tell me that their babies doctor is okay with several days of no stooling. As long as the baby is peeing several times a day. For my regular listeners I know I sound like a broken record. We get new listeners every day to this show and I feel this bears repeating. If your newborn baby is not stooling every day, this is a major concern. Saying that it is okay is bad and inaccurate information, which can be very harmful to the mom and baby.

I want you to be a happy new mom who is breastfeeding her baby in comfort and joy. At the end of the show, I will give you information on shows that I have bundled together on the subject of Early Newborn Breastfeeding information. For right now, Let’s review what you have learned this Season 8 of the All About Breastfeeding show:

Breastfeeding is not suppose to hurt. Not on Day 1 or on day 2. If it is still hurting on Day 3 – something is not right and you should get help ASAP
Babies should be spending there time at the breast actively sucking/drinking.
They have a beautiful rhythm to their sucking pattern. When you learn what their usual sucking rhythm looks and feels like, you begin to make a connection to when they have lost that rhythm and are just comfort sucking or hardly transferring milk on that side anymore. This is the signal to switch sides.
It is common for babies to lose 5-7 oz in the first 4 days of their life.
It is common for babies to gain about 1/2 oz a day until they are back to birthweight at 2 weeks old.
Once they are back to birthweight at 2 weeks old, they average about 6-7 oz a week gain until they are about 5-6 months old.
We spent quite a bit of time this Season talking about how to tell if your baby is actively transferring milk at the breast for full feedings or if your baby is just hanging out at the breast,, getting some food, but not enough for full feedings. Review this info. Look at videos I have shared so you can tell the difference & recognize when your baby is mostly sleeping at the breast.
You also heard me talk a lot about the dangers of timing your baby at the breast.
With all the information I have just talked about with regards to weight gain and weight loss, average intake, feeds per day, output, etc. What I have just stated is averages. If your baby lost 2 or 3 oz more and is a few oz less than birthweight at 2 weeks old, breastfeeding might still be going quite well for you. The weight might be slightly different, the frequency of feeds, the alertness at breast, the output, the length of feedings… there are variations of the averages. So what can you do if this is confusing to you?
A visit with a lactation consult will evaluate all aspects of newborn breastfeeding with you and help you determine if you need additional help. As an IBCLC, I do not just look at weight loss and weight gain, or just output or frequency of feedings or if breastfeeding is comfortable or painful for you. I don’t judge if breastfeeding is going well just based on your milk supply. There are many factors that we take a look at. If you cannot find local expert help, you can always go to my website: allaboutbreastfeeding.biz and set up a Skype consult.

You may wonder why I am so tenacious about you having accurate information about the first few days and weeks of breastfeeding. It is because the research clearly states that when moms do not get off to a good breastfeeding start, it affects your mental, emotional, physical health. You lose too much sleep, become too anxious and if breastfeeding continues to hurt or cause you emotional pain and it does not get going well pretty soon, you are likely to stop breastfeeding. And I don’t want that. I want you to be able to breastfeed and enjoy your life as a new mom.

I have tried to make these shows on what to expect during the early days of newborn breastfeeding as easy for you as I can. This is a lot of information and I can appreciate if it does not really make much sense to you until you have your baby. That is okay. You don’t have to worry because I have some handouts and a few checklists for you to download. These checklists are meant to empower you. They give you the information you need in the early days of breastfeeding to help you determine how breastfeeding is going. These checklists are very specific as to what to expect in the first day, second day, third day, fourth day of breastfeeding, and beyond. Keep them handy. Downloading them to a place where you can easily access it when your baby is born. Or Print them out. Hang them on your fridge so they will be easily available once you have your baby. Let them be your guide in the early days of breastfeeding. To grab your FREE checklists just go to:

Just go to:
https://www.allaboutbreastfeeding.biz/freebies/

I also wanted to give you some handy tips on the early days of breastfeeding:

Your priorities are in taking care of yourself and your baby for the first 6 weeks:

Help with breastfeeding
Help with 6 full weeks of good meals
Help with baby so you can nap when you need to
Help with household chores/activities

Your main job the first few weeks is –
How do I best set myself up for healing and recovering from a pregnancy and birth.
This would include healthy meals, time to nap, space to take care of your personal needs and learning about your baby and breastfeeding.