Duration of Early Feedings

In previous blogs, I have addressed recommendations regarding breastfeeding frequency in the early hours and days after birth. However, mothers may wonder how long feedings should last. So, here are a few words on early, in-hospital feeding duration.
During the first few days after delivery and before the transitional milk comes in, it is important that mothers allow their babies to feed at breast for as long as baby indicates a desire to do so. This is, of course, providing that mom is physically and emotionally comfortable. In the distant past, it was thought that limiting an infant’s feeding time at breast would prevent nipple soreness. This is NOT the case!!! As long as an infant is attached correctly and there is little or no discomfort for mom, unlimited feedings may take place without the risk of soreness.
Frequent, unlimited feeding at breast is advantageous to both mother and baby. For mother, frequent, unlimited feeding promotes milk production, rest and relaxation as she progresses through early post-partum. Unlimited feeding may also prevent painful breast engorgement as her transitional milk comes in. For baby, this allows plenty of practice in transferring milk BEFORE he has to handle the larger volumes. Furthermore, baby receives more colostrum (lots more swallowing), gains weight faster, stabilizes body temperature and blood sugar levels, expels more meconium, develops less jaundice, etc, etc.
In summary, if breastfeeding is comfortable for mom, and baby is swallowing at the breast, length of feedings need not be a concern.

Your Baby has a Fuel Gauge!

In a previous blog we talked about BABY watching VS CLOCK watching to determine baby’s readiness to feed.   A full-term newborn will exhibit hunger cues by flexing her arms, tightening her little hands into fists, turning her head and pulling her fists to her mouth.  Her whole body becomes tense and she produces sweet short vocal “yaps” to alert us to the fact that she is ready to feed.  These are early signs of hunger and would be the best time to put her to breast.  Late signs of hunger include a scowled forehead, facial tension and crying or screaming in “alarm” of the fact that she is hungry.

 So, how do we know when baby has had enough milk?  As baby continues to feed at the breast and her tummy begins to fill, her body should become increasingly more relaxed.  Arms lose their flexion and release to extension.  Fists open.  Scowled forehead disappears and baby’s face and mouth become more relaxed.  She may, in fact, “fall” off the breast.  Now, here’s the trick.  If, when you raise then release her arm, she tenses it and wiggles or roots, she probably needs to feed a little more.  However, if her arm flops down to her body (as if she were a rag doll), and this is repeated two or three times, chances are good that her tank is full!  Now it’s time to rest.  I’ll bet you didn’t know your baby came with a fuel gauge!