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!

Night Time Feedings

New mothers usually want to know if they should wake their baby for night time feedings. The answer is dependent upon several things. First of all, if your baby is under two weeks of age, you will want to remove milk from your breasts every two to three hours. This will assist in establishing a good milk supply and keep you comfortable. Most full-term babies wake to feed at this frequency anyway, so it works out well for both. Babies who were born a little earlier than expected, may need to be aroused for their feedings in order to gain weight. A two- to three-hour interval works well. Once your baby is nursing effectively, stooling and voiding within normal limits, and gaining weight, it’s acceptable to allow for longer intervals between feedings, especially at night. So, if your breasts can tolerate a wee bit of fullness, I say go for it, and let baby sleep. Enjoy your ZZZ’s.

Getting Started: The First Few Days

In many cases, the first few days of breastfeeding a newborn are quite different from what most of us have read or learned about breastfeeding. For example, we are told that a full-term baby will want to nurse about every two to three hours in the first few weeks. This is true. However, the first few days may throw us for a loop! Day one:Baby is often sleepy and may not awaken easily for feedings. This can be related to his tummy being filled with amniotic fluid (especially if born by cesarean) or by the store of fluids and nutrients transferred to baby in the days and hours just before birth. Day two:Baby is more awake and alert. His store of nutrients may now be depleting, and now he wants to nurse every hour! These are called “cluster feedings” and are baby’s way of letting mom’s breasts know that he will soon be ready for larger volumes. These frequent feedings not only help mom’s uterus to stay nicely contracted, but also allow baby to practice suckling before the voluminous transitional milk comes in. Days three to five: Mom’s transitional milk is coming in. Her breasts may change (blood and milk engorgement) and baby must re-learn how to latch to these “new” breasts. He must refine the way he suckles in order to handle the increased flow of milk. It is usually at this point that feedings begin to occur more consistently at two- to three-hour intervals. After the first few days, things begin to settle into more of a routine. Still there will be many more changes to adapt to. Life with a new baby can be challenging, yet wonderful. Just remember to eat, drink and sleep when baby sleeps, and let everything else go to pot!