What does breastfeeding/chestfeeding look like in the first week?
The first week:
In the first few days after giving birth, your body will produce colostrum, a thick yellow milk often referred to as liquid gold for the antibodies it contains. Around day three, your milk will mature from colostrum to a more substantial liquid that is white/yellow in colour. This is a time of increased feeding (often called cluster feeding) and a notoriously hard day for your mood as your body’s hormones adjust from pregnancy to postpartum. It is normal to cry on this day from exhaustion and to feel overwhelmed.
Feeding at least every two to three hours, for the first 2-3 weeks, is essential to help your baby regain their birth weight and to help signal your brain to make more milk.
Learning your baby’s hunger cues and feeding them before they get fussy, working on your latch with a lactation consultant and plenty of skin to skin contact will make breastfeeding/chestfeeding easier.
Koble series:
Feeding basics: prenatal prep and the first week
Koble sessions:
Feeding for day one and two by Caitlin Black-Allen
Pees and poops during the first week by Caitlin Black-Allen