Breastfeeding in the First Week

Your body starts making milk long before your baby is born. Small amounts of milk will collect in your breasts before delivery (even if you deliver early). Some women may even leak milk before giving birth. This special early milk is called colostrum. It contains valuable immune properties that help your babies brain, intestines and immune system adapt to being outside of your womb. Colostrum only comes in small amounts — the volume matches your baby’s stomach size! 

The first day of life your baby’s stomach is about the same size as a marble and can hold about a teaspoon of milk. This is why breastfeeding babies often eat very frequently. Colostrum is absorbed very quickly so your baby may want to try to eat again in the next hour or two, or even more quickly! As your baby eats frequently this stimulates your body to make more milk (more feeding means more emptying of the breast, which means your body wants to make more milk). As your milk increases in volume your babies stomach size also gets bigger, this usually means that they feed a little less often.

You will notice after the first several days to week of life that your milk has changed. It flows a bit easier and the amount you make has increased. It may look less thick if you are using a breast pump to express your milk. This is a transition time for your milk from colostrum to mature milk.

On the first day after delivering you may only make about 1 ounce of milk total! This is normal and it is usually enough for your baby’s needs. Some babies such as infants who are born prematurely or infants of diabetic mothers may need extra help keeping their blood sugars normal. Many hospitals can offer small amounts of oral sucrose (sugar) or donor human milk or formula in small amounts (5 to 10 milliliters at most) to help keep your baby’s blood sugar normal.

By day three you should be making 0.5 to 1 ounce every time your baby feeds. By day seven you should be making 1 to 2 ounces for each feeding. Every baby and mother is different, some babies will eat more volume and less often and some babies prefer to eat smaller amounts and more often, both are normal. It is important to talk to your pediatrician about how your baby is eating and gaining weight. Weight loss in the first few days of life is completely normal and expected, it is even considered healthy for your baby to lose that weight! Most breastfeeding infants have regained weight and are back at the same weight as the day they were born by the time they are 14 to 18 days old.

The first weeks of life are full of joy in your newborn’s new life. They can also be full of fatigue and stress. While skin to skin time and holding your infant is incredibly important to promote breastfeeding and bonding with your new baby, holding your baby skin to skin when you are falling asleep can put your newborn at risk of a fall or accidental suffocation. Every new mom is encouraged to feel comfortable saying she is tired and needs a rest. We encourage family and friends to help Mom and Dad find moments to rest and destress. Those moments will help you enjoy the tender moments of bonding and time together even more.

Stress following delivery of a newborn is common for both mothers and fathers. It is important to understand that stress and fatigue often go hand in hand and managing one can help with managing the other. New families are encouraged to help each other get rest and find moments to step back from the pressures of new parenthood for even brief moments. Getting a nap or doing some yoga, taking a walk or a long bath or shower may help. Self-care is one of the most common things to be sacrificed by new parents and often creates a feeling of anxiety and loss. Make sure you find time to care for yourself and feel empowered to ask friends and family to help with tasks related to household duties and other children that will allow you space to focus on you and on your relationship with your new baby. Feeling stress about your breastfeeding relationship with your newborn can contribute to feeling overwhelmed and anxious. Seek help, find a lactation consultant, talk to your doctor or your baby’s doctor. We are all here to help. 

Sometimes the stress, anxiety, and fatigue you are feeling are more than needing to simply step back a bit, sometimes this is postpartum depression, often called the “baby blues.” Postpartum depression can be serious and may need treatments other than rest and time caring for yourself, please if you are feeling sad or having feelings that you may hurt yourself or your baby, seek help immediately. If you are having thoughts of self-harm and you need help immediately call 988. This three-digit phone call will route you to someone who can help you immediately.