Feeding on Cue

• Since how often mom is emptying her breasts determines milk supply, feeding the baby as often and as long as desired means she will make as much milk as baby needs.
• Frequent feeding in the first few weeks after birth builds up milk making tissue in your breasts, assuring a good milk supply for months to come.
• Baby latches and feeds better when you catch his early feeding cues such as tongue movements and rooting. If you wait until he is crying, it may take more time to calm him before feeding.
• You bring comfort and pain relief to your baby when you feed on cue. Nursing is for comfort as well as nutrition. Babies cannot be held “too much” or “spoiled.”
• Newborns are used to constant closeness and feeding. Frequent feedings gives them that connection.
• Babies gain weight better.
• Babies have less jaundice.
• Mothers have less engorgement.
• The overall duration of breastfeeding is longer.

• Mouthing movements
• Tongue protruding, rooting
• Hand (fist) to mouth movements
• Hand-sucking
• Baby is awake with arms and legs moving
• Baby starts to move head in sleep with rapid eye movements visible under the eyelids
• Baby makes “rooting” motions trying to latch
• It’s been two to three hours since baby last breastfed well

Late Signs of Hunger

• Crying
• Hands fisted tightly, arms and legs tightly pulled inward
• Tense face and body
• Hard to calm down

Avoiding pacifiers and bottles will help your baby breastfeed better. The sucking action on a pacifier or bottle is very different from how a baby latches the breast. When a baby sucks a pacifier or bottle, the breast does not get the stimulation to make milk. Formula is more difficult for baby to digest.

Breastfeed early and often, at least eight to 12 times in 24 hours. The more you breastfeed, the more milk you will produce. Allow baby to breastfeed as long as interested. The breast is never empty, the baby can come back for seconds. Nipple pain should not occur; ask for tips on latching deeply.