We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
Preparing for breastfeeding starts even before your baby arrives. Those first few days after birth are crucial, as that’s when routines are established. Taking proactive steps now can help you and your baby develop good habits from the start, making breastfeeding easier and preventing less desirable patterns that can be harder to change later. There are several things you can do in advance to set yourself up for breastfeeding success.
Related: The 5-5-5 Postpartum Rule: What Is It and How to Use It
13 Breastfeeding Tips for the Early Postpartum Days
You are not alone in this journey. Discover tips that will help make this transition smooth and comfortable for you and your baby.
Tip 1: Wear a Seamless Bra in the First Trimester
Your milk ducts begin to change as early as your first trimester. For some women, the first sign of pregnancy is tenderness and fullness in their breasts. As your breasts grow, it’s important to wear a non-restrictive bra to minimize compression. Look for a double-layered, seamless bra that has cups with molded capacity. Bras with extra hooks and eyes are ideal, as this will allow for ribcage expansion as your bump grows.
Tip 2: Eat Healthy Foods
Once you’re past the nausea stage and aren’t limited to eating whatever you can keep down, it’s best to avoid complex carbohydrates and sugars. Aim for 5 servings of colorful fruit and vegetables per day. Lean proteins and omega-3s also help produce nutritious milk for your baby.
Tip 3: Drink Lots of Water
This is important before and after your baby is born. You need to drink an additional 1.5L of water per day to produce milk, even more on hotter days. Buy yourself a nice water bottle to keep with you to ensure you are hydrated at all times, especially when nursing.
Related: 7 Ways Your Partner Can Help You Postpartum
Tip 4: Express Yourself
At about 7.5 months of pregnancy (but always check with your doctor), you can begin hand-expressing colostrum. This action will help your body get ready for breastfeeding.
Tip 5: Skin to Skin Immediately Postpartum
Whether you have a natural or cesarean birth, it’s possible to have your baby with you immediately as long as there are no complications that require immediate action. While that initial skin-to-skin is important for connection and hormone stimulation, you should also do it as much as possible during breastfeeding. The other parent can also engage in skin-to-skin to encourage their bond. Some babies when placed on your stomach after being born will do the ‘breast crawl’ to your nipple for their first suckling or feed.
We recommend finding a nursing bra that opens completely to facilitate skin-to-skin, such as Biscotti.
Tip 6: Stay Together After Birth
Keeping your baby close to you immediately after birth encourages a profound sense of connection and triggers powerful hormonal responses essential for successful breastfeeding. This produces oxytocin, which is essential for the mother’s milk production and let down, and the baby’s suckling.
Related: Things that Happen Postpartum that Aren’t Talked About Enough
Tip 7: What’s your Favorite Position
The initial days after birth present an incredible opportunity for both you and your baby to master breastfeeding together. During this time, your breasts remain soft, gradually transitioning from nutrient-rich colostrum to mature milk. Use these first few days to figure out what position you and your baby are most comfortable in to feed. You can practice with a doll or rolled-up towel before your baby arrives.
Tip 8: The Latch
One of the most crucial things to get right is the latch. This is your baby’s job to get right, and you can help them to achieve a successful one on the first go. It shouldn’t hurt, so if it does, pull them off by breaking the seal of their lips gently with a finger and try again.
Their chin should come to below the nipple and the top jaw should cover your entire areola, allowing your nipple to extend to the back of your baby’s throat. Their lower jaw should then move as they suckle, and you should hear them swallowing.
Tip 9: Practice Patience
Recognize that breastfeeding is a skill that both you and your baby are learning, and some may find it more challenging than others. Just like any new ability, it requires time and patience. Maintaining a relaxed atmosphere is vital for both you and your baby. If frustration arises and you or your baby becomes upset while attempting to breastfeed, take a break and try again later. You might also consider expressing or pumping for this feeding session while saving direct breastfeeding for the next.
Tip 10: Feed Based on Baby’s Needs
As you embark on establishing breastfeeding, anticipate that your baby will want to feed between seven and twelve times within 24 hours—a pattern that will naturally regulate over time. Frequent and effective feedings will ensure that you produce enough milk for your little one.
Tip 11: Keep Your Baby Close By
There are numerous advantages to having your baby in the same room with you, both at the hospital and at home. Notably, it significantly reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Additionally, this proximity supports breastfeeding by allowing you to easily recognize when your baby is hungry or tired, making feeding more intuitive. It’s essential to create a safe sleep environment for your child at all times, so sleeping in the same bed is not recommended.
Tip 12: Avoid Pacifiers, Teats, and Supplementary Feeds
Since newborns are still navigating the art of breastfeeding, introducing dummies (pacis) or teats may confuse them. Offering fluids other than breast milk can lead to reduced breastfeeding frequency and lower milk supply. Encourage unrestricted suckling at the breast; this not only satisfies their hunger but also ensures that your milk production aligns with their needs.
Tip 13: Exclusively Breastfeed for Six Months
When babies are fed solely on breast milk during their first six months of life, they require no other food or drink. You can feel assured that you’re providing sufficient nutrition if they have six or more heavy wet diapers daily along with at least one bowel movement—and if they appear content after most feedings.
Embrace this beautiful journey of nurturing through breastfeeding; every effort made today lays the foundation for a thriving bond tomorrow! Breastfeeding doesn’t come easily to everyone. You will have good days and bad days, so give yourself some slack, mama.
This post was written in partnership with Katie of Cake Maternity.
Katie is the proud mum of two beautiful girls and has been responsible for all the designs, style and fit at Cake Maternity for over a decade now.
Katie is a nursing bra specialist and a fit, pattern and grading technician. She is passionate about breastfeeding and the many benefits it offers to both mum, baby, and the environment.
She is determined to make the breastfeeding journey a comfortable, supportive, and beautiful one for all mums, understanding that it doesn’t always come easy to everyone. That’s why she has made it her mission to empower women as they mindfully navigate the world of motherhood and help make breastfeeding easier, through experience-driven innovation.
