Is colostrum enough to feed my baby?
Yes! For most babies, colostrum (the first yellowish milk) will be enough during the first few (2-4) days until your milk "comes in". Colostrum is produced in small quantities at a time, and is produced continuously, which is why it’s important for baby to feed on demand (whenever he wants to). The more frequently baby feeds, the more milk he will get and the more milk your body will produce. It is perfectly normal for newborns to feed 8-12 times a day, and sometimes even more. Your colostrum is rich in nutrients, antibodies and other components which help baby’s intestine to mature.
Do I have breast swelling and what should I do?
Breast swelling is common in the first few days after giving birth. It is caused by increased blood flow to the breast tissue and swelling. Your breasts will be sore and distended. It can be difficult for baby to get a good latch. Breast swelling tends to go away after a few days. There is no standard treatment, but frequent breastfeeding and a good latch may help. If the breast is too distended for baby to latch on, heat (a warm shower) and hand expression can soften the breast. Try the reverse-pressure softening technique around the areola. This may help reduce the swelling. If baby is unwilling or unable to latch on, you can express milk manually. Breast swelling is different to breast engorgement when the breast is overly full of milk. Breast swelling may resemble mastitis. However, breast swelling does not require antibiotics.
How often and for how long should I pump to get my milk production started?
How often and for how long should I pump to get my milk production started?
Some newborns don’t suckle from the breast straight after birth. In this situation you have to start the milk production by expressing milk manually or using a breast pump. Typically, in the first few days you will only produce small amounts of milk. Expressing the milk manually will help you getting every single valuable drop. Whether expressing milk manually or pumping, you should do so at least eight times over the day and night, 10-15 minutes on each breast, until you achieve a good milk supply. Once your milk production has increased, you can adjust the frequency and duration of your pumping to the amount of milk you have. Do you have enough for baby? Is it too much? Is it not enough? If you have enough milk, you can decrease your pumping sessions to 5-6 times per day. You may also be able to reduce the pumping time to 5-10 minutes for each breast.