Page 68 - The Doula Hub - Flip book_Neat

B R E A S T F E E D I N G: T H E S E C R E T S

Breastfeeding can seem daunting and insurmountable, but if you focus on the

most important things and tune out the other noise, you will have a happier

and easier – and likely more successful – journey:

• Before your milk comes in on day 3 – 5, your baby will feed on colostrum,
the most nutritionally valuable food stuff on the planet. Non-nutritive

sucking is also valuable for digestion, creating saliva to break down the milk.

• Your baby needs less than a cherry worth of milk in the first few days, so as

long as it’s wetting nappies it’s getting the perfect amount of food from you.
Skin to skin and practicing latching is all they need.

• Latch – shouldn’t be painful beyond the first week, and after that only for

the first few seconds of a feed. If the pain is long or severe then the latch
isn’t right. Take them off and try again.

• Positions – try them all, even when you think you have one that works as it
helps your baby to adapt and utilises all your milk ducts.

• Spend as much of the first few weeks as you can skin to skin with your baby.
Week 1 in bed, week 2 around the bed, week 3 on the couch. This helps

baby get to know you but also helps you to recognise their early cues that
make feeding easier and happier for both of you.