Your breastfeeding journey: engorgement, saggy breasts, sore nipples, leaky ducts and everything in between.
How often do I need to nurse my baby?
In the first weeks, your baby will normally nurse every 2-3 hours, but they might get a longer stretch in (hopefully at night!) of up to 5 hours when they are under 6 weeks. You will feed your baby 8 to 12 times in a 24 hour period. Feeding them frequently works to increase your milk supply and gives your baby practice sucking and swallowing.
Try to feed your baby when they wake up, instead of when they are falling asleep – this will create good habits for later when they are bigger. But don’t stress about this too much, rather just keep it in mind for when it’s possible. Your breastmilk and the hug from feeding will soothe your baby and make them sleepy and this is normal.
What is colostrum?
There are different types of milk along the breastfeeding journey; colostrum, transitional milk and mature milk. Colostrum is the thick, yellow milk produced in the first 2-3 days. It contains more antibodies, vitamins and proteins than the milk produced once your milk has “come in”.
My nipples are so sensitive. They’re bright red. The smallest touch hurts. Is this normal?
Yes, this is normal and it will get better, probably in just a few days. Most women’s nipple pain just after birth goes away by day 7 to 10 postpartum. This is commonly caused by an improper latch or positioning of your baby or breast pump. Make sure your baby has a good breastfeeding latch with these tricks or check your pump placement according to the instructions.
My nipples are cracked and bloody, how long will this last? What can I do to help?
Superficial or new wounds should heal within a few hours or days. Deep or older wounds, however, may take up to two weeks to fully heal. More info here.
Expressed Milk & Nipple Cream
After each nursing session you can squeeze a few extra drops of milk out to rub on your nipples. Breastmilk has antibodies and epidermal growth factor which promotes the growth and repair of skin cells. Studies have shown that expressed milk reduces nipple pain just as much as other ointments. Maria, our midwife recommends this nipple cream to help ease the pain.
Silver nursing cups
You may have also heard of silver nursing cups.
“SILVERETTE ® are small cups crafted out of 925 sterling silver that fit over and help to protect nipples while breastfeeding. Silver is a natural antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibacterial metal that also contains anti-inflammatory agents. It heals and prevents cuts, wounds, cracks, soreness, and infections”
I spend my entire day breastfeeding, all day, everyday! Is this normal?
Yes! Some babies can get a full feed in 8 minutes, but most take 20-30 minutes. So if you are feeding every 2 hours for 30 minutes, this is 4.5 hours/day and if you are feeding every 3 hours for 20 minutes this is 2 hours and 20 minutes/day. It is a huge time commitment.
However, rather than assessing the time you spend nursing, make sure your baby is always drinking when they are latched on. Look at their temples, can you see the jaw moving? Watch their throat, do you see them swallow? Do you hear them swallow? Make sure your baby has a proper latch and that when they are on the breast they are drinking, and not soothing or sleeping.
I’m having intense cramps while breastfeeding - I want to scream! What is going on?
That’s oxytocin! This postpartum cramping, also know as afterpains, is oxytocin working to contract your uterus back to pre-pregnancy size. It has to go from watermelon to lemon size and oxytocin accelerates this change, so yes, those cramps are intense! Normally they last 10 days and the first 2-3 days are the most intense.
Introducing Breastfeeding & you
Learn from 6 experts how to care for your breasts, your nutritional needs, self-breast massage, nipple care, how to deal with engorgement and plugged ducts, and enjoy sleep and meditation tracks for breastfeeding women in our online course
Should I feed on both sides each session?
Not necessarily, maybe in the beginning it is helpful to establish your supply. But each baby is different, so trust your instinct. It is often recommended to let the baby finish a session on one side because the milk changes throughout the feed and the fatty milk comes at the end, so completing a session on one breast ensures that your baby gets the sugary-fatty milk.
When will I stop leaking?
It takes a while. You will notice more leaking in the first weeks after birth, but most women report leaking up to 6 to 10 weeks after birth.
I am breastfeeding with large breasts, it is really hard. What can I do?
If you are breastfeeding with large breasts it may be hard to get your baby to latch on. Their mouth is so small! We can help with some breastfeeding tricks for latching on.
Will breastfeeding make my breasts saggy?
No, it is pregnancy and not breastfeeding that changes breast tissue. Breast shape depends a lot on weight, and sagging breasts increase more with age, number of pregnancies, pre-pregnancy cup size, body mass index, and smoking history. Research does not show a relationship between sagging breasts and breastfeeding initiation or duration.
How long should I breastfeed?
Any amount of time that you can. No matter if you breastfeed for a few days or years you and your baby will experience many advantages from the time you spent breastfeeding.
Can I drink while I breastfeed?
Two important things to remeber if you wish to drink while breastfeeding:
1) Alcohol is not stored in breastmilk and the amount in your breastmilk is similar to the level in your blood. This means if you drink and wait until the alcohol is out of your system before you breastfeed again you do NOT need to pump & dump. The alcohol you drank is eliminated from your breastmilk just as it is eliminated from your blood stream.
2) Less than 2% of the alcohol does comsumed reaches your milk and blood. Peak alcohol levels occur 30 minutes to an hour after drinking and then decrease.
So you can literally have a drink while you breastfeed, which is before the alcohol hits your milk, and then by the time your baby will be hungry again (in 2-3 hours) the level of alcohol in your milk and blood will have declined.
Is it possible to do a mix of breastmilk and formula?
Absolutely, mixed feeding, combination feeding, or whatever you want to call it when you mix breastmilk and formula is a wonderful way to get some rest and allow other people to care for your baby.
How many extra calories a day should I consume?
You will produce 500-800mL of milk each day for your baby if you are exclusively breastfeeding. For this amount of milk production you need 700kcal/day. We have more information on postpartum diet and nutritional needs as well as postpartum food to give you energy.
Also, make sure you are drinking enough water. How much is enough? Sixteen 8-oz glasses a day (3.7L). Keep water bottles around the house in the places where you sit and feed. You can also get into the habit of doing your pelvic floor exercises at each feeding session.
I tried. Breastfeeding just didn’t work for me.
Physically speaking, 96% of mothers can lactate, but education and support play a huge role in breastfeeding success. Women who do not have proper support are much more likely to have engorged breasts or infections, and cracked or bleeding nipples and then stop breastfeeding because of this pain. Remember that, while sore/cracked nipples and engorgement are extremely painful they will subside and breastfeeding offers many advantages for your baby and for you.
Very insightful thank you!