Breast-Feeding
What Is Normal
Benefits of breast milk
Breast-feeding is a natural way to nourish your baby. Breast milk provides your baby with unique nutritional and health benefits, such as:
- Antibodies to strengthen the immune system.
- A reduced risk for eczema.2
- A reduced risk for asthma.3
- Fewer gastrointestinal illnesses (vomiting and diarrhea).
- A possible lower risk of food allergies.
- A reduced risk for becoming obese later in infancy and during childhood.9, 10, 11
- A reduced risk for developing diabetes.4
- A reduced risk for high cholesterol later in life.12
- A possible reduced risk for high blood pressure later in life.6, 5
- Fewer doctor visits and less chance of needing hospitalization because of infection.13
To compare, baby formula does not help protect a baby from infections and other health problems.
Feeding your baby milk at the breast offers the added convenience of having a ready food source at all times that does not require special preparation.
How breast-feeding affects the mother
Soon after your baby is born, breast-feeding helps your body recover from the stresses of pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Breast-feeding also lowers your risk for developing breast cancer.7 The longer you breast-feed, the more this risk is reduced.7 It may also lower your risk for getting diabetes later on.8
Your body produces the hormone prolactin, which prepares your body for breast-feeding during pregnancy. After your baby is born and the placenta is delivered, prolactin immediately stimulates milk production. The amount of prolactin you produce depends on how often you breast-feed: the more often you breast-feed, the more prolactin your body generates, and the more milk your breasts make. This is why it's so important to breast-feed every 1 to 3 hours in the first days after the birth.
Breast-feeding also stimulates your body to release oxytocin, which helps your uterus contract, bleed less, and return more quickly to its prepregnancy size. You may feel these contractions occur in the first few hours after birth, which are known as afterpains. The contractions may be slightly uncomfortable and last for a day or two.
Oxytocin also stimulates the let-down reflex, which occurs just before or soon after feeding or pumping begins. Let-down is often described as a tingle or an ache. If this is your first baby, you may not notice this sensation for the first few weeks.
Your body's hormones stabilize when your baby is about 3 months of age. At this time, you begin to lose the full feeling in your breasts between feedings. Your milk supply should remain the same even with this change.
The breasts first produce colostrum, followed by transitional milk after a few days. Mature breast milk usually is produced about 10 to 15 days after delivery. This milk contains about 50% fat calories, 45% carbohydrate calories, and 5% protein calories. Most of the carbohydrate is milk sugar (lactose), which helps babies absorb calcium.
You may find that losing weight is easier with breast-feeding. However, weight loss rates after delivery vary among women. Focus on eating a balanced diet to get adequate vitamins and minerals needed for breast-feeding. Eat an additional 500 nutrient-rich calories a day over the recommended amount for nonpregnant women of your height and weight; this is 200 calories over your recommended calorie intake during pregnancy. Talk with your doctor about continuing to take your prenatal vitamins while breast-feeding.
You can quickly become exhausted during your baby's first weeks. Allow others to help you when possible, so you can focus on breast-feeding and can nap with your baby.
You are not likely to become pregnant in the first 6 months of exclusive breast-feeding (which means you are feeding your baby on demand and not using formula, food, or water to supplement his or her diet). However, talk with your doctor about birth control while breast-feeding if you want to ensure that you do not get pregnant right away. After your baby is 6 months of age, you need to use a birth control method if you want to avoid pregnancy, regardless of whether you are breast-feeding exclusively.
Problems such as sore or cracked nipples, blocked milk ducts, or breast infection (mastitis) sometimes occur while breast-feeding. Most of these conditions are minor, easily treated, and do not significantly interfere with breast-feeding. For more information, see the Home Treatment section of this topic.
Some women notice that they become aroused during breast-feeding. Although this sensation is similar to a sexual response, it is not sexually driven. It is your body's way of preparing for breast-feeding. Do not worry or be ashamed if this happens to you.
Learning how to breast-feed
To breast-feed properly and prevent problems, you will need to learn basic breast-feeding techniques, including proper latch-on
. Basic breast-feeding positions include:
Focus on the following as you start to breast-feed:
- Try different positions to find those that are most comfortable for you and your baby. For example, use the cross cradle hold at one feeding, and the football hold at the next. Feeding in different positions may reduce nipple soreness.
- Keep your baby's head and chest facing your chest so your baby's body is aligned straight and his or her mouth is positioned right in front of your nipple.
- Start each new feeding with the opposite breast you started with at the last feeding. This routine helps you to empty each breast well.
Many hospitals and birthing centers have lactation consultants available to help you learn these positions and techniques. If a lactation consultant is not available during your hospital stay, check into breast-feeding support resources in your community. Early assistance is the key to breast-feeding success.
Women who have had a cesarean delivery may prefer positions in which the baby doesn't rest on the abdomen, such as the side-lying position or the football hold.
Newborn feeding schedules
After you deliver your baby, plan on breast-feeding within the first hour and with skin-to-skin contact. Talk to your doctor and hospital staff ahead of time about this strategy. Usually this request can easily be met unless the baby has a health issue that needs to be addressed first.
The general recommendation is for newborns to breast-feed on demand. This means to follow your baby's cues, such as eagerly sucking on fingers or rooting, to know when he or she wants to feed rather than following a schedule. Feeding the baby directly at the breast is the best way to maintain milk production. This means you breast-feed whenever your baby appears to be hungry, rather than setting a strict schedule. This strategy helps you produce more milk and ensures that the baby is well nourished.
During the first few days or weeks, on-demand feedings occur every 1 to 3 hours (about 10 to 12 sessions in a 24-hour period). You may have to wake a sleepy baby to feed in the first few days after birth. These early feedings often are short; sometimes a newborn breast-feeds for only a few minutes on each breast or only on one breast. These feedings are important to increase your milk supply over the first few days. It is important to let your baby breast-feed at least 15 minutes on a breast. This allows your baby to get the foremilk, which has water and needed nutrients, and hindmilk, which has more fat and calories to satisfy your baby's appetite. Over time, feeding sessions will become longer.
It is normal for a baby to lose up to 10% of his or her birth weight within the first week. By 2 weeks of age, newborns should weigh as much or more than they did at birth.
Your milk supply increases as your baby's needs increase. You may be surprised at the number of diapers your newborn goes through every day. Newborns younger than 2 weeks should have at least 1 or 2 bowel movements a day. Babies older than 2 weeks can go 2 days and sometimes longer between bowel movements. It’s usually okay if it takes longer than 2 days, especially if your baby is feeding well and seems comfortable.
The number of diapers a newborn wets is sometimes difficult to determine because disposable diapers are so effective at wicking moisture. In general, however, during the first week your newborn normally has at least 2 or 3 wet diapers a day. After that, your baby will have at least 6 to 8 wet diapers a day.
Breast-feeding through the first year
At around 3 months of age, feedings become quicker and less frequent. Your baby is able to drink more milk at one time and your body naturally and easily adjusts. However, your baby's feeding patterns often fluctuate within the first 6 months. Needs typically increase during growth spurts, which usually occur around the following ages:
- 10 days to 2 weeks
- 5 to 6 weeks
- 2½ to 3 months
- 4½ to 6 months
During growth spurts, your baby may seem to be hungry every 1 to 2 hours. By feeding your baby on demand, your milk supply increases. After about 2 to 4 days, you will have increased your milk supply at each feeding to satisfy your baby for a longer period. The number of feedings will then gradually decrease.
Doctors usually recommend against supplementing during the first 6 months. This means that you do not supplement your breast-fed baby's diet with formula, food, or water, even during a growth spurt. Doing so can decrease your milk production. Early bottle feedings can also make it more difficult for your baby to latch on to your breast.
Research shows that feeding a baby only breast milk for his or her first 6 months provides all the needed vitamins, minerals, and antibodies.14 But as a precaution against rickets, experts recommend that a daily supplement of at least 200 IU of vitamin D be given daily to all breast-fed infants.15 (Formula has vitamin D added.) Vitamin D for babies is a liquid supplement that you add to a bottle of breast milk with a dropper or drip into your baby's mouth.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you breast-feed until your baby is at least age 1. When your baby is 6 months of age, you can start slowly adding iron-fortified foods along with other foods to his or her diet.
By the age of 1 year, your baby may only breast-feed twice a day. The health and nutritional advantages of breast-feeding are not limited to one year. If you choose to breast-feed for longer, your baby will continue to benefit. If you are unsure about whether you want to start weaning your baby, talk with your doctor.
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| Author: | Kathe Gallagher, MSW | Last Updated: May 10, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine | |
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| Topic Contents | |
| Topic Overview | |
Health Tools  | |
 | What Is Normal |
| Common Concerns | |
| Routine Checkups | |
| When To Call a Doctor | |
| Home Treatment | |
| Other Places To Get Help | |
| Related Information | |
| References | |
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