Our Guide to Breastfeeding Your Newborn

Posted by Corryn Barakat on Dec 16, 2021

Many breastfeeding mothers will agree that breastfeeding a newborn baby can be challenging. Why? It's because breast feeding is not instinctive, it is a skill to learn. It also tends to take some time before breastfeeding becomes second nature.

Whether it is your first baby, second or third, feeding your baby in the first few weeks is a full time job! Never fear though, as baby begins to grow you will find it gets easier. The World Health Organization recomends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. The WHO encourages continued breastfeeding for the first 2 years. Making sure you have good support networks in place will help you meet your feeding goals. You can meet other like minded mums with the Australian Breastfeeding Association.

When should I start breastfeeding my newborn baby?

The first hour after birth is a magic time for establishing breastfeeding. Maximise skin to skin contact by placing baby on your chest. Your new baby has powerful instincts to guide them to attach. This is 'baby-led' attachment.

Your baby is 'switching on' all the receptors in your body when they latch and start to suck. This helps your milk supply in the future.

Lots of skin to skin time and breastfeeding frequency will also establish good supply. You can check out our Breastfeeding Videos guide with lactation consultant Katie James for more info: Breastfeeding Videos

What is Colostrum Milk?

The first milk you make is colostrum. It is very thick and sweet and designed especially for your baby in their early feeds. It is nutritious and will help your bub develop their immune system.

Try this: antenatal collection of colostrum from 36 weeks of pregnancy. Check with your health care providers first though!

You will have extra colostrum if needed after birth. You can use it to supplement your baby's diet and avoid infant formula. Always consult with your child health professional first though.

When does my mature breast milk come in?

Your milk 'comes in' on average 2 to 3 days after birth. You will notice your milk changes from colostrum to a whiteish milk and increase in volume.

You may notice breast engorgement along with an increase in dirty diapers or nappies. Then, about 10 to 15 days after birth, it changes again to your mature breast milk. It is nutritious for your bub, and is changing to provide exactly the right nutrients for your baby as they grow.

Who do I call if I'm having troubles with breastfeeding?

You can call the breastfeeding helpline on 1800 686 268. This is an Australian Government supported service, by the Australian Breastfeeding Association.

You can also find a Lactation Consultant near you using this directory. They can help identify a poor latch or tongue tie issues. They can also show you how to make sure you have a proper latch so you don't feel pain on your next feeding.

A Lactation consultant will help if you are supplementing with formula feeding and wanting to increase low milk supply. They can also help you with expressing milk.

How long should a newborn feed for?

During the newborn period, the amount of time your bub feeds can very from 10 to 15 minutes, up to 45 minutes to an hour. If your baby is exclusively breastfed then it is important to feed on demand. It might feel as though you are nursing constantly. This will help baby return to and exceed their birth weight.

Feed on the first side until your baby stops active swallowing. You can then offer the other breast.

How long it takes to feed depends on you, your bub, and other things, such as whether:

your milk supply has come in (this usually happens 2–5 days after birth)
your let-down reflex (which causes milk to flow from the nipple) happens right away or a bit slower
your milk flow is slow or fast
the baby has a good latch, taking in as much as possible of your areola (the dark circle of skin around your nipple)
is your baby swallowing straight away or taking it slow
if your baby is sleepy or distracted

How often do you need to breastfeed a newborn baby?

Your baby will feed frequently in the early weeks and month to help establish your milk supply. It is important to recognise early feeding cues and offer the breast. When baby becomes distressed it is harder to get a good attachment.

Try to follow bubs hunger cues and ensure baby feeds at least 8 to 12 times every 24 hours .

Breast milk is very easily digested and baby's tummy is very small, so it needs to be regularly refilled! There is unlikely to be a regular pattern in the early weeks so don't stress if there is no consistent schedule. This is a time to go with the flow and enjoy the bonding time with your new child.

Do I need to wake my baby for feeds?

A full term bub who is gaining enough weight in line with the WHO weight charts will wake on their own. There are some reasons why you might need to wake your baby for a feed, for example:

if your baby is premmie and needs to gain weight
if your baby is 'sleepy' due to jaundice or other health concerns
if your baby has insufficient weight gain

If you need to wake your baby for feeds, there are some gentle ways to do it

switch sides: the movement and extra milk may help wake baby
change baby's nappy
undress your baby and put her on your chest for skin to skin contact
have a bath together and let her self attach
try a different breastfeeding position, such as underarm or upright
talk to your baby and gently massage his hands and feet or back

How long should you breastfeed your newborn on each side?

In past years, midwives were advising mums to feed for 10 minutes on each side. More recent advice recommends new mums feed on one side until baby stops swallowing. Then she can offer the other side if needed.

Every mother has different levels of milk production so there is no single right answer. If you have a lot of milk your bub may only need one side at a time until they get older. For other mothers, they will offer both sides at every feed.

The best way to gauge the correct amount of time is by looking at your baby's cues while breastfeeding. Most babies have a natural rhythm of active sucking and swallowing, e.g. 'suck, suck, suck, suck, swallow'. If they are not swallowing, then you can switch sides. You can switch breasts by gently inserting a clean finger to break the latch, and then switch breasts.

Remember your breast are never empty. They are not bottles that empty as bub feeds, they are more like taps that keep making milk even during a feed. Even if it feels as though they are "empty" and baby isn't swallowing as much, you are still sending signals to your body to make more milk.

If baby is going through growth spurts they are likely to continue sucking at most feedings. This is nature's way of signaling to your body that it needs to make more milk for a growth spurt! Clever!

Is a 10 minute feed enough for a newborn?

Many mothers worry that they are not feeding their bub long enough. A 10 minute feed can be plenty for a newborn, especially if you have a fast let down. It is normal for bub to feed for 10 to 15 minutes, or for 45 minutes to an hour. Every baby is different!

What is cluster feeding?

Cluster feeding is very common in the first few weeks and months. It happens when bub feeds almost constantly for a few hours. It often happens in the evening or during 'witching hour'. Cluster feeding can be a way of filling up so she can have a longer sleep.

Be prepared to be attached for a few hours in the evening!

What are the best breastfeeding positions?

There is no one "right" position. Any position that allows bubs to latch on and nurse effectively is a good position. You might like to try a few to find the ones that suit you.

Some of the most popular breastfeeding positions are:

The cradle hold: cradle baby's head on your forearm and support his body with your arm across your front.
The football hold: hold bub so that he or she is facing your breast. Her body is off to the side, under your arm (you will need a pillow to support baby at the right height)
The side-lying position: a popular position if you have a fast let down, and also at night or during naps! Lie on your bed or the floor on your side, and have bub lie facing you and attach to your breast
Leaning Back: this is also good if you have fast let down. Recline back to a 45 degree angle on the couch or pillows. Then place bub upright against your tummy. Allow bub to attach while supporting their head with your arm or hand.

No matter what breastfeeding position you choose, make sure that the baby's mouth is wide open and that his or her tongue is down (not crying). Line baby's nose up with the nipple so that he can latch on to the breast correctly. Don't be afraid to experiment until you find a position that is comfortable for both you and bub.

If you are having difficulty breastfeeding your newborn, consult with a lactation consultant. And remember, don't be discouraged - breastfeeding can take some practice!

What are breast compressions and when should I try them?

Breast compressions may be useful if you are trying to help your bub have more breast milk, or expressing milk.

Try this: squeeze your breast in a hamburger shape while she is sucking at the breast. This can help push the breast milk out faster and boost production, which will encourage your baby to suck and swallow. This technique is also helpful while pumping your milk.

Do I need to burb my baby?

It is very common to see mothers burping their babies after a feed, to help them let out any air. Burping bub can help her to feel more comfortable and less gassy. There are varying opinions on whether you need to burp a breastfeeding baby.

Generally the air or gas will naturally come up through the day. Especially if you hold your bub upright (e.g. in a carrier or on your shoulder). If you feel bub is uncomfortable then you can try burping at any time.

Two common ways to burp babies are:

Sit her on your knee and support her neck and chin with a hand on her chest while you rub her back in circular movements
Place him on your shoulder so his head rests on your shoulder and gently rub his back in circular movements. Standing and bouncing gently can also help.

How do you breastfeed a newborn with a toddler?

Breastfeeding often takes some practice, even for seasoned breastfeeding moms. Breastfeeding a newborn can harder with a toddler there to help! Especially if you are in public, or if the older sibling wants to help feed your baby. Try these suggestions when you need to breastfeed:

giving the older sibling their own doll to care for. They can practice feeding their doll while you're feeding bub
getting organized. Caring for your toddler much easier if you are able to organise activities and snacks in advance. Have a caddie or small bag of activities that you can bring out when you need to feed your bub
try feeding with baby in a carrier. It isn't comfortable, but sometimes being able to whip out a boob while on the go is a lifesaver! You might be trying to prepare a meal, or out at the shops and needing both hands to wrangle your toddler. This is your back up option, and gets easier as baby gets older and is able to attach well on their own.

What is the best breastfeeding schedule with a newborn?

Some baby books recommend a breastfeeding schedule for new babies. This is not advisable and can cause breastfeeding problems. The current guidelines recommend feeding your baby on demand. Many women find as baby's age increases that they may develop a routine or schedule, but it needs to be baby-led.

It will continue to change as bubs grows and moves into different stages.

Breastfeeding on demand is the best way to ensure you are making enough milk for your baby. This ensures that you are satisfying your baby's hunger and thirst.

What are the benefits of breastfeeding my baby?

Breastfeeding provides many benefits for both you and your baby. Your breast milk contains all the nutrients that your baby needs in his first 6 months of life. After this breastfeeding is still important as it continues to provide health benefits.

These include decreased risk of certain childhood infections, digestive issues like diarrhea or constipation, respiratory infections and illnesses such as pneumonia, obesity in adulthood, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and more.

How often should my baby breastfeed at night?

Your new baby has a very tiny tummy and has not yet learnt the difference between day and night. It is normal for her to wake every 2 to 3 hours day and night for a feed during the first 6 to 8 weeks. You need to be breastfeeding at least 8 to 12 times every 24 hours. this will help maintain your milk supply and to provide enough milk for bub.

Your night time feeding helps to establish your supply. It also helps your baby start to tell the difference between night and day. This is due to the melatonin in your night time milk (the sleepy hormone).

You may find your baby starts to have a longer stretch of 5 hours between feeds once every 24 hours, and this may occur at night time or during the day (remember their body clock doesn't know the difference between night and day yet!).

Some babies will want to breastfeed all night, while others will breastfeed once or twice. As long as your bub is feeding 8 to 12 times in a 24 hour period and gaining weight, there is no need to worry. Every baby is different, and the best thing to do is respond to your baby's hunger cues and feed on demand.

Is it ok if my baby falls asleep while breastfeeding?

There is no right or wrong answer to this question - it depends on what works best for you and whether your bub needs to gain more weight. Some mothers find that if their baby falls asleep while breastfeeding, they prefer to gently wake them and continue feeding. Other mothers are happy to let their baby sleep.

Some sleep consultants will tell you that your baby will create a sleep dependency if they are feeding to sleep. Babies are biologically designed to fall asleep while breastfeeding due to the release of 'sleepy' hormones. It is completely natural, and your baby will grow out of this stage when they are ready.

If you want baby to stay awake during breastfeeding you will need to experiment a little bit to see what works best for both you and your baby. Try breastfeeding in a bright, stimulating environment or breastfeeding more frequently throughout the day.

About the Author

Corryn is a lover of coffee, hugs and sunshine. Mum of 3 and founder of Milk and Love, Corryn loves chatting to new mums and pregnant mums. She has extensive breastfeeding experience, and is an advocate for gentle parenting, cosleeping and looking after Mum's mental health... read more about Corryn here