Well, the first two weeks are behind us and I am slowly finding my way to a “new normal”. We have our evenings down pat, but when I feel like I have conquered the day, we usually get thrown a curveball. I am still learning as I go, and we have our good days and days that are not so great, but the love we share is what gets me through the moments that are not picture perfect. Thankfully, our little guy latched right away, but it has been a learning process in the 12 days that we have known each other. Yes, his latch is great, but he is taking in air, which makes him gassy. He has hiccups ALL THE TIME! Early on, I was trying too hard to get him on a “schedule” and thanks to this article, I have been able to learn from our boy, and he has slept for FIVE hours, two nights in a row!
I am so thankful to have a resource like Baptist Health South Florida and the article on The First Two Weeks of Breastfeeding: What to Expect to Help Get Me Through really helped me figure things out. The first couple of days at the hospital were hard to find a schedule. We would just get him settled and in would walk a nurse, a doctor or someone that would rile him up and ultimately leave us with a fussy, crying and frustrated baby. Now that we are home we are learning more about each other by the second. He was feeding overnight at 12 A.M., 3:00 A.M. and 6 A.M. like clockwork and lately has changed from a 12:00 A.M. and 5:00 A.M. cycle and I am grateful for these nights, as I know they can be a very long trying time for new parents. These tips definitely helped us get into the groove.
So why breastfeed? According to the article: “When a mother breastfeeds she provides love, warmth, comfort, and security to her infant,” says, Grisel Gigato, R.N., a lactation specialist at South Miami Hospital‘s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Mother Baby Unit. “Her breastmilk provides her infant with nutrition and protection against infection and illnesses. All of these are benefits that will last her infant/child a lifetime.”
Baptist Health South Florida Tips For the First Two Weeks of Breastfeeding:
Frequency: Your baby needs to feed every 2-3 hours or 8-12 times per day. Feed your baby as soon as they show signs of hunger. Baby Cory sucks his hands and makes an eh eh eh sounds and I know its about that time! During the first two weeks, it is important to feed your baby on demand or when you see their first signs of hunger early before they start to cry. Also, if your baby is over 7 lbs. he or she can fast for up to five hours, including one time per night, which is where we are at now!
Wake Your Baby For Feedings and Keep Them Awake: Early on I would just grab Baby Cory and bring him right to the boob, but then he was falling asleep and would not get in a full feed. Now, I try to wake him by changing his diaper and talking to him so that he stays awake longer and gets more milk! The article also states that if they fall asleep during feeding to try and keep them awake through the entire feed.
Watch For Cues: Our little guy starts to eat his hand and suck his lips and make an “Eh Eh” sound. According to the article, a baby’s fist will tighten when they are hungry. As they nurse, the arm and fist will relax and eventually, they will pull away when they are full. If the arm and fist are still tense, then they likely have not gotten enough to eat. If they look totally “milk drunk” and limp, they have!
Feed Frequently When Your Breasts Get Full: Trying to keep a baby to a schedule early on should not be the priority. Instead, feed as often as your baby will allow. The article states that overly full breasts slow milk production if not corrected. If the baby cannot soften breasts from frequent feedings, try a breast pump or hand express to empty breast and soften them.
Sleep When Baby Sleeps: I have had a tough time with this one since we have had a lot of visitors, but the few times that I did sleep while he slept has made all of the difference in the world! So, even if you have to, become nocturnal, but catch your Z’s in where you can!
Diaper Changes at Night: Do not feel the need to change your baby all of the time. If they have a poopie diaper, then YES change them, but baby can go longer in a wet diaper.
Establish Day and Night Routines: According to the article, daytime routines should be “bright, busy and loud”, whereas, night routines should be “dark and quiet”. Early on we tiptoed around our boy and now during the day we keep music on or the TV going so that he can get used to sounds. He also did great at his first restaurant outing!
For four more tips on breastfeeding during the first two weeks, check out this article from Baptist Health South Florida! These were the ones that helped me out the most and I will be sharing more on breastfeeding as August is National Breastfeeding Month #NBM.
